Liking The Sound of Their Own Voices A Case of TV Anchors and Their Shows - Pagenumber
Liking The Sound of Their Own Voices A Case of TV Anchors and Their Shows - Pagenumber
Liking The Sound of Their Own Voices A Case of TV Anchors and Their Shows - Pagenumber
Liking the sound of their own voices: A case of TV anchors and their
shows
Hassan Shehzad
International Islamic University, Islamabad
Dr Muhammad Zaman
Quaid-i-Azam University
Shane Zahra
International Islamic University Islamabad
JPDC
Volume 03-Issue 01
January –June 2019
Article Doi: https://doi.org/10.36968/JPDC.0301.04
Author Note
1. Hassan Shehzad is visiting Lecturer in Department of Media and
Communication Studies, International Islamic University Islamabad,
Pakistan
Email: [email protected]
2. Dr. Muhammad Zaman is Assistant Professor in the Department of
Sociology in Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan
Email: [email protected]
3. Shane Zahra is the student of MSc Anthropology at International
Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan
Email: [email protected]
11
LIKING THE SOUND OF THEIR OWN VOICES
Abstract
The aim of this research paper was to tap the role of anchorpersons of
talk shows in promotion of media agenda and shaping political reality
through measuring correspondence between time consumed by the
anchorpersons and panel of experts. For the purpose, systematic
random sampling technique has been used to select prime time talk
shows of Geo News for one year. On the basis of wide coverage, three
issues memo gate, law and order and corruption were selected to
gauge the relationship between the variables. The results show a
significant correlation between slant for the issues and time consumed
by the anchors has been observed on all the three issues. The results
showed that more the time grabbed by anchorpersons, more the
programs remained in unfavorable state towards government. The
results also revealed that 71% of total talk shows’ time was grabbed
by the anchorpersons while panel of experts allotted 29% percent time
in the issues. Anchorpersons remained unfavorable and biased in its
deliberations towards government to a great extent by snatching the
maximum time of the programs for molding the public opinion in a
certain direction.
Liking the sound of their own voices: A case of TV anchors and their
shows
Introduction
Today, the digitized media has acquired the power to change the
information production and consumption patterns in the contemporary
society. Media is believed to be a mirror of a modern social system.
After the influx of private cable channels in the arena of Pakistani
media landscape, there is a notable change in peoples’ access to
information with diversity of viewpoints. The time between an event
occurring to news delivery has reduced with sophistication of
technology. From 1999 to 2002, the first half of Musharraf’s regime,
was crucial in terms of settling down and legitimizing his illegal
takeover. General Musharraf enjoyed the international support being
an ally of war on terror.
The raw idea of having the private cable channels to counter
the Indian propaganda, during and post Kargil war became
materialize in 2002. Private parties, investors were invited in the new
horizons to initiate the cable network in the country. In the early
months of this initiative, owners of print media industry were
welcomed and started some channels like, Geo News, ARY News etc.
The trend of cross media ownership has been continued in Pakistani
media landscape with sharp growth dominantly. Dominating the
newly established cable network, no tremendous transformation was
recognized in the running patterns of the print media contents.
However, these news channels have been creating awareness and
guidance on political and social issues among the masses. Mukhtaran
Mai rape case in 2002, earthquake 2005, Lal masjid operation 2007,
restoration of judiciary 2007, Swat military operation 2009, US attack
on Bin Laden’s compound 2011, Salala attack 2011, election 2013
were some considerable national issues on which the news channels
had arranged extensive debates and discussions, helping the masses to
make opinions on these issues (Raza, 2010).
The anchorpersons of the cable news channels are independent
to a great extent in their talk shows for slanting the issues; however,
some policy guidelines are given to the news section of the particular
media outlet. The current interactive channels have changed the
traditional patterns and have created political and social awareness in
the country by introducing the anchorperson based shows. People in
their leisure time do watch news commentaries and talk shows to get
updates on national as well as international issues. Yusuf &
Shoemaker (2013) of the view that:
“In the coming years, the role that Pakistan’s broadcast and
digital media play in the country’s politics is likely to become even
more important. The quality of the media’s contribution will be
defined not simply by the quality of the actual media itself, but by the
institutional context in which it operates.”
The people, comparatively, are now in a better position to
assess the watchdog role of the media highlighting corruption,
embezzlement, bad governance, nepotism, abuse of power etc of the
government and the opposition as well. Sometimes, anchorpersons
use this power for their personal projection and try to meet personal
ideology. The media in recent years have been able to cover some
Literature Review
Michael (2011) of the view that “since the early 1970’s, the
belief that mass communication is a powerful force has gained
strength, in part from studies that document a correspondence
between the amounts of media attention an issue receives and the
amount of public concern about the problem.” Among media effects
theories agenda setting has become the most practiced theory since
its first practical application in US Presidential election 1968.
McCombs & Shah, (1972, 1976) pointed out, “people learn from the
media what the important issues are.” In a short history of cable
channels in Pakistan, people comparatively got more options to
interact, discuss on new developments in taking decisions on political
and social issues. At the same time, masses and critics of these
channels are witnessed fierce rating run on the part of these channels.
opinion on any under debate issue in the talk shows rather than giving
free hand to the expert to speak about. On one channel the
anchorperson of the channel is appeared as a host of a talk show while
the same anchorperson may be seen as an expert on some other
channel regardless of the expertise on the issue. It is noted that
newscasters, editors, newsroom staff and broadcasters have the
tendency to set the agenda on the issues with great enthusiasm and
force, though it’s not conscious all the time.
By doing this, anchorpersons can play an imperative role in
making public opinion on a desired direction to fulfil the agenda,
however, it is an interesting area to research whether anchor does this
to fulfil the media outlet agenda or otherwise. The media outlets and
anchors have tendency to call those experts or guests of their talk
shows who have similar posture and viewpoint towards the channel.
The results show that on one hand the anchorpersons grabbed a huge
portion of their shows and on the other hand these have been
vulnerable to government. The results have been supported and
correlated with the H1 of the study. The anchorpersons generally do
discuss issues without homework and there have been always
shortcomings of verified facts and figures therefore in this way they
try to transfer media salience through exaggerating the story or
manipulating the facts and figures in favor of a certain party or group.
Many anchorpersons are attached with some newspapers under cross
media ownership arrangements. They usually, contribute columns to
some national newspapers and since the columns are purely a
personalized experience and writer can be less objective and impartial
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