Sappurisa-Dhamma: Qualities of a Good Man and Their Application to Program Scheduling for the Elderly at the Chiang Mai Radio Broadcasting Station of Thailand

Abstract

The research article aims to achieve three main objectives: 1) examining opinions on program schedules for the elderly at a radio station in Thailand, 2) exploring the relationship between Sappurisadham principles and program schedule management at the same station, and 3) provide guidelines for effectively applying the principles of Sappurisadhamma in managing the program schedule for the elderly at the Radio Broadcasting Station of Thailand, specifically in Chiang Mai Province. To accomplish these objectives, a combined research method was employed. The quantitative research component utilized a sample group consisting of mass communication journalists, public relations publicists, program organizers, and a network of village and community public relations volunteers, totaling 120 individuals. Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire. The collected data were then analyzed using various statistical measures such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and the Pearson correlation coefficient, the qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with 10 key informants. The data collected were analyzed using various statistical measures and descriptive content analysis techniques.

The research findings indicate that the opinions towards the creation of program schedules for the elderly at the Radio Broadcasting Station of Thailand Chiang Mai Province were generally positive, with a high level of agreement (μ=3.94, S.D.= 0.901). Furthermore, there exists a moderate level of relationship between the principles of Sappurisadham and the management of program programming for the elderly at the Radio Broadcasting Station of Thailand, with a statistically significant correlation of 0.01. One of the identified problems and obstacles is that the programmers, acting as messengers, lack presentation techniques. Consequently, it is crucial to develop guidelines for program organizers to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills to effectively present news beneficial to elderly listeners. It is worth noting that the elderly audience primarily shows interest in topics related to Dhamma, health, and law.