การปรับตัวเพื่อความอยู่รอดทางเศรษฐกิจและความเป็นสถาบันเพื่อการให้บริการสาธารณะของหนังสือพิมพ์ท้องถิ่นภาคกลาง

Abstract

Kaona and Petchapoom are two of the local newspapers in Thailand’s central provinces of Ratchaburi and Petchaburi, respectively, whose objective is to satisfy the people’s need for local information. But they are also a type of business. Therefore, this research analyses the settings surrounding the media organizations which may influence their operations, such as society, culture, technology, politics, and economy. Using in-depth interviews and documentary research, the study discovers that Kaona and Petchapoom have to carry their businesses and serve public interest as a media institution at the same time. Two factors influencing these newspapers can be divided into two groups: internal and external factors. The internal factors are organization planning and management, production technology investment, and media professionalism. Meanwhile, social environment, politics, economy, and demand of information are considered the external factors. The study finds that some of these factors seem to be the constraints in both newspapers’ operations. However, some factors provide support for the organizations and maintain the newspapers’ balance of being a local media institution and a local business.