If you've read my blog then by now you may know
that I love making lists and giving advice. This is not because I feel that I
am a know it all, but it's because I tend to learn a lot from doing (and even
more from hindsight). I hope to share the things I learn and the mistakes I’ve
made, not as a way to tell you what to do, but to show you what I’ve learned/am
learning. This blog is for me too! I hope to look back in a few years and
re-watch some of my "old work"/the things I went through/learned to
see if I have been practicing what I've been preaching. All rambling aside this
post will be about anchoring/on-air presence and what I've learned about it.
Having been a Political Anchor for WUFT News
for a little over a semester now (and a WUFT News reporter for over a year),
there are a few tips I have to give about Live TV and being on air:
1) Nervousness. It's okay to be nervous. I
once had a teacher tell my class that if you aren't a little nervous before
every broadcast, then you don't care enough. While I think this may be a teensy
bit extreme, I will say that being a little nervous is okay (even good
sometimes). This is because it does make you care about what you're doing and
that's good. But, don't let your nervousness overtake you. If you're shaking
like a leaf, then you won't give a solid delivery. People want to see
confidence in the person who's giving them their news; this helps to build
trust and rapport with the viewer.
2) Cold Reads. DON'T DO IT. This is when the
first time you're reading a story is live on air. I repeat, DON'T DO IT. Now, I
recognize this is not always possible to avoid. There may be breaking news or
some last minute changes, so obviously you may have to read some things cold.
But if it's within your power to read your script before the show, do so!
Please don't think that because you can read and speak properly that you will
be fine. NO! There may be words you don't know how to pronounce, tricky strings
of words that may trip you up and numbers. There may also be words that need to
be emphasized or paused before/after and you won't give as great of a delivery
if it's your first time reading it. Once you're a veteran journalist, then it's
up to you, but for now, READ IT!
4) Resting Face. A journalist from CNN who
attended the FAMU Multimedia Short Course with me (see my
last post) talked about "resting faces." It's what your face looks
like when you’re listening to someone else talk or just relaxing/not doing
anything. Depending on how your face looks in that moment, people could misinterpret
it. I know this is something I struggle with. My resting face looks pissed off.
So sometimes on air I look ready to fight and the story is happy or just
neutral. My goal for the rest of the semester is to work on looking more
pleasant and less ready for battle.
5) Voice/Pace. A lot of students, including
myself, struggle to find their "on air voice." I can't tell you how
much I cringe when I hear a journalist put on a weird voice to read the news.
But for some people it works. During my Summer 2013 internship with CNN, I
worked with Suzanne Malveaux. She told me that as a woman you do want to find
the "bass in your voice" so as not to sound like a higher pitched and
thus, younger girl, but as someone of authority. However, she also said you
shouldn't really change my voice. Think about it, how strange would be if I
spoke with a deep voice like Toni Braxton or Sade and then in real life used my
real voice (hint: my real voice is NOT close to that deep)? If a viewer met me
in Publix they'd be really confused. So, I don't plan on changing my voice. I
think that if I speak slowly (which inadvertently causes me to lower my voice a
bit), I’ll be fine. But hey, that's what works for me; everyone's got to find his
or her own sound.
I upload most of my WUFT Political broadcasts to my
YouTube
channel, so feel free to check them out and tell me what you think.
