อิทธิพลของสื่อต่อการมีส่วนร่วมของประชาชน ในทางการเมือง: กรณีศึกษาประชาชนตำบลท่าศาลา อำเภอเมืองเชียงใหม่ จังหวัดเชียงใหม่

Abstract

The purposes of this independent study, Influence of Media on People Participation in Politics: A Case Study of Tha Sala Sub-District, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai Province, were to investigate characteristics and level of the characteristics of people participation in politics of Tha Sala Sub-district, Chiang Mai district, Chiang Mai province, and to study the influence of the media on people participation in politics of Tha Sala Sub-district, Chiang Mai district, Chiang Mai province. The study was conducted by collecting documents and related research, as well as collecting data from 375 residents living in Tha Sala sub-district, Mueang Chiang Mai district, Chiang Mai province by using questionnaires. The study found that the following and accessing level of media of Tha Sala sub-district residents was at a high level when considering the type of media people follow and access, such as mass media and online media. In addition, the characteristic level of political participation of Tha Sala district residents was at a moderate level. The first five characteristics were (1) the use of right to vote local politicians, such as provincial, municipal, and sub-district representative, (2) the use of right to vote national politicians, such as house of representatives and senators, (3) interest in following political news, (4) political discussions with family or others in general, and (5) joining a campaign to persuade others to vote for particular candidates, respectively. Most questionnaire respondents, 257 (65.9%), agreed that media had an influence on political participation while 69 respondents (18.4%) viewed that media had no influence on political participation, and 59 respondents (15.7%) were uncertain if media had any influence on political participation, respectively. The findings showed that the influence of the media on the political participation of Tha Sala sub-district residents were from mass media, personal media, and online media. All of these three media had an overall influence at a moderate level. The results of hypothesis testing showing media were associated with political participation of people in Tha Sala sub-district at a high level reveled that mass media were related to political participation of people in Tha Sala sub-district at a high level with statistical significance at the 0.01 level, which was consistent with the hypothesis. Personal media had a relationship with the political participation of people in Tha Sala sub-district at a moderate level with statistical significance at the 0.01 level, which was inconsistent with the hypothesis. Online media were related to the political participation of people in Tha Sala sub-district at a moderate level with statistical significance at the 0.01 level, which was inconsistent with the hypothesis. However, the study also found that there were a number of people who were uncertain and disagreed that media had an influence on individual's decision to participate in politics. They argued that political media had not acted their roles or might not be neutral. The decision making of these people relied on the experience or personal attitudes in order to make a decision for political participation.