Abstract:
Purpose: 1. To find out the demands, popularity, attitudes as well as benefits from the existing radio programs listened by the people in Central Region. 2. To find out the quantity in terms of time allotted in radio programs provided by the radio stations in Central Region. 3. To compare the public demands for radio programs with those broadcast by the radio stations whether both are in reasonable balance. Procedures: 1. The samples consisted of people in Central Region. The field research was conducted through questionnaires dealing with demands, popularity, attitudes and benefits that the audience gained from the programs. 2. The collection of data was by documentation, interview and listening to those programs mainly based on December, 1975 unpublished materials from radio stations. Results: 1. The ordinary listeners were most interested in listening to entertainment programs, news broadcasting and some knowledgeable pieces with means of 3.79, 3.71 and 3.17 respectively. 2. The distributed programs in Central Region needed by the audience were classified into three categories respectively: as entertainment programs, knowledge and news with the percentage of 43.05, 22.22 and 21.34. 3. The audience suggested that radio programs should be more in formative on broadening the horizon of the audience in everyday life. Besides, the sound system should be improved. 4. It was concluded that a great excess of broadcasting programs, for example, of religions, language and literature, plays, Thai songs and pop songs have been utilized. Whereas those which are of greater demand like weather forecasts, local news and knowledge about art and culture have not been up to their demands. 5. Rank correlation between means of demand for radio programs and percentage of programs broadcasting were moderate. Suggestions: 1. All radio stations in Central Region should merge into a single institute so that programming and timing can be arranged to suit the public needs, tastes and listening periods. 2. The information which has become excessive in some cases should be improved to interest the public more, or time could be reduced. Such time could be added to the programs that people have more interest. Entertainment periods could have intervened more professional knowledge necessary to them. 3. As some technical terms used in, for example, weather forecast programs, specially common agriculturists have a difficult time to understand. More simplified language should be encouraged to be broadcast, so it will benefit most people in the region.