PATTERNS OF WEATHER FORECAST NEWS IN TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

Abstract: This thesis study on “Patterns of Weather Forecast News in Television Programs in Digital Age” aims to: 1) To study Generation Y viewer’s increases in the digital age; 2) To study factors affecting Generation Y viewer’s behavior of watching weather forecast news in the digital age; 3) To study the effects of the communication technology and other broadcasting channel technologies affecting the popularity of weather forecast news among Generation Y viewers in the digital age; 4) To study the adaptation guidelines for weather news program on television in digital age. The samples included 400 Generation Y citizens. In-depth interviews were also conducted on individuals whose backgrounds were related to production of weather forecast news programs.

Survey study results show that most samples were female, aged 17-36 years with the highest education level at bachelor’s degree. Most of them were university students. It was discovered that different ages and occupations affect the frequency of weather forecast news exposure. In other words, the sample group with ages of 17-21 years showed higher frequency of viewing weather forecast news in television programs than other ages. Samples who were school/university students showed higher frequency of viewing weather forecast news in television programs than other occupations.

                Most of the samples exposed to weather forecast news on television. The main reasons for viewing include desire to know about daily weather conditions, interesting program patterns, and accuracy of the weather forecast. In addition, they also exposed to weather forecast news on other social media channels such as Facebook, YouTube, and Line Messenger due to their convenience and fast access. This information complies with the research hypotheses.

                According to Generation Y viewers’ opinions, weather forecast news in television programs in this digital age should improve their contents and quality to be more concise, interesting, accurate, diverse, and compatible with other digital platforms or capable of broadcasting the news via other platforms simultaneously with the live broadcast on television. In addition, television stations should also provide chronologically ordered history programs on their websites for the viewers to be able to view them later anytime.

                The interviews show that Generation Y’s behavior of news consumption is different from that of the past generations. Most consumers receive news from online media due to the diversity of the media that meets individual’s needs without time and place limitations.

Therefore, weather forecast news in television programs in digital age should improve in following aspects: 1. Contents of weather forecast news should focus on extreme accuracy that will benefit the program’s credibility; 2. Weather forecast newscasters should be able to communicate with verbally correct Thai, display a good character, present the news content in a unique style with a pleasant and friendly voice, and have deep understanding in weather conditions; and 3. The presentation should be done with better computer graphics that can convey the contents in an interesting way to attract Generation Y news viewers. Moreover, there should be multiplatform channels to broadcast the news to provide more options to Generation Y weather forecast news viewers in digital age.

In conclusion, adaptation approaches for weather forecast news in digital age are required to integrate modern technology into the existing television program production and broadcasting process in response to the changing behaviors of news viewers. The researcher proposes patterns of weather forecast news in television programs in digital age, involving elements called “9 P’s” which consists of: P1: Project, P2: Purposes, P3: People, P4: Program, P5: Place, P6: Public Relations, P7: Party, P8: Personnel, and P9: Presenter.