Guidelines for the Needs of the People in the Four Regions Regarding the Television Programs of Thailand's Terrestrial Digital Television Stations

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the guidelines for the needs of the people in the four regions regarding the television programs of Thailand’s terrestrial digital television stations. It utilized a qualitative research approach. Focus group interviews with stakeholders associated with the television programs of Thailand’s terrestrial digital television stations in the four regions were used as a data collection tool for this research. The study was conducted in eight provinces, including Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Chanthaburi, Kanchanaburi, Surat Thani, and Phuket, and involved 83 participants.
The research findings revealed three key guidelines for program needs. 1) The needs for program types, content, news and television program presentation formats included localization, content trustworthiness and news sources, language usage, news anchors and program hosts, broadcast timing, news content, presentation format, and budget allocation. 2) The needs for online platform television programs included language usage, program content, and presentation format in each region. And, 3) the development of community involvement in society included providing feedback, planning and producing programs, and broadcasting them. The research findings provided guidelines for those in charge of producing programs for Thai television stations and online media content. It also facilitated genuine community participation to meet the true needs of the public.