Zeitschrift für Massenkommunikation und Journalismus

Anchorperson as Symbol of Identity: A Perceptional View of Audiences

Abstract

Muhammad Khalil Khan

This study examines the public’s perception about the importance of anchorpersons in electronic media. It
is hypothesized that anchorpersons have become an identity for TV news channel and none of the TV channel could survive without them. Moreover, TV channels having famous anchorpersons are more popular in the viewers than other entrants. Stratified random sampling technique is used to select the target sample. Gender and level of education is used as strata for selection of appropriate sample. Closed ended questionnaires are used to inquire the public’s perception about the importance of anchorpersons for TV news channels. The empirical indicator of the study confirmed that anchorpersons have become a symbol of identity for their respective TV news channel. They have become indispensible for TV news channels. They liked those news channels more which have famous anchorpersons than the other news channels.