The role of the anchor in US television news has emerged gradually, from neutral newsreader to major celebrity. Francis Steen will discuss the cognitive underpinnings of the emergence of a strong normative role for the anchor, demonstrating how practices from interpersonal communication are being recruited by television studios to elicit attention and generate an impact.
Comparing the US, Russia, and Norway, Francis Steen will examine how anchors in the first decades of television news promoted consensus and centrism, and the degree to which they now promote political polarization.
Francis Steen is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at UCLA and a member of the research team for the project NECORE (“Negotiating Values: Collective Identities and Resilience after 22/7”)
Bring your lunch! Coffee and tea will be served.
