Exposure to Private Channels’ Infotainment Programs and Viewers’ Perceptions: Exploring Uses and Gratification Model

This study is designed to explore watching habits of private channels’ infotainment programs and viewers’ perceptions in visionof Uses and Gratification model. Infotainment programs Khabarnak (Geo News), Darling (Express News) and Hasbehall (Dunya News) are selected for study. Data is collected through a questionnaire from three cities of Pakistan i.e. Sargodha, Gujrat and Islamabad. Using convenience sampling technique 312 respondents are selected equally from each city. Overall findings show that majority of viewers watch Geo News more frequently than Dunya News and Express News. The comparative analysis of the selected channels infotainment programs shows that theviewerssignificantly watch Hasbehall more frequently than Khabarnak followed by Darling. Accordingly viewers spend more time in watching Hasbehall than Khabarnak followed by Darling. It is found viewers take significant interest in selected infotainment programs. Viewers significantly like presentation style ofDr. Junaidas anchor and Sohail Ahmed as comedian more than other anchors and comedians. Viewers are significantly much satisfied with the coverage given to political issues, political leaders, showbiz, scandals, energy, education sports, price hike, poverty and economics respectively. Viewers are found much satisfied with topic selection, dialogue delivery, anchors’ role, co-anchors’ role, and comedians’ role, extent of Information and slightly satisfied with objectivity of the all selected programs, however viewers are not at all satisfied with impartiality shown by selected infotainment programs. Finding reveals that selected programs provide much information about issues of current affairs to the viewers. Finding regarding viewer’s satisfaction with different segments of programs shows that viewers much like imitations, parody songs, funny analysis, and comments on news and slightly less satisfied with viewers’ response. Findings also reveals that infotainment programs provide significant help to the viewers in understanding issues related to corruption terrorism, energy crisis, poverty, price hike, political compromises.