The Fanchors Story (The Fanchors Story)

Fanchor is a new word. It is a combo of two words – fan and anchor. An anchor of a show or a debate is usually someone who introduces the subject under discussion and calls the two opposing sides to debate their position. The anchor is impartial; it cuts in only to ensure the rules of the debate are not breached. It doesn’t voice its opinion. A fan, on the other hand, is deeply committed to a person or a cause embodied in a person. Its heart rules over its head; it sees, hears or speaks love and praise for its idol. The two words have been combined to define the majority of television news anchors who have, over the last few years, discarded their neutrality for partisanship and given out views to justify or embellish news. They have incessantly argued against facts, thumbed down evidence and manufactured news angles for the sake of their ‘strong opinion.’ Indian television news is therefore news for the fans, by the fans and of the fans. And, its anchors are ‘fanchors --- anchors who are fans first or fans who became anchors later; or whatever else as long as they are unabashedly partisan.