Fake it ’til you make it… as a TV presenter
In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Tracey Spicer tells us how to make it as a TV presenter.
So, what does a presenter do?
Most people would say, ‘not much’. It’s certainly not hard labour. But there are specific skills involved. It’s like the duck sitting calmly on the pond, with its feet flapping furiously underwater. Put simply, a presenter is a professional communicator who conveys information, or entertainment, to the audience.
What skills do you need to be good at the job?
Like the duck, you need to appear calm at all times – despite whatever crisis is unfolding behind the scenes. Good eye contact, a clear voice, and awareness of body language are key. A warm manner, quick wit, and excellent organisational skills are also important. And the ability to work as part of a team.
Who are the people you work closest with?
There are so many. If you have a co-host, he/she becomes your work spouse. You have to overlook all kinds of idiosyncrasies. Then there’s your director, producer, camera operator, and hair and make-up artist.
Is there any lingo we need to know to do the job?
Like any industry, there’s a lot of specific language: wide shot, mid-shot, key light, LVO (live voice over), package (self-contained story), upsot (a snippet of sound).
What does a typical day on the job entail?
That’s the great thing about this job. Every day is different. You could be presenting in the studio or out in the field. Generally, you arrive about four hours before you go on air to do research, line up interviews, write stories, and do hair and make-up.
What’s the best part of the job?
I love the challenge of getting to the heart of a good story. Then, trying to tell it as simply, succinctly, and compellingly as possible. I also enjoy the cameraderie of a newsroom.
What’s the biggest challenge?
Thinking on your feet. When a big story breaks, or technology fails, you need to ad lib. Because it’s challenging, it’s also great fun.
How do you become a presenter?
It depends on whether you want to be a news or entertainment presenter. I did a journalism degree many years ago before working in radio, country TV, then metropolitan news and current affairs. Some people build up a following through their writing, or become an expert in a particular area.
What advice can you give to people who want to present?
Develop curiosity, ask lots of questions, meet plenty of people. If you are interested in news, do a journalism degree or apply for a cadetship. If entertainment or lifestyle is your thing, do a course at the Australian Film Television and Radio School. The world is your oyster.
This story first appeared in the weekly edition of Encore available for iPad and Android tablets. Visit encore.com.au for a preview of the app or click below to download.
I still remember watching Sandra Sully as the devastation was unfolding in New York on September 11, 2001.
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It’s funny…everyone thinks the presenter has the easy job – they rock up 5 minutes before, leave straight after and all is well in the world. As much as it may be an “easy” job (as Tracey points out, not labor intensive), it’s also a job that not everyone can do.
And most presenters I’ve come across are also very involved in the production process to some degree, or in radio, have other jobs they have to do as well.
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I love Trace – after meeting her at a function last week, I can confirm that she is as warm and quick witted in person as she appears on screen.
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I know a few presenters here in the UK. . . . Watching them ‘switch on’ their on air/screen personalities in a totally trans-formative way is utterly fascinating.
The same performance skills apply to other professions as well and I can confirm it takes a lot of down-time to restore the presenter batteries.
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@ James, comment 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVTY7i2o70w
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I always liked Tracey too. I think the most difficult thing for a newsreader is to be tolerable everynight for the whole country/city. You need to have wide appeal and no annoying traits, plus be seemingly non partisan in tone and content – not as easy as you think!
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As someone who works in TV news, i can tell you that if Tracey researches and writes *anything* then she is a rare breed of news presenter.
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Hi there,
Thanks for all of your comments! Michelle, believe it or not, at Sky News we research all of our interviews and ad lib the questions. I know some old-fashioned newsrooms are different. Obviously journalists write their own scripts and producers pen the intros. But when it comes to live, breaking news, the anchor has to think on his/her feet. Fortunately, things have changed. We’re not just autocue readers any more. It’s a good thing.
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