Ethiopia, as part of the world-wide trend of influence brought about by globalization, isrnsubject to a situation marked by the increased flow into the country and consumption byrnthe local audience of foreign-produced media and cultural products. While Americanrnmovies take the lead in terms of consumption rates, we also see Indian filmsrnsupplementing the local audienceâ€™s consumption of foreign media materials. This study,rnin particular, under the title of â€œAn Investigation into the Appropriation and use ofrnBollywood Movies by Ethiopian Youth from a Poor Family Background in Addis Ababaâ€rnis interested in examining the web of meanings that arise from the viewing of Bollywoodrnamongst Ethiopian youth. With this end in view, the study employed observation, focusrngroup interviews, and individual in-depth interviews to gather the data needed to makernsense of the youthâ€™s viewing practice.rnThe findings of the study show that local audiences in their interaction with mediarnmessages produced in settings far removed from theirs, actively interpret them in light ofrnthe subjective values, aspirations and concerns within their lives. What the youthâ€™s ownrnresponses reveal is that the plurality of meanings they make when viewing Bollywoodrnmovies represent a challenge to the premises of the media imperialism thesis, whichrnposits the homogenizing role of the Western media in terms of propagating Westernrnvalues and interests at the expense of the weaker â€˜Third Worldâ€™ nations such as Ethiopia.rnThe notion of homogenization fails to accurately describe the consumption of foreignrnmedia messages by local audiences. The study also shows that the coming into thernpicture of such regional media images as produced by nations like India raises thernquestion whether media/cultural imperialism thesis is adequate in terms of explaining thernoverwhelmingly complicated global exchange and transfer of cultural materials.