anchoring tips
So, you want to be a TV news anchor, huh? It is an amazing job, but one that can come with enormous scrutiny. Viewers pick up on the tiniest mannerisms, and although you should never try to please everybody, there are some tips to keep in mind while beginning your television career.
Newscaster Speech Patterns Do not try to alter your voice or speech patterns. The biggest problem with inexperienced anchors is that they believe they must act and sound a certain way. They lower their voices too much and their speech patterns become "sing-songy." I understand they may be trying to sound more authoritative, but they also risk sounding like an idiot when caught talking in their normal voice. Live shots tend to bring that out because there is often no formal script and one might forget to put on the act. To sound more authoritative naturally, just remember to speak from your diaphragm, project your voice, and enunciate clearly. Talk like you would in a conversation, except a little louder and a little clearer. It is as simple as that. Recovering From Public Speaking Mistakes When you mess up a word, do not laugh or come off embarrassed about it. It does not sound unnatural to stumble over a word because people stumble all the time in normal conversation. We are all used to hearing it. To linger on the stumble is what is unnatural and noticeable. I once saw an anchor stumble over a word and sort of give a tiny laugh about it, and it was during a tragic story where somebody was killed. Not only did that little reaction make the anchor seem incredibly insensitive, but it also made it clear he didn't even realize what he was reading. Getting a Natural Presentation Find a happy medium when looking down at your script. It's necessary from a presentation perspective to look down to your script now and then. To stare constantly at the teleprompter not only gives the audience an uncomfortable feeling, as if you just won't break eye contact with them, but it also makes it obvious you are reading from a teleprompter! On the other hand, do not be a bobble-head either. This puts you at risk for losing your place and stumbling, and it makes it seem like you're desperately lost or panicking. The best times to look down are in between stories, when talking about number facts and figures, or when quoting somebody. It means you are ensuring your story place in the show, and you are double-checking your accuracy in numbers and quotes. (or appear to be doing so) Dressing for the Anchor Desk For young female anchors, dress can be difficult. The wrong clothes can make it harder to build up your credibility at the station and with the viewers. If you are young, do not dress too fancy or mature. It comes off as a kid raiding her mom's closet and dressing up to pretend they are important. And while we all know you really are on your way, over-doing it seems silly to a more mature audience. Before the weather or sports segments, have some banter ideas in mind. You may not have to use them if your co-anchors take you in another direction, but it sure is nice to have something real to say if they don't. If I had a penny for every time I saw a blank look on an anchor's face right before they blurted out something stupid or ditzy, I'd be rich. Off-the-cuff, witty banter is always best, but it isn't always natural for a beginner. Until it becomes more natural, go in prepared. Newscast Scripts Always, always, always follow along with your paper script. You don't necessarily need to know where you are for every word and sentence, but at least have the correct story in front of you. It sounds like a no-brainer, but so often anchors become comfortable with the teleprompter. But as reliable as those teenage studio hands are at running very reliable computer technology, (yes, that is sarcasm) you can never put your reputation entirely in their hands. It only takes one time for a glitch to happen and for you to look down and see the wrong story for you to vow to yourself you will never lose your place again. Dealing With Technical Difficulty Acknowledge to your viewers when there is technical difficulty in a story. For instance, if you read the lead into a package, but the director doesn't have it or the wrong tape was played, address the issue. Say something like, "We are apparently having some technical difficulties with that story, we hope to get that to you a little later in the newscast...Until then, let's talk about another story....", then BAM!...right back into your next story. (Which of course you can do because you are following along with your script.) I have seen many new anchors try to pretend there is not difficulty. They might be introducing a story or soundbite, and if it doesn't happen or if the wrong soundbite comes up, they just keep reading as if it were correct. Do not be scared of admitting a problem, it is better than coming off as clueless. And again, technical difficulties seem natural to viewers, anchors in digital denial do not. Change Your Speech Presentation Make sure your voice and presentation change slightly in between stories. Notice I wrote "slightly." You are not working at a nickelodeon. However, every story should carry with it a little different feel from the last one. Even if you are going from one serious story to another, the look on your face and eyes should reflect your understanding of every story. There should not be a one-tone-fits-all section of your newscast. A generic way to do this is to slow down slightly on the last sentence of one story, and then pick up the pace when beginning the next. Natural Hand Gestures You could be wearing Bermuda shorts for all anybody knows, but even though nobody sees your hands, you should still talk with them. Using your hands to gesture leads to a very natural word inflection. It also gives your upper body just the right amount of movement so that you do not appear stiff. It will not only make you look relaxed, but it will probably actually help you feel relaxed. It is a very common thing for anchors to do, so do not fear awkwardness. Nobody will look at you funny. Evaluate Your Presentation Television is a medium which "flattens" everything out. So, it is common for new anchors to think they are coming off as energetic and dynamic, but their performance is actually...less than. When you are first starting out, it is imperative that you go back and watch the tape of your delivery to get a true feel for what is coming across. It is one of the very few places where watching tape of yourself is not considered vain, but as a form of "double-checking" your work. Also, ask some of the more seasoned anchors to critique it for you. They will often pick up on little things you never would have thought of. Take criticism from colleagues trying to help you improve, but do not place importance on the random lady who calls and tells you your hair is ugly. You may encounter unsolicited "advice," but just remember that some people have nothing better to do than to pick out unimportant things and attack. Your own hard work and guidance from co-workers and fellow broadcasters is usually all you need to improve. Anchors away, : Arial� YleP 0s-serif; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Acknowledge to your viewers when there is technical difficulty in a story. For instance, if you read the lead into a package, but the director doesn't have it or the wrong tape was played, address the issue. Say something like, "We are apparently having some technical difficulties with that story, we hope to get that to you a little later in the newscast...Until then, let's talk about another story....", then BAM!...right back into your next story. (Which of course you can do because you are following along with your script.) I have seen many new anchors try to pretend there is not difficulty. They might be introducing a story or soundbite, and if it doesn't happen or if the wrong soundbite comes up, they just keep reading as if it were correct. Do not be scared of admitting a problem, it is better than coming off as clueless. And again, technical difficulties seem natural to viewers, anchors in digital denial do not. Change Your Speech PresentationMake sure your voice and presentation change slightly in between stories. Notice I wrote "slightly." You are not working at a nickelodeon. However, every story should carry with it a little different feel from the last one. Even if you are going from one serious story to another, the look on your face and eyes should reflect your understanding of every story. There should not be a one-tone-fits-all section of your newscast. A generic way to do this is to slow down slightly on the last sentence of one story, and then pick up the pace when beginning the next. Natural Hand GesturesYou could be wearing Bermuda shorts for all anybody knows, but even though nobody sees your hands, you should still talk with them. Using your hands to gesture leads to a very natural word inflection. It also gives your upper body just the right amount of movement so that you do not appear stiff. It will not only make you look relaxed, but it will probably actually help you feel relaxed. It is a very common thing for anchors to do, so do not fear awkwardness. Nobody will look at you funny. Evaluate Your PresentationTelevision is a medium which "flattens" everything out. So, it is common for new anchors to think they are coming off as energetic and dynamic, but their performance is actually...less than. When you are first starting out, it is imperative that you go back and watch the tape of your delivery to get a true feel for what is coming across. It is one of the very few places where watching tape of yourself is not considered vain, but as a form of "double-checking" your work. Also, ask some of the more seasoned anchors to critique it for you. They will often pick up on little things you never would have thought of. Take criticism from colleagues trying to help you improve, but do not place importance on the random lady who calls and tells you your hair is ugly. You may encounter unsolicited "advice," but just remember that some people have nothing better to do than to pick out unimportant things and attack. Your own hard work and guidance from co-workers and fellow broadcasters is usually all you need to improve. Anchors away, my friends! |
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