TELEVISION, LOCAL REPRESENTATION, AND CULTURAL IDENTITY NEGOTIATION AMONG BAJAU YOUTH IN SABAH: A USES AND GRATIFICATIONS CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Abstract

This conceptual paper outlines a framework for examining how television consumption may influence the negotiation of cultural identity among Bajau youth in Sabah. It does not include primary empirical data. While research on the Bajau has mainly focused on traditional practices and their adaptation to modern life, little attention has been given to the role of television in young people's cultural experiences. Drawing on Uses and Gratifications Theory and studies on indigenous media representation, the paper views Bajau youth as active viewers who select, interpret, and sometimes challenge broadcast content, rather than passive recipients of cultural preservation or loss. Its core argument is that television's cultural importance for these youth is context-dependent. Where it hinges on what is shown, the language used, the creator and access conditions. Special focus is placed on local representation and its absence, distinguishing between mere visibility and respectful portrayal, and on digital inequality, which influences how rural and coastal youth can access culturally relevant content. Through a critical synthesis of literature on Bajau identity, Sabah and Malaysian television, indigenous media, and digital access, it proposes a framework and hypotheses for future research. The broader goal is to guide media production and policy that empower young people as creators of their own representation rather than passive audiences.