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Introduction
to Broadcasting MCM
411
VU
LESSON
41
ANCHORPERSON
With
the introduction of broadcasting
came a unique job of
anchorperson. There is no way
out
to
carry out a program without
a person especially in the
programs of current
affairs.
Be
it an interview or conducting a talk
show, a seminar or commentary
there has to be a
person
to conduct the
program.
Male
or Female
Although
the gender debate is not
raging any more in the
area of broadcasting,
producers,
however,
have been confronting with
the question of handing over
the anchorperson job to
a
male
or female. The choice of a
female is obvious in programs
meant for women but
the fair
sex
is also considered for
children's programs and
programs produced on subjects
like health
and
education.
But
still economic, political,
globalization and governance
are the subjects which
remain
predominantly
males' domain as far
regulating broadcasting programs
are concerned.
There
are certain programs which
encourage anchorpersons over
and above gender
consideration
like news reading or news
documentaries.
There
are exceptions as some
female are proving as good
as male in appearing as an
anchorperson
in programs made on political or
financial issues. Some
females are now
showing
interest in making running
commentaries especially for
the sporting events in
which
women
appear. A marked change
seems taking place though
gradually.
Appearance
and Confidence
(Voice
and speech)
Having
done on the subject of
engaging a male or female
for conducting a program,
a
program
producer looks forward to a
person who is acceptable in
his/ her looks through
the
lens.
It
is here that first part of
the audition is taken. There
is hardly an anchorperson, even
the
most
fluent and charming persons
in this field, who join
this area without passing
through the
process
of audition. It is not necessary
that a person should be very
good looking and
attractive.
This is usually considered
additional qualification of the
compere. What matters
along
with the looks is the
confidence of the person who
wants to take up the job
of
anchorperson.
No
one is suddenly called to
appear before the microphone
or camera and prove its
mettle as
the
talent. People are usually
short-listed by the producers
and then given a particular
script
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Introduction
to Broadcasting MCM
411
VU
which
is usually easy to learn and
render. Good producers also
help potential talents
in
injecting
confidence in the later.
Audition is not conducted
once; talents are given
chances to
muster
up their confidence to go through
the testing period.
Job
Opportunities
Needless
is to overemphasize here that
with the world of
broadcasting has also come
a
separate
and complete job as
anchorperson, announcer, news
reader etc. It all depends
on a
person
how he/ she takes up
the job.
Qualities
in an anchorperson
Like
every job there are
certain qualities which a
broadcasting house makes
sure are
possessed
by the people who are
willing to make a career in
the job of modulator.
Here
below we will examine some
of essential characteristics of an
anchorperson;
Properly
Educated
No
broadcasting house is going to
compromise on this property
for an anchorperson. To be
educated
and properly educated is
well defined in the eyes of
a producer one may
be
generally
educated; a graduate or post-graduate.
But for a producer a
properly educated
person
means the one who
should understand the exact
requirement of the program
under
question
and for which an
anchorperson is being found.
For instance, a person is
masters in
English
language; the program
belongs to financial sector to
discuss budgets,
import-export
policies,
globalization of economy or free
trade among nations etc. A
producer will have to
make
sure that the compere of
the program knows about
the subject.
Laced
with modern
knowledge
A
good producer is always on
the hunt to mark a person
who is not only educated in
the
subject
of his program, he very
strongly wish to get a
person who possess latest
knowledge
on
the subject not only in
the sense of terminologies
but in the sense of latest
developments
going
on in that field. For
instance if the program is to
discuss the free market
economy and
the
global trends, the knowing
of the process of globalization by
the anchorperson would
not
suffice,
he/she must be in the know
of the latest developments
conferences,
recommendations
by the world economic forums
and some regional agreements
and the
criticism
on those developments by the
stakeholders would enable
the anchorperson to talk
to
the
participants of the program
with confidence and help
the viewers interested in
the program
to
update their knowledge on
the topic.
Similarly,
if the program is on music, a
mere knowledge of music
would not work, the
compere
needs
to know the latest albums,
singers, tracks, instruments,
re-mixes and the
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Introduction
to Broadcasting MCM
411
VU
experimentation
going on in certain areas of
the music field to justify a
talk on the subject of
,
for
example, modern music and
emerging trends.
Technical
comprehension
An
anchorperson is not a separate
entity but very much a
part of the production team.
From
this
angle he/ she must
understand the technical
matters pertaining to production.
For
instance
if he/ she feels that
some vital mistake has
been done in the opening
remarks while
recording
the program, and instead of
staying nervous all through
the program, the
person
should
understand that the mistake
would be removed in the
post-production process
and
viewers,
or listeners would not get
it, would help greatly in
conducting the rest of the
program.
Similarly
the knowledge of camera
positions, lights and
microphones by the
anchorperson
would
always help the producer to
complete the recordings
without inordinate
breaks.
Ethics
and Legalities
A
sound and sensible
anchorperson will always
take care of the legalities
involved in the
matter
under discussion and the
ethics in the exchange of
views. The person should
not
humiliate
a participant of the program in
any manner and at the
same time ensure that
no
other
participant indulge in a negative
attitude at the same time. A
program conducted in a
sophisticated
manner is always valued
higher than the programs
ignoring this very
sensitive
aspect
of production.
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