Wednesday, October 14, 2009

At a D.C. Station, News Anchors Will Have to Run Their Own Prompters

"Instead of orchestrating coverage, fact-checking, handling breaking news, paying attention to the [newscast], engaging reporters, questioning authorities, covering bad writing and technical mistakes, anchors will now spend most of their time" running the prompter, said one newsroom employee, who asked not to be identified because he's not authorized to discuss the change. "It's kind of like a literal one-man band -- singing, banging a drum, crashing cymbals, playing a trumpet and strumming a guitar . . . except we're not playing show tunes here."

I have doubts that on-air "personalities" have done that for a very long time. If ever. We have Dan Rather as one of many examples. Then there's this bit:
Some at the station worry that such a roll-your-own system could increase the potential for on-camera blunders, as anchors fumble for the right spot in their scripts. They also say that viewers may notice some awkward cranking and pumping beneath the anchor desk.

I think the cranking and pumping might be the standard interfacing with the party of "change".

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