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Keith Kyker and Christopher Curchy
Talent...It Goes a Long Way!
Sure, they are only kids AND they work for free. But the impact of the news show
can be influenced immensely by the presence (or absence) of talent on the anchor
desk. Selecting students to appear as news anchors is often one of the most
difficult decisions you have to make as a media teacher. You don’t want to hurt
anyone’s feelings, but you know how important that position is and its effect on
the quality of the entire show.
There are "good" anchors and "not so good" anchors. Every media specialist has
seen them all and everything in between. In a high school setting, getting the
job as news anchor can almost "guarantee" an appearance on the Homecoming Court,
or even (gasp!) a crown as the Homecoming Queen. Don’t laugh, it’s true! While
the entire production experience doesn’t depend upon the news anchor, it is
certainly a pivotal position. Even in the real world of news production, the
anchor is the most recognized and highest salaried position at the station. In
our schools, the pay is less, but the recognition and prestige is there. How you
select, teach, and develop your news anchors’ potential and appearance can truly
reflect in the quality of your news show.
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How are your students selected? Every school has
its own unique way of choosing the students to appear as news show anchors and
crew. Some programs use applications, to make sure students are interested,
enthusiastic, and have the reading and language skills needed to be professional
when they appear on-camera. These applications are circulated around the school
several times a year, depending upon how often the news crew is changed.
Students are responsible for obtaining an application, filling it out correctly,
getting teacher recommendations, and returning the completed application on
time. Many applications require parent signatures and often inform parents about
some after school or early morning requirements. Some schools conduct auditions
for on-camera positions. Other schools select news show crews on a rotating
classroom basis, usually selecting students from upper level grades in the
school. This selection process enables everyone in those grades to have a chance
to participate in the production of the news show. Teachers in those grades can
select students to participate in this activity based on behavior, grades, and
aptitude.
No matter how you select and choose your news show anchors, it is obvious to
everyone watching which anchors seem more prepared, professional, and
interesting to watch. Watch your news show and evaluate your students’
performances as anchors. Are they enthusiastic, energetic, charismatic? Do they
read the announcements with character and inflection? How often do they stumble
over easy words and language, or fail to remember that we do the Pledge of
Allegiance EVERY day, not just when they remember to introduce it? How about
their overall appearance? Are they neat and nicely dressed? Can they memorize a
few simple lines to introduce a segment?
If you find yourself watching your news show and fighting the urge to yawn,
sleep, and snore, perhaps these few simple techniques can help you and your news
anchors make the show more enjoyable and entertaining:
Prepare your Talent for their New Jobs Prepare your anchors for the job
they are doing. Coach them during practice sessions, or even invite some local
news anchors in to speak about creating enthusiasm for the news. Perhaps the
school’s drama teacher can assist in developing on-camera skills.
Stick to your Deadlines Avoid last minute script changes and
announcements. These are annoying and make your students seem unprofessional and
unprepared. Stick to a deadline for teachers and staff to turn in school
announcements, whether it’s the day before the news broadcast, or by 7:30 AM
that morning.
Make a Great Visual Impression Have the anchors dress professionally. How
would they dress if they were stranding in front of the entire school in an
auditorium making a speech? Well, that’s similar to what they are doing on the
news show. They can change clothes before and after producing the news show if
they feel uncomfortable walking around school in a shirt and tie, or a nice
blouse and jacket. A media specialist we know even went to a local thrift store
and bought some nice jackets for her anchors to wear each day. A parent
embroidered the school name and news show call letters on the jacket pockets. If
they are not willing to dress for the role, they should accept not getting the
role. Also, when it comes to dressing, avoid high contrasting colors. That means
not having your students wear white shirts or using black jackets. A video
camera works well with pastels and lighter tones like grays, blues, and even
maroon. Also, a little make-up goes a long way. Again, a local news station or
production facility can offer assistance in these areas.
Increase Eye Contact Try using a teleprompter system. It enables the
students to look directly at the camera while reading announcements, allows you
to rewrite boring and repetitive announcements, and will enhance the look and
appeal of your show. Easy Prompter, a computer
program available for purchase on our web-site SCHOOLTV.com is inexpensive, and
will convert that old computer in the corner into a professional teleprompter
for your news show. Get rid of those paper announcements where all you see is
the top of the anchor’s heads as they look down to read the news!
Practice, Practice, Practice! Try to allow time to rehearse or "walk through" the show once or twice before taping or broadcasting. Just taking a few minutes to go over the announcements, practice the segment introductions, and even working on your closing can reduce stress and enhance your show’s appeal. How many times has the show come to an awkward ending just because your students never rehearsed how to say goodbye? A good show ending is just as important as a catchy introduction.
Improve BEHIND the Camera Check your camera’s angle and picture composition. Make sure your camera’s height is level with your talent. The camera should not be tilted down or up to record the news broadcast. If your camera is tilted down, lower the tripod or raise the level of your talent. A wise media specialist even went as far as placing small "stick-on" levels purchased at a local hardware store on each of his cameras so his videographers would make sure the cameras were level each day. The camera's picture composition is also important. Don't have small postage stamp sized anchors on the screen. Fill the picture with a nice waist or bust shot of the anchor. Watch your local news shows to get a better idea of these concepts. Notice their camera angles and picture composition. Tape the broadcast to demonstrate these concepts to your students. It's amazing how much improved the picture looks with these simple techniques.
Project that Positive Image And finally, encourage the students to SMILE. Remember that it’s supposed to be fun and enjoyable to make TV, as well as watch it.
Videotaping and critiquing your daily news show is a good technique for assisting you in getting your news anchors to improve their performances. Have them watch a few shows and discuss the previous ideas with them. Most students are enthusiastic about ideas that will make the show (and themselves) look better. Aren’t you?
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