Breathe slowly, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Spend at least 5 minutes practicing exercises before you read, and set aside 10-15 minutes if you are preparing for an audition or job.
For example, if you tend to drop the end of -ing words, slow down and make sure you say the whole word (fishin’ vs. fishing).
Most reporters aim for a pace of around 150-170 words per minute. If you are nervous, you might find yourself speaking faster. Try taking a few deep breaths or meditating for a few minutes before a job if you are nervous.
If you have a strong accent, it can take some time to learn how to speak differently. Keep practicing by imitating how reporters sound.
The goal is to sound upbeat and friendly, not like you had too much coffee before you started reading.
Using slang makes you sound less reliable. Stick to formal language.
This can be difficult at first, but eventually it will become a habit.
You might notice that the reporter sounds excited, energized, friendly, or confident. Try writing down some words you would use to describe the reporter’s voice. You can use these words for reference when you’re practicing. Look at the reporter’s body language. Watch how the reporter’s face reflects the tone of the story. Look at where the reporter places their hands.
Try not to criticize yourself too harshly. You are comparing yourself to professional newscasters while you are just getting started. Simply compare to see how you can improve.
You’ll often see a reporter with papers in their hand. You practice this way, too. Practice glancing down at your notes and then conveying the story, rather than reading directly from your notes.
For a serious story, you can say something along the lines of, “What a tragic event for the neighborhood,” or “Let’s hope everyone makes a full recovery. " Make it clear that you care about the situation. For a feel good story, you can keep it simple by saying something like, “How fun!” or “That really warms the heart. " It’s important to stay neutral for political stories. Good examples of comments could include, “This race is really heating up,” or “This has been a really exciting story to follow. " These comments still give an opinion while remaining neutral.
If you don’t have a specific report you’re reading, try taking a story from a newspaper or looking up sample stories online.
The more words you know, the better you will be able to make an educated guess about unknown words you come across in a report.
Try using a mirror to look at yourself while you read. This can help you make sure your facial expressions are confident and match the tone of the story. It will also help you practice to get glance at a report then read it well while looking straight ahead. Once you’ve built up some confidence, you might want to ask a close friend or family member to listen in and give you feedback.
For fun stories, try to loosen up a little bit so that you sound more upbeat.
This is especially important for breaking stories. You might get bullet points ahead of time, but you will probably see the story for the first time as you are reading it.
For serious reports, it’s especially important that your body language reflects the tone of the story. If need be, pause and check your posture and facial expression before a serious story.
If you don’t normally use your hands to talk, start slowly. Try using one or two hand gestures in a report. If you try to add many more, it may look unnatural.
If you are co-reporting, it’s natural to break eye contact to look at your colleague every once in a while, especially if you are speaking to each other.
Make sure your facial expressions are appropriate for the story. Although a warm, friendly smile is generally appropriate, make sure to use a more serious expression when reporting on something like a death or accident.
Having confidence in yourself will give off confidence in front of the camera. To be more convincing, you should have eye contact and a strong body posture. [20] X Research source Besides this, pause and have certainty in your speech. Be clear and concise. [21] X Research source
