How to Sound Good in a TV News Story

Sounding good in a TV news story is more challenging than many people realize. A good broadcasting voice is the result of years of experience and work. You must project urgency and sincerity in a clean and clear fashion. Follow these steps to sound good in a TV news story.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microphone
• Recording equipment
• Script

1. Know the story you are telling. It will be obvious if you are just reading a script. To sound credible, you must tell a story. The only way to effectively do this is to think about what you are saying while you are saying it. That way your inflections and energy will be appropriate.

2. Warm up your voice. If you work a cold voice box too hard it will crack and squeak. Be sure to talk or hum your way through your entire vocal range before speaking for the camera.

3. Practice reading your script out loud. The written story may sound awkward when spoken. If it doesn't sound right change it.

4. Speak into the microphone indirectly. If you talk straight into the microphone, some letters like P, S and T can pop on your audio track. Place the microphone to the side of your mouth several inches away.

5. Speak with energy and enthusiasm. When someone is excited about what they are saying, other people listen. This is true whether the story is happy, serious or tragic. Excited doesn't necessarily mean thrilled. It means that the story is important and everyone should listen.

6. Take advantage of body language. If you sit without energy, your voice will lack energy. Lean forward and speak actively, as if you were talking to a single person who isn't really paying attention to you. Be emphatic by waving your hand. There are many levels of communication. Body language is an important one.

7. Punch the active words. These are verbs and expressive adjectives. Important names and places should also be enunciated well so that everyone is clear about the facts of the story. Be sure to say each word individually instead of running them together.

8. Provide verbal clues as to where you are in the story by the speed of your speech. With essential elements, slow down and emphasize each word. If you hit a passage that isn't terribly important but you have to say it anyway, then cruise through it. People will hear what you are saying but subconsciously know that they don't need to linger there thinking about it. At the end of a sentence, finish with a down tone to let everyone know you are done.

Tips & Warnings

• To sound good on a TV news story you must practice. Don't expect to sound great overnight. Professional journalists can work years on their voices and still hate them. Developing a good speaking voice is a slow process. Be patient.

[angelaford]

on 8/8/2008 Hum. Didn't know you had to warm up your voice. I wonder if they take professional lessons? nice article.