Locating Chinatown in the global village: Cultural innovation in Taiwan's multichannel environment

The availability of media technology in the mid-1980s in Taiwan has forever changed the landscape of its television industry. With the help of cable and satellite technologies, audiences in Taiwan today receive an average of 60 channels, 20 times the number available just a few years ago. Through focus group interviews, this study examines the possible cultural implications of such speedy changes for a society that is in the midst of political, cultural, social and economic transitions. The results indicate that Chinese cultural identity in Taiwan has come to another crossroad and stress the prospect of cultural innovation as a possible outcome in the age of a multichannel environment. The study also advocates further thoughtful consideration over potential media impacts on culture as the world strips itself of distinguishing characteristics on the path toward the global village.