Communication and Media in Asia Pacific (CMAP)

A Survey on Journalists’ Use and Perceived Impact of ChatGPT on Thai Newsrooms

Monwipa Wongrujira — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study examined journalists’ perceptions of using ChatGPT in Thai media newsrooms. The mixed-methods approach employed a survey of 100 news staff and interviews with 17 media professionals in November 2023. The findings indicated that while most media professionals have reportedly known and used ChatGPT, only a few actively utilized it in newsrooms. The hesitancy stemmed primarily from concerns regarding the trustworthiness of information generated by ChatGPT. Those who have adopted ChatGPT in their journalistic work find ChatGPT beneficial for initiating ideas, gathering secondary data, synthesizing information, and crafting content. However, even these proponents acknowledge the need for journalists to exercise caution when employing this AI-generative tool. Several factors contributed to the hesitation or avoidance of ChatGPT among media professionals. These include untrustworthy information, a lack of source references, limited prompt knowledge, and Thai language barriers. Concerns regarding the potential impact of ChatGPT on newsrooms include job displacement, AI-generated news, copyright issues, media ethics, and misinformation and data manipulation. Media organizations should invest in data ecosystems for AI training, prioritize credibility over speed, and address AI literacy and ethical concerns, as well as develop guidelines and training programs to educate journalists about AI capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations.

Navigating Challenges Behind the Story: Investigative Journalism in Khulna’s Print Media Landscape

Tehosin Ashraf Prottoy, Mamunor Rashid, Sara Monami Hossain — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Investigative journalism is crucial in promoting transparency, accountability, and democratic governance. However, this study reveals that investigative journalists working in print media in Khulna City, the third-largest urban center in Bangladesh, face significant institutional, political, and economic barriers that hinder their ability to conduct impactful reporting. Through qualitative data collected via 18 in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion involving a total of 24 journalists from local and national newspapers, the study identifies key challenges including lack of logistical and financial support, legal harassment under the Digital Security Act (2018), editorial gatekeeping, political pressure, and limited access to information through the Right to Information Act. The findings highlight how regional journalists are systematically marginalized, receiving fewer resources and less recognition than their Dhaka-based counterparts. The political economy of media and agenda-setting theory provides practical frameworks for understanding how ownership structures, editorial biases, and commercial interests shape the visibility and viability of investigative reports. This study contributes to the existing literature by focusing on the underexplored regional dynamics of investigative journalism in South Asia. It also offers practical recommendations for strengthening the profession through policy reform, institutional support, and professional development initiatives.

Digital Divide and Use of Digital Public Health Service

Teerada Chongkolrattanaporn, Phnom Kleechaya, Kamonrat Kijrungpaisarn — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This research examines the digital divide in accessing digital public health services through a survey of 400 adults from Mae Hong Son, Nong Khai, Loei, and Yala provinces in Thailand. Statistical analysis was conducted using SEM. The study reveals a significant gap in accessing digital public health services, despite the widespread use of the internet. The proposed model fits the data well (GFI = 0.902, CFI = 0.943), underscoring the relevance of the issue. Path analysis indicates that usage motivation significantly impacts both the overall digital divide and the health-related digital divide (0.788 and 0.615, p < .01), while social motivation also plays a critical role (0.333, p < .05). The digital divide itself is a key causal factor for health disparities (0.780, p < .05), challenging the notion that internet access alone can ensure equity. Bridging this gap requires ensuring affordable internet access and adapting digital public health services for marginalized groups. Addressing these factors is a key to preventing the digital divide from exacerbating health inequities.

Virtual Context: Gamification Strategy for the Dissemination of Urban Safety Information in Shanghai

Ximin Zhang, Prakaikavin Srijinda — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This qualitative study aims to develop a communication strategy for the Shanghai police, focusing on creating a sustainable and organized model for urban safety information dissemination to primary school students through gamification. Data were gathered via in-depth and focus group interviews with nine Shanghai police officers and one security expert. The research reveals that the virtual tasks and challenges inherent in a gamified environment effectively present critical safety knowledge. Moreover, virtual cooperation and identity exchange cultivate primary school students' multi-perspective judgment of safety situations and enhance their collaborative escape abilities. Autonomous exploration within the game context fosters students' capacity for proximity-based escape thinking. Our findings suggest that successful gamified urban safety education necessitates a long-term collaborative mechanism between game development teams and the police, considering primary school students' specific information acquisition and memory preferences.