MEDIA EXPOSURE AND MEDIA LITERACY SKILLS AMONG ELDERLY IN SURATTHANI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) study the media exposure behavior of the elderly; 2) study the media literacy skills of the elderly; and 3) investigate the relationship between media exposure and media literacy skills of the elderly in Suratthani Province. It is quantitative research. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were collected from a group of 400 elderly people aged 60 years and over who lived in Suratthani Province, in 19 districts. The results found that 1) For media exposure behavior, elderly people follow news from the mass media at a low level, 1 - 2 days per week. Most of them follow from television media because it is a medium that they are very familiar with. As for social media, they follow very little or not at all. 2) For media literacy skills, elderly people received and understood misinformation at the lowest level. Overall media literacy skills are at a moderate level. Elderly people had the highest analytical and interpreting skills at a moderate level, followed by evaluation and decision-making and media awareness. 3) Regarding the relationship between media exposure and media literacy skills, Behavior of being exposed to media, whether it be mass media or social media including the frequency of media use has a positive influence on all aspects of media literacy skills. Relevant agencies should promote and support complex digital media literacy skills for the elderly, in order not to create gaps in accessing various information. In addition, media literacy skills should be promoted on all channels, both mass media and social media, regularly and continuously.