Published: 2001-01-25
ISBN:
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
A good news anchor knows how to act naturally in front of the camera. A person who gives the impression of authority and trustworthiness. A person who not only reads the news; but rather reports the news events. It is also important that the news anchors presentation is neutral as part of an unbiased news service. As a voice machine; the prime mission of the news anchor is to reproduce the news without showing their own personal opinions. The language should be to the point; correct; but most of all vivid. A good news anchor has the ability to make a boring news event feel important and meaningful.
The driving force of a vivid language is to increase the viewers comprehension of the news. From an interactional point of view; the use of vivid language by the news anchor shows an increasing awareness of the presence of the audience and a willingness to engage the viewers. The use of prosodic and non-verbal means of communication can also have other functions; such as influencing the audience when interpreting news events. How does the news anchor put forward a sad versus a funny news-item? Is there a difference in the presentation of a news-item concerning economy and a news-item concerning cultural happenings? Do all news anchors use the same stereotypical signals and/or are there individual differences?
This article is a minor part of my dissertation on interaction in television news.
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