Research Title: Mass Media and Security of Buddhism
Researchers: Professor Dr. Chamnong Adivadhanasit
Department: Buddhist Research Institute, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University
Fiscal Year: 2548 / 2005
Research Scholarship Sponsored by: Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University
ABSTRSCT
The objectives of this research were to study the present Thailand’s social situation under the current of free and liberal mass media and to study the reasons of the mass media in the news coverage of the Buddhist monks and the security of Buddhism. A qualitative research method was employed for collecting secondary data from documents and primary data from interviewing 15 Buddhist monks at administrative level and form 10 newspaper and television reporters respectively.
The findings may be summaried as follows. Mass media was a business organization with full freedom in presenting news under a democratic political system and under a capitalistic economic system. All types of mass media played a vital role and had a great influence on the individual and society especially in terms of spreading cultural value and belief. Even though a code of conduct was set for mass media, it was always overlooked because of though competition for profit and survival. The presentation of news coverage about the misbehaved Buddhist monks was careless and hardly thinking of its impact on the Buddhist institution. And the present Thai Society was undergoing a rapid change owing to being exposed to unlimited new cultural value. This had created a substantial intergroup conflict and caused social and cultural disorganization and moral deterioration. Buddhism has given an importance to such means as individuals, natural environment and arts and culture. The security of Buddhism lived principally in these three means. Other factors responsible for the security of Buddhism consisted of roles of government organizations, Buddhist Sangha, Lay people, mass media, private business sector and academicians who must co-operate and develop the Buddhist institution in the poly-party form. As for the reasons of reporting the news of the misbehaved Buddhist monks in a front page of newspaper were found to be varied highly ranging form business reason, warning reason, social problem reflection reason, responsibility reason, academic reason up to the destructive reason respectively. Even though there was a fact of business reason for reporting the news of the misbehaved Buddhist monks, the reporters recommended that in order to get mass media play a constructive role in creating security to Buddhism, society and the state; the state, society and the public support and sponsor such a creative mass media for their survival and the Buddhist Sangha play an active role in having the mass regularly exposed to message sent by them and they establish an organization responsible for efficiently spreading a positive message on Buddhism to the public in an interesting manner so as to attract more attention of the public.
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