I. INTRODUCTION
Radio is pure audio. Everything that goes on the air is sound. That is why the radio anchors must possess the audio quality that makes them sound credible and convincing.
Voice quality is a pre-requisite.
On the other hand, TV is both audio and video. Audio and video must compliment.
Therefore the TV anchor must not only sound good. He must look good as well.
He must sound and look credible, personable and convincing thus making him different and far better from his radio counterpart.
The radio anchor does not have to look good on the air. The TV anchor meanwhile has to be particular of his audio and over-all look on-the-air; this includes his projection on camera, his makeup, his body language, facial expression, hairstyle, voice quality, phrasing, diction, enunciation, modulation. And maybe out of ten anchors auditioned, we are lucky to have one or two who have all the almost perfect if not perfect audio and video qualities required.
The TV Anchor’s role often goes beyond his program. The viewers look up to him as a role model, an icon. When he anchors, he invades the privacy of his viewers. Therefore it is a tall order for him to maintain his credible image even if he is off camera. He should be particular of the places he goes to, the people he associates himself with. And since TV though glamorous but a cruel medium, the anchor is often prone to temptations, bribery, threats and libel.
TV anchors are not made overnight and it takes years to develop an icon. Patience, sacrifice, rigorous training, research, humility-these are the ingredients to make a good anchorperson.
II. TRAINING
A. Radio training helps. Radio announcers are trained to become spontaneous. Dead air and gaps are unacceptable. Radio anchors can annotate for hours without a script unless they are anchoring a major scripted newscast or newsbreaks. This training gives the radioman the advantage should he eventually decide to migrate to television. Even during a live interview, you can tell the radio anchor from a TV host who tries to look good and sound smart just to cover up his lack of radio background.
B. Oral Reading Exercise-Make this a daily habit. Spend at least five minutes a day. Put bars and marks on your script so you would know where and when to pause, when to raise your voice and where to put emphasis. Record your exercise on tape and listen to it over again.
C. Next phase is to practice in front of the mirror. Imagine the mirror as your camera. Glance at the mirror as you read your script. This time try projecting yourself in front of the mirror. If you have a video cam, read and project on camera and tape your performance.
D. Voice Modulation-learn to speak through the diaphragm. Don’t shout nor shrill. Some anchors had been gifted with a rich, deep modulated voice. Others fake their voice modulation. But regardless of your voice quality, you can still sound pleasant on-the-air by using your diaphragm when you speak.
E. Diction-go back to your vowels and consonants. The broadcast landscape may have changed with the present local news programs in the local dialect but this does not give the anchor an excuse to mispronounce an English word. Familiarize yourself with foreign names and foreign sounding words.
F. Phrasing and Enunciation-know when to pause. Loosen your jaw as you speak and do not eat the words but do not over enunciate.
G. Tell the News. Know the current issues and events. Take time to read the papers and listen to the radio. The anchor is not just a news reader. The viewers see him as their prime source of information. The viewers can tell if the anchor is plainly reading or telling the news. After all, the anchor is supposed to tell the news, not read them. THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN READING AND TELLING THE NEWS.
H. Be Tri-Lingual. A good anchor must be proficient and fluent in English, Pilipino and the local dialect. He must know how to smoothly switch from the local dialect to Pilipino and English when the need arises. An ideal anchor can deliver the news in the dialect, Pilipino and English perfectly.
I. Relax. Loosen up when you anchor. If the anchor looks uncomfortable on-the-air, the viewers also become uncomfortable watching him.
J. Romancing the camera- It takes some time to perfect this style. The small nuances, the way you tilt you head, the facial expressions, your stance and expression when you go back on cam after a voiceover report. Some acting experience can do the trick.
K. The Teleprompter. The anchor should know how to read the prompter like he is naturally telling the viewers a news story. He should review his hard copy, edit it if necessary an hour or thirty minutes before he goes live. The teleprompter is powered by a computer. It malfunctions sometimes. So the anchor must be ready with his hard copy should this happen. He must be quick to adlib. This is where the anchor’s radio training comes in handy.
L. The Q & A. To reiterate, the anchor should have a grasp and background information of his news stories. This will guide him during the question and answer between him and the field reporter or a particular news source.
M. From a reporter to an anchor. Many field reporters have been promoted as anchors. Their long experience in news gathering and their exposure to the risk and threat give them the edge when they sit on the anchor’s chair. Some anchors who started as reporters miss the action that they still volunteer to cover a story that once fell on their beat assignments.
N. Be open to comments and criticisms. You cannot please everybody. You would know if the comments are sincere enough or some people just want to pull you down.
O. Do not hesitate to ask. Solicit tips and advice from the experts, the veterans who are more than willing to share their wisdom.
P. Continue to learn. Learning is a never ending process. Always innovate. Review your tape on air regularly and learn from your mistakes. Watch the veteran anchors perform and learn from them.
Q. Always keep your feet on the ground. Many on cam talents get intoxicated by fame. They have become “hydrocephalic”. So maintain humility and always look back at your humble beginnings. Nobody is indispensable in the broadcast industry and you are only good up to your last performance.
(Dante Javelosa Luzon is a broadcaster, director, writer, singer, actor, radio talent, and voice-over artist from the Philippines.)
Thanks Arjan..