Abstract
The research “Health Information Radio and Television Media for the Public” is conducted to monitor and analyse radio and television programmes that have health elements for Thais in them. The emphasis is on the Heath programme. The study was started by a survey of the whole layout of the station to analyse proportion of its content. After that sample programmes are picked up to be studied in details about the process of producing a health programme for radio/television. The study focuses on asking producers, in this research we would like to call “Health Communicator”, about their challenges and recommendations. To make the analysis more comprehensive, the team refers to base line data about the structure of radio and television media in Thailand and followed by interviewing managers who direct and manage the stations which are both owned by government and private, in order to illustrate the policy towards producing a health programme. In summary, the research will study the lay-out; study the structure of the media and health programmes and interview health communicators. The outcome will be a linked analysis that shows the whole picture of the broadcasting of health programmes through radio and televisions, particularly about challenges and recommendations that will lead to more studies or policy proposals to the state and the public such as the facilitation of health database and information for health communicators whose majority come from journalism not health background. The open channel that health communicators can access and exchange information with health agencies in both state and private sectors will give a great benefit to producers of these health programmes. Other important recommendations are Change of the government policy on mass communication of health information that will lead to full dissemination of health information to the public. The state should set a policy of supporting producers of health policy and establishing public service media or community media that focus on free service to the public so producers can have freedom in creating programmes while the public gain benefit. In the current situation, media producers face a problem of depending on income from sponsors that lead to hidden promotion of goods and service which control contents of the programme.By giving priority to non-profit programmes made for public service and supporting medium and small producers in gaining an easier access and sponsor will create better and more “health communicators” who will communicate information, knowledge, fact in lively format to the public than the present environment.
