A Social Network Analysis on Pharmaceuticals Promotion Radio Programs

雖然廣播賣藥節目由來已久，其製播內容也因影響國民健康及公眾視聽權益，而屢遭主管機關核處，但目前臺灣卻無相關統計資料及研究可系統瞭解廣播賣藥節目之播出情形，並對廣播賣藥產業進行相關實證調查。因此本研究透過蒐集整理衛生機關核處廣播電臺播出賣藥節目之裁處紀錄，先進行次級資料分析後，再採用社會網絡分析，藉以瞭解賣藥節目在電臺分布情形，並剖析該一產業網絡形貌及探求關鍵行動者，其中研究發現：播出賣藥節目之電臺主要分布在南部與北部；而播出賣藥節目之電臺已從調幅電臺延伸至調頻電臺，從小功率電臺蔓延到中大功率電臺；此外，單一賣藥節目平均會在4個電臺播出，更甚者還在24個電臺播出，因此廣播電臺播出賣藥節目之情形相當嚴重。 分析廣播賣藥產業整體網絡架構，係由多組供應商(藥品代理商)及通路商 (廣播電臺及節目製作單位) 所共同組成，並呈現星狀(或放射狀)之網絡結構，且網絡中出現多個明顯的核心人物，由此顯示成員間連繫速度快，處於節點的關鍵行動者佔有重要地位。另分析關鍵行動者之經營策略，大致循著兩個面向發展：(一)垂直面向：包括產品供應及電臺通路兩類；(二)水平面向：包括外製聯播及聯播系統兩種。不同行動者會依據所擁有之資源而採取差異策略與作法。 另研究中也發現產業網絡結構對節目內容產生深遠的影響，不論是電臺間董監事相互擔任或家族經營，抑是電臺兼營產品供應，都會限制內容呈現，因此本研究從電臺申設、平時監理及定時評鑑換照等層面，對主管機關之監理政策提出建議，期望藉由調整廣播產業結構，進而改變其內容表現，以達成維護聽眾傳播權益之目的。Pharmaceuticals promotion programs on radio have been a longstanding problem in Taiwan, and they are frequently penalized by regulatory agencies due to the adverse effects they cause on public health and audiovisual rights. However, statistical analysis or empirical studies looking into such programs and the industry networks behind them have been absent. Thus, the study attempts to make secondary data analysis with the penalties that health agencies imposed on programs that market pharmaceuticals. Social network analysis is utilized to reveal the distribution of such programs among radio stations, and to analyze the landscape of the industry networks as well as key actors. The study finds that radio stations which broadcast pharmaceuticals promotion programs are mainly situated in the southern and northern parts of Taiwan. Another finding suggests such programs have spread from amplitude modulation (AM) stations to frequency modulation (FM) stations, and from low-power stations to high-power ones. Furthermore, a certain pharmaceuticals promotion program appears in four radio stations in average, with some even reaching 24 stations. Consequently, the pervasiveness of programs that market pharmaceutical products should be taken seriously. The industry framework of promoting pharmaceuticals via radio programs is composed of suppliers (pharmaceuticals agents) and distributors (radio stations and program producers), and they function in starburst networks. There are many noticeable core figures in those networks, which indicates easy connections between network members and the importance of key actors as node points. Two trends can be observed in the development of pharmaceuticals promotion programs and their industry networks. The first trend is vertical, including the supply of pharmaceuticals and the distribution of such products by radio stations. The other is a horizontal one that consists of simulcast and broadcast syndication. Radio stations would adopt different strategies and approaches based on the resources they possess. If one station commands various resources in the vertical and horizontal chains, it exerts more influence in the industry networks. Another finding of this study is that the structures of industry networks have a profound influence on program content. Common board members among radio stations, family-run business models, and radio stations that distribute products can place restrictions on program content. For this reason, this study puts forward policy suggestions to the regulatory agency in areas like station establishment applications, regular station performance evaluation, renewal of station operating license, so as to safeguard the audience’s communication rights by encouraging the radio broadcasting industry to modify its structures and change its arrangements of content