My last post on how to become an effective broadcaster touched on a nerve for many a broadcaster - the news. Is the news special? Does it require a different style and manner; a different register and voice? Can one learn to become an effective presenter? Does reading well means you are naturally a good 'news' presenter? These are all valid questions which are I will try to address below. These suggestions are based on my own experience as a Specialist News Presenter and as a current trainer of young Broadcast Journalists and Presenters in Australia.
Let me pause to say congratulations to my former student, Jason Schwabb, who has progressed from a drama-infused news presenting style which sounded artificial and off-putting to a polished credible news presenter at the end of 13 weeks. Jason is now a news reporter/presenter on Australian news Channel, WIN News. Proud of you Jason!
As a point of departure, let me inject a caveat: The news is one of the central and sacred institutions of broadcasting. It is important to both government and commercial broadcasters globally that the audience retains confidence in its integrity, and belief in it as a source of information and education. Sustaining public trust in the news does not only hinge on the trustworthiness of news content but also on the credibility of the persons charged with the responsibility of presenting the news. The following guidelines are designed to help presenters become more comfortable behind the camera or the microphone, and become more effective presenters. The basic principles apply equally to radio and television, but I have included some tips specific to television.
1. Try to get your script at least ten minutes before news time, and read the copy aloud to yourself. Check for errors, omissions and flow (does it read well; can you pronounce all the words accurately etc?).There will be times that you get the news just as it is news time. Don't panic, practice sight reading, that is read with an alertness and a consciousness about what you are saying. Use audio clips breaks to flip through the following story. If there is a commercial break, use this time wisely to ensure you catch up on what your other stories are. There is no excuse for excessive mistakes in your news cast.
2. Understand what you are reading. Understand each story. You should be able to tell someone what the story is about without looking at your script. In short, ensure you know exactly what the story is about, and be sympathetic to its content . If you don’t understand the story, then your listener or viewer will not.
3 Do not simply read the words off the page or teleprompter. Effective news presenting is about “telling” your audience about an occurrence. So “tell” the information. Make it a conversation between you and a trusted friend (represented by the microphone or the camera). Read with pace, as this gives your viewer or listener time to absorb, understand and react to what you are saying. Remember that the audience was not at the scene of the event you are telling them about, so they must BELIEVE that what you are saying is in fact so.
4. Speak clearly by opening your mouth and speaking deliberately. Clenching the teeth while talking is not good practice for any speaker, and this is surprisingly common among even highly trained broadcasters. We need to capture the words so open your mouth and say it. A great example of someone who allows the words to come freely from her mouty is Lucy Hockings of BBC World News (my all time favourite female TV newscasters). Do not SHOUT. Allow your voice to emerge from your diaphragm rather than your throat. This will require regular breathing exercises so as not to run out of breath.
5. Watch your intonation. Do not sing (provide unnecessary emphases and inflections). Attempt to end each sentence flatly, rather than giving a high tone. This lends credibility to the story and gives the reader more authority. I was guilty of this during my early days at FAME FM (Jamaica), until a respected broadcaster, the late Neville Willoughby stopped me one day in the corridor and told me what to do to sound more credible and authoritative. It took concerted efforts on my part to become conscious of what I was doing, but over time and with practice, I managed to shift into a new gear at the end of the sentences.
6. Pause at the end of each story . This allows the listener and viewer time to focus on the new story. This need not be a long pause. Broadcasting is not sympathetic to too much 'dead air'. The idea is not to race through the newscast but to allow the material to be digested. The audience acnnot digest the information if its coming at them without pauses.
7. Be alert. Do not slouch. This advice is for both radio and TV news presenters. It is important to maintain good posuture while reading so that your breathing is not obstructed. I will share the advice that I benefitted from: Sit up, and forward with your feet firmly planted on the floor. This is not uncomfortable by any means. Indeed, besides allowing me to free my breath for better voice production, it also helped me to stay alert throughout the newscasts, and not to slip into a pedantic perfunctory style (of merely calling words on a page).
8. Speak with authority and confidence. This is not mean you should shout. It simply means that you are the owner of this piece of information. You know it is true - it really happened, and your job is to share it with your audience. Your audience must believe that you know what you are talking about. It is important that they believe what you tell them.
9. If you make an error, apologise, read it again, and carry on. Mistakes are normal in news broadcasting. Do not panic. This is the sheer adventure of 'live' television or radio. If a clip does not play due to technical error, do not scream 'oh shit' as one of my students did last year during her 'live' news reading examinations. Be calm. Inform your listeners of your error, apologise and carry on. To panic is to lose your credibility and undermine your audience’ confidence in what you are telling them.
Presenting News on Television
Television is a visual medium. Your audience is not only hearing you but seeing you. It is therefore important that you both sound and look professional. Recall that as a TV presenter, you have become a guest in people’s homes and obliged to treat them with courtesy and respect. The following tips are specific to TV news presentation.
1. Dress simply, neatly and elegantly. Garish,shiny customes and irrelevant adornments are distracting. I should know. I used to wear scarves around my neck. Nver wnat to see those tapes every again! Keep your clothing; hairstyle, accessories and make up simple. Overdressing will only distract the viewer from the content of the news, and undermine your authority as a newscaster.
2. Maintain good posture by. Sitting up with your back straight and forward forward helps you to react more easily to changes in camera angles and gives you presence and authority when you speak. Of course, it is important to be relaxed in your body so as not to appear stiff on camera.
3. Guard against frowning. This advice was given to me in a rather brutal training session by trainers, Alma Mockyen and Leonie Forbes years ago. I was slapped on my forehead by one of these women in an effort to get me to quit frowning. The idea is to relax the face and the jaws, It is also VERY IMPORTANT that your eyes dont seem too focused on the teleprompter. Try instead to give your face a pleasant countenance. Cameras are sensitive to changes in facial expressions and personal moods.
4. Be true to your story. If it’s a sad story, e.g. crime or disaster, do not smile or display glimmer in your eyes. Be empathetic to the content, but don’t overdo it. In other words, let your feelings show to some degree. If you are being conversational, and if you understand your story, then your own natural feelings will become evident in your presentation.
5. Always try to read ahead. Absorb as much of the information as you can manage and deliver it to the camera without looking at the script. Try to make sure that the most significant pieces of information are delivered to the camera. If you do not have a teleprompter, rehearse your script and deliver as much of the content (particularly the opening lines) to the camera as you can. Remember that the lens of the camera represents your respected friend. Eye contact with the camera is the same as eye contact with your friend. Maintaining eye contact is crucial to your credibility.
6. Always follow on the script while you read on the teleprompter. Don't assume that the technology will always be working. It can fail in the middle of the newscast. In case the teleprompter fails during a live broadcast, you should be able to quickly pick up from your script.
7. Try to be comfortable and alert. Focus only on the job at hand. TELL your story, Do not READ it. Use your facial and body movements to help you tell the story. Being conversational makes the news come alive, it enhances your words and gives life and meaning to your presentation. Of course, don’t OVERDO it. Remember that the news is sacred, you are telling your audience about actual events that impact on all their lives.
If you take these suggestions and tips into account and practice, practice, practice practice, while making a concerted effort to improve on your weaknesses, you will notice a considerable change in your style and confidence over time.
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Dr. Hume Johnson is the co-founder of the Communication Workshop. She teaches Journalism and communications at James Cook University, QLD, AUSTRALIA
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