While it can be argued that news anchors appearing in movies may have a desire to expand their career options and increase their visibility, this does not discount the fact that they are also putting on display their ability to act and express themselves in a way that is often unseen in the newsroom. As previously outlined by Nikhil, the mere fact that news anchors are able to express outrage, sorrow and elation on command with the same depth and intensity in a movie as they do when reporting the news is impressive. This skill is rarely seen outside of the newsroom and cannot be dismissed.
Moreover, news anchor's appearances in movies have a certain element of showmanship to them that cannot go unnoticed. It is undeniable that a hint of bravado is involved when these news anchors appear in movies and use the opportunity to (in so many words) flaunt their acting chops. After all, playing themselves or other characters in a movie does take some level of confidence and even self-aggrandizement.
Therefore, Nikhil's original point in his essay still stands; news anchors appearing in movies are still rubbing it in our faces that they are skilled actors and are taking advantage of the opportunity to further their career goals. The retort provides useful context but fails to discredit the original essay’s premise. In the end, both sides of the argument can be true: news anchors may have an eye towards expanding their career options and visibility AND they may also be using movies as a way to show off their acting abilities. UrRong?