l l language. There is nothing worse then a ruined sound  bite  caused  by  a  reporter’s  continual mumbling of “yups” and “ohs.” Do  some  practice  interviews  with  just  a  note pad  and  pencil.  Then  practice  writing  the  story from total recall. This drill lessens the chance of becoming dependent on the videotape and will greatly speed your production time. Study  the  experts  who  make  their  living  on network news. Observe where they cut sound bites and how they treated the interviewee (at least  before  the  hard-to-answer  questions  near the end of the interviews). ANNOUNCING Learning Objective: Identify the techniques and com- ponents of proper speech. The  evaluation  of  someone’s  voice  quality  and speech characteristics is extremely subjective. We all have  individual  tastes  that  determine  what  we  like  or dislike. This section will help you correct some of the most common problems most beginning announcers have, and will show you a few methods to remedy those problems. There are a few fundamentals of announcing that  we  must  understand  before  beginning.  The  basic sound  of  a  person’s  voice  cannot  be  altered.  An individual who has a bass voice will probably remain a bass, and no amount of work will make that person have the voice of a tenor. A notably deep, resonant voice is not  necessary  to  announce  copy.  However,  the  concept of communicating what you say, or more simply put, being  understood,  is  essential. BREATHING When  you  breathe  in,  the  diaphragm  muscles become  tense,  compress,  then  move  downward  and flatten  out  slightly.  This  movement  in  normal  breathing is less than an inch. The chest cavity is increased in all directions, top to bottom and front to back. As the lungs are enlarged in size, the pressure within the lungs is decreased, and a partial vacuum is created in the chest; air  rushes  in  to  equalize  this  pressure.  The  “dia- phragmatic” breathing method is the best breathing technique because it allows you to acquire the proper degree of control. Normal breathing is automatic and unconscious. During the active process of speech, sound is made during this breathing out process. Breathing for speech requires that this procedure be controlled. An easy and flexible control helps create the most effective delivery  for  voice  production. MAKING THE SOUND Once the breath in your lungs is discharge, the air passes through the windpipe, or trachea. The air in our lungs is the source that causes the sounds we make in the  throat.  With  the  discharge  of  pressure,  a  sound  is created. As the vocal folds (accordionlike muscles) of the vocal cords are separated by the buildup and release of air pressure again and again, they vibrate side to side. This  fluctuating  action  makes  sound  waves.  Each release of air causes the folds to vibrate. The amount of vibration is balanced to the degree of pressure built up behind the vocal folds. This, in turn, causes the breath of air, in the voice tract, to vibrate. This vibration is recognized  as  sound  when  heard.  The  faster  the  vocal bands vibrate, the higher the pitch. The slower the bands vibrate, the lower the pitch. NOTE: All the voice exercises in this chapter need a before and after recording. First, record your trainee’s voice normally. Second, record the trainee’s voice using the directions given in the exercise. The student must be able to hear his own voice to duplicate the training exercise, as well as to hear the difference. EXERCISES The  next  two  exercises  will  make  you  aware  of some potential breathing problems and help improve breathing habits for announcing. First, have the trainees sit  down  in  a  comfortable  position  and  say  these sentences aloud in a normal speaking voice. l l l l l l l l l God made the country, and man made the town. All hope abandon, you who enter here. The finger that turns the dial rules the air. A bad beginning makes a bad ending. A woman’s work is never done. People who make no noise are dangerous. Life is made up of marble and mud. Let your speech be better than silence, or be silent. Nothing  great  was  ever  achieved  without enthusiasm. Now have them say the sentences again, but this time stand in a comfortable position. Also, have the 8-39