iieiiei1eWrkers - Leicester Research Archive - University of Leicester

a more cautious strategy. Since it commands a highly fluctuated market its
secondary sector is firmly grounded in the notion of 'giving the public what it
warns'. The 'quality' products therefore, take two main forms. In the first
place, the industry publishes a range of music with 'pa/rio/ic', 'social' and
'modern isation' themes. This is in line with the state's policy on cultural
harmony and social integration. Under a strong censorship system, the industry
tactfully seeks a smooth relation with the state and its governing body by
producing 'socially creative ' messages from time to time. This is simultaneously
image building and self-regulatory.
The second category attempts to strike a balance between consumer and producer
orientations by inserting social commentary into the existing forms of humour or
tragic love songs or some of the folk comedies. As we shall see in more
detail in Chapter 9, the strategy of inconspicuous social commentary allows
critical messages to slip past the system's various gatekeepers.
6.2 The Organisation of Radio Drama and Music: Four Case Studies
In order to explore the role of ideologies of creativity in the organisation of
popular entertainment in more detail, I want now to present case studies of two
radio drama companies, Ketthip and Siam '81, and two music companies, Azona
and Grammy. 8 Although the general division of labour in these organisation is
based on the separation between creative communicators and cultural workers
noted earlier, whereas in radio drama material must meet the requirements of
the sponsors or advertisers, in the music industry the organisation itself mediates
directly between consumers and producers. The organisation of work within
these companies is consequently more fluid than the rigid hierarchy found in
the radio drama companies.
The production of radio drama in the Ketthip and Siam '81 companies
In Bangkok, there are two major stations for radio drama. Wor Bhor Tor and
Tor Chor Dor. They schedule approximately 24 to 18 drama slots in their
daily broadcasts. The Tor Tor Tor, Sor Sor Sor. Pol Nung and Ror Dor
stations that were previously well known for drama have now reduced their
8 The following data were gathered through interviews and observations of
the organisations at work, Interviews with both administrators and
actors/artists were carried out before and after observation of studio
production. The music companies however offered less access to their
production processes.
94