YOUTH RADIO PROGRAMS DURING THE INSURGENCY IN THREE SOUTHERN BORDER PROVINCES OF THAILAND Athitaya Somlok A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Communication Arts and Innovation) The Graduate School of Communication Arts and Management Innovation National Institute of Development Administration 2018 ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation Youth Radio Programs during the Insurgency in Three Southern Border Provinces of Thailand Author Miss Athitaya Somlok Degree Doctor of Philosophy (Communication Arts and Innovation) Year 2018 This study aims at investigating 1) the circumstances of radio programs for youth, 2) youth’s exposure behavior, use of media, and needs of radio programs, and 3) the circumstances of preferable radio programs for youth in unrest situations and the mechanisms which accelerate sustainable radio programs for youth. Firstly, in the qualitative part data were gained from 1) 48 records of radio programs, 2) 39 broadcasters, and 3) 46 representatives for a group discussion. Secondly, the quantitative data were obtained from 384 teenagers. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentage, means, t-test, and One Way ANOVA. Findings: Firstly, regarding the policies, three typical types were found; 1) broadcasting sponsored by station directors, 2) broadcasting sponsored by affiliations, and 3) programs without sponsorship. Most of the broadcasters were adults, youth, and collaboration between adult and youth. Next, 2 radio formats were 1) magazine programs and radio talk and 2) mixture of various formats. Most of the programs featured drugs, teen problems, multicultural society, unrest situations, and etc. Next, the methods of presentation involved; 1) the use of Central Thai, Malays translated into Thai for interviews, Thai and the targeted language in language tutoring programs, and the use of Thai with local Malays, 2) styles of talk between friends or between adults and youth, and 3) the use of informal language. Finally, regarding the problems and adjustment of the programs; 1) the presentation of unrest situations in iv the areas gained little support and collaboration among networks might be helpful, 2) the presentation of the content was controlled by the government and the audience, providing online channels to get the audience feedbacks and the neutral content might be helpful, 3) some youth believed that radio was obsolete and modern technology might be useful in extending channels of exposure and promoting networks, and 4) asking for sponsorship from affiliations, volunteers, or seeking from other sponsors might be effective in dealing with inadequate funding. The findings showed that radio was the second most frequently used medium after the Internet and television. The youth usually exposed to the radio on their mobile phones at homes. Moreover, most audience benefited from exposing to radio programs as they learned social situations, crises, and etc. To be specific, the exposure to the radio programs provided appropriate role models for male youth and they could greatly learn different opinions, while female audience moderately benefited from the programs. In addition, it was found that 1) the most preferable type of radio programs included music and Q&A, 2) 11 areas of the content were needed including religion, drugs, crises in the area, and etc., Concerning the preferable radio programs, 1) NBTC should release the ban on advertising or provide sponsorship, 2) youth and adult broadcasters should be promoted to become professional, 3) youth participation should be endorsed, 4) 20 categories were discovered; volunteering events should be presented for social activities, religion diversity should be presented in order to promote mutual understanding of multicultural society, for turmoil situations, the broadcast should include warning and soothing, 5) for the presentation, (1) varieties of languages should be presented, (2) styles of talk should be pleasant and fun with sincere voice. The mechanisms accelerating sustainable radio programs were; 1) sponsorship by government sectors, local institutions, and etc., 2) promoting networks, 3) releasing ban on advertising, 4) including more broadcasting channels, such as connection to main stream media, broadcasting through online media or through broadcasting towers, and 5) participation of the audience and relevant parties. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without strong help and support I received from various persons. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Patchanee Cheyjunya, my supervisor for having me as one of her students. I am also greatly indebted to Professor Dr. Yubol Benjarongkij, the head of the thesis committee and Assoc. Prof. Duangporn Kamnoonwat, the thesis committee. Their profound knowledge and dedication broadened my critical thinking until I could complete this thesis. I also gratefully acknowledged Prof. Metta Wiwattananukul for her helpful suggestion and guidelines on data management and her gracious generosity in revising the language use in this thesis I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Uncle Suwit Jumpa, my second dad. This thesis could not have been possible without his dedication throughout my journeys during my years pursuing the MA. and Ph.D. I thank all my friends for the infinite encouragement along the path of pursuing this degree, particularly those from Buranarumluk School, PSU, MU. and NIDA. Thanks for your spiritual support and best wishes for me. Most importantly, I would like to thank my family, Mr.Samran and Mrs.Taweelarp Somlok, my parents, and Miss Supanun Somlok, my sister for their metal and financial encouragement. Also, my biggest thanks go to Acting Sub Lt. Bhumiphat Khunsri, my husband for his mental support to achieve my dream degree. I would like to offer this thesis as a present to all of them. Finally, I would like to dedicate this thesis to all readers who would learn from this and conduct further studies. I offer this as token of gratitude to my parents, teachers, and those who had helped me. Athitaya Somlok December 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background and Significance of the Problem 1 1.2 Research Questions 8 1.3 Research Objectives 9 1.4 Research Hypotheses 9 1.5 Operational Definitions 10 1.6 Scope of the Research 10 1.7 Data Collection Schedule 13 1.8 Expected Benefits of the Research 15 CHAPTER 2 CONCEPTS, THEORIES, AND LITERATURE REVIEW 17 2.1 Concepts on Youth and Mass Media 18 2.2 Concepts on Media and Information Exposure Behaviors 27 2.3 Concepts on Uses and Gratification 35 2.4 Crisis in Southern Border 61 2.5 Concepts of Communication for Resolving Crisis and 76 Conflicts 2.6 Conceptual Framework of the Study 84 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 85 3.1 Research Methodology for Research Objective No. 1 86 3.2 Research Methodology for Research Objective No. 2 95 vii 3.3 Research Methodology for Research Objective No. 3 106 CHAPTER 4 THE SITUATION OF YOUTH RADIO PROGRAMS 112 IN THREE SOUTHERN BORDER PROVINCES 4.1 Operational Policies 112 4.2 Radio Broadcasters 121 4.3 Program Formats 128 4.4 Program Content 134 4.5 Style of a Program Presentation 172 4.6 Broadcast Time 179 4.7 Problems and the Adjustment of the Radio Programs 187 CHAPTER 5 RADIO EXPOSURE BEHAVIORS, USES OF RADIO, 198 AND NEEDS OF RADIO PROGRAMS 5.1 Demographic Data of the Youth Samples in Three 200 Southern Border Provinces (SBP) 5.2 Radio Exposure Behaviors of the Youth in Three SBP 202 5.3 Uses of a Radio of the Youth in Three SBP 208 5.4 A Comparison of the Youth’s Uses of a Radio Classified 213 by Sex 5.5 A Comparison of the Youth’s Uses of a Radio Classified 218 by Provinces 5.6 A Comparison of the Youth’s Uses of a Radio for 224 Gratifying Their Own Needs Classified by Age (Three Age Groups) 5.7 A Comparison of the Youth’s Uses of a Radio for 226 Getting a Feeling Classified by Education Level (Three Level Groups) 5.8 The Youth’s Needs of Radio Programs in the Three SBP: 227 Broadcasters, Program Format, Program Content, and Broadcast Time 5.9 A Comparison of the Youth’s Needs on Radio Programs, 239 Classified by Sex viii 5.10 A Comparison of the Youth’s Needs on Knowledge 251 Content in a Radio Program Classified by Provinces (Three Area Groups) 5.11 A Comparison of the Youth’s Needs on Social Content 255 in a Radio Program Classified by Age (Three Age Groups) 5.12 A Comparison of the Youth’s Needs on Program Content 257 Classified by Education Level (Three Level Groups) CHAPTER 6 THE EXPECTED YOUTH RADIO PROGRAMS UNDER 260 THE INSURGENCY IN THREE SOUTHERN BORDER PROVINCES AND MECHANISMS ENABLING SUSTAINABLE YOUTH RADIO PROGRAM 6.1 The Expected Youth Radio Programs under the Insurgency 261 in Three Southern Border Provinces (SBP) 6.2 Mechanisms Enabling Sustainable Youth Radio Programs 280 CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, AND RECOMMENDATION 293 7.1 Summary 294 7.2 Discussion 314 7.3 Recommendations 345 BIBLIOGRAPHY 349 APPENDICES 366 Appendix A Bibliography Radio Program Cassettes 367 Appendix B Questionnaire 372 Appendix C Guided Questions 408 Appendix D Illustration of Data Collection 418 BIOGRAPHY 430 LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1.1 Data Collection Schedule 13 3.1 The List of Radio Programs for Youth Broadcast in Radio 86 Stations of Three SBP and Recorded during July 2016 3.2 The Name List of Radio Broadcasters of Youth Programs