59-05-032 Proceeding

122 Proceedings of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Congress fit with the demands of elderly viewers. Channel 7 has no plan to adjust to an aging society. Channel 11 has a policy of prioritizing programs about the royal family as well as programs to promote national security, democracy, morals and ethics. TPBS receives some of its funding from taxmoney and its programming is controlled by ratings. In practice, Channel 3 tries to surreptitiously insert content for the elderly into its programs, especially news programs. Channel 5 caters to the elderly with its documentary programming even though it does not have an official policy of doing so. Channel 7 has no supporting policy. Channel 9 tries to appeal to diverse viewer segments, including the elderly. Channel 11 does not have a budget allocated for programs for the elderly but does air one episode eachweek. TPBS hires producers to produce TVprograms and there are still few good quality producers that can produce programs for the elderly. In addition, the research found that senior citizens should be appointed as consultants to TV station executives . This would fulfill the good corporate governance principle of participation. The official policy is to allow citizens to be aware of important decisions impacting society and participate in decision making by presenting their opinions, thus preventing the government and private sector from monopolizing decision making power. [14] Multimedia public relations should be used to inform senior citizens about programming aimed at them. 2) TV producers: The research found that TV producers should pay more attention to elderly viewers. Society will appreciate it if producers give something to elders, because young people will also someday be old. TV producers also have to have ideals. They have to be patient if they cannot get many sponsors to support programs for the elderly in the short term. Advertisers may think that senior citizens have little buying power, but if the producers make very good quality programs, then they will get popular and be talked about, and then the sponsors will want to support them. C. Program-related factors The factors that will shape programming for the elderly are 1) the value Thai culture places on elders; 2) the types and formats of programming for elders; 3) psychology of elders; and 4) expansion of viewer age groups. 1) The value of elders in Thai culture: Acting on inspiration provided by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, who has praised and admired the value of senior citizens, TV programs should be made to showcase the many accomplishments and skills or aged citizens that can still be useful in today’s society. SinceThai society is an aging society, the power of the elderly should be harnessed. TV programs can be a mechanism to develop elderly citizens by providing information and knowledge. TV is an appropriate medium for the elderly because many of them have problems with eyesight and can’t read much. Senior citizens should be the center of new programming, transmitting their ideas, wisdom, experience and goodness to later generations. The active aging concept recommends that senior citizens should participate in economic, cultural, political and work-related activities with their families and communities. The World Health Organization’s framework for developing senior citizens (WHO, 2002) states that 3 essential components for development are health, security and participation. [15]