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Announcer Responsibilities

Journalist 3 & 2 - Introduction to Journalism and other reporting practices
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e, i, o, u) sound so long that it slurs into the next sound. For example, “I’m” becomes “Ahhh’m.” To correct this, clip the sound and make it shorter. Run   through   the   following   examples,   carefully articulating each sound. Examples:   just  (not  jist) get (not git) for (not “fer”: replace the word on your copy with the word four or the number 4) to (not ta: replace the word on your copy with the word “two”) style (not “stahl”: I’m going to get just two styles of paper instead of getting the four styles you asked for.) THE  “S”  SOUND.—  The “S” sound is the most difficult  sound  to  correct.  The  general  rule  is:  do  not mess with an “S.” Take the microphone and place it out of the “S” air zone, so when you talk you are talking across the microphone instead of directly into it. Rate and Transitions Changes  in  the  tempo  (rate/speed)  and  the  use  of pauses  (transitions)  while  speaking  are  essential  to understanding.  Normal  speech  rate  varies  from  80  to 175 words per minute. A steady rate of speed will produce monotony. In general, changes of rate help reflect the weight of the issue. Important information is slowed; less important topics may be increased in speed. As stated earlier, the oral punctuation mark gives the announcer an opportunity to pause. The pause makes the  division  of  thoughts  and  the  segmenting  of  those thoughts possible. Without the vocal pause, the meaning of   the   topic   would   be   haphazard   and   hard,   if   not impossible,  to  follow.  The  oral  pause  also  gives  the announcer time to restore his breath supply naturally. Authority Announcers, and in particular news people, require authority in their voices. It is that special something that tells  the  listener,  “What  I  have  to  say  is  important.” Newscasters either have it (authority) or they do not — there  is  no  substitute.  In  some  cases,  because  of  a naturally higher pitch, women newscasters may suffer from authority problems more than men, but it is not a problem unique to women. The  following  techniques  may  help  if  you  are lacking  authority  in  your  voice: l l l Take  charge.   You   must   have   a   thorough understanding  of  your  copy.  It  is  up  to  the newscaster to tell his audience what it needs to know.  You  must  adopt  an  attitude  of,  “This  is important — listen to me!” Add  volume.  Intensifying  your  vocal  tone  to establish a sense of authority may be effective. Try this by standing about 10 feet from a wall. Deliver your copy loud enough so that your voice hits the wall and is reflected back. You do not have to yell, but you should be loud enough to be heard clearly 10 feet away. This is called vocal projection. Monitor  your  volume.  Have   another   person stand across the room from you as you read the copy. Every time your volume drops, have that person tell you to speak louder. Stumbling All newscasters occasionally stumble over a word, and they should not worry about it as long as it is only occasional. When you experience a lot of stumbles, the cause is usually the brain getting ahead of the mouth. Here are a few solutions: Concentrate  on  what  you  are  reading.  Your mind should be on your copy and nothing else. Avoid  distractions. Use the index card technique.  If you area speed reader or read unusually fast, place a 5- by 7-inch index card on the line you are reading. As you come to the end of that line, move the card to the next  line.  This  technique  will  slow  you  down enough so you do not overread and it will help you  focus  your  attention  on  the  line  you  are reading. Use parentheses to mark any phrases that give you trouble.  Do not mark individual words — only mark the phrase. Preread   your   copy   at   least   twice   for familiarization.   If  your  copy  surprises  you while you are reading it on the air, you are not ready to read You should be able to tell, in rough form, what the stories are about without looking at the copy. Avoid back tracking to correct a stumble.  Keep going and do not call attention to the mistake. 13-19







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