Participatory Media Productions for Tacking Poverty, Social Development and Health Integrated: A Case Study of Chainat

Abstract

The objectives of this research study were 1) to present and to utilize the research results in Chainat of the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) about solving the problems on poverty, social development and integrated health. With the production and dissemination in participatory approach of Chainats and Chandrakasem Rajabhat University students. 2) to know the pattern and level of participation including, the output of the participated production and dissemination for solving the problems on poverty, social development and integrated health in Chainat by research results of TRF. And 3) to improve a learning process on research in communications and development communications, to extend understanding both of Chainats and students also, to cultivate their values on conducting a research study. This study is the Participatory Action Research (PAR).

The research finding was the presentation and utility of the TRF research results about solving the problems on poverty, social development and integrated health in Chainat. These showed the pattern of development communication, based on the research results that focused mainly on participation approach. The applied of participatory on this research was emphasized on every processes of media production; planning, production and dissemination. Besides, the participation showed the cooperation of all stakeholders such as government section, academic section and civil society. The proportion and component in multi-pattern and multi-level of participation of this action research was the success in the Chainat development. The research outcome was edutainment media entitled “Pa Sang Lui” program (Daddy said “Go ahead”). It was a series of 5 episodes for 30 minutes each. The content of each episode consisted of 5 main topics, viz. household accounting, family and generation gap happiness, useful youth hobbies, safe vegetables and community enterprises. The social medias; Facebook YouTube and Line were using as the communication channel. Youths was defined as the target of this media production. Finally, the outcome of this study acquired the participatory process which was valuable to the community leaders, academicians, erudite folks, children and youths in Chainat.  Moreover, the program was an outcome of amateur researchers to add values and sustainability to the media by means of being community media, promoting learning of the community dwellers about media production and dissemination. In addition, it was a way to return research findings back to the community and to make tacit (implicit) knowledge be explicit knowledge. The research products also implant positive attitudes and values towards a research study for the students and community dwellers participating in the research project. It made them realize and understand the content of the research study that involved with solving the problems on poverty, social development and integrated health in Chainat.