Steps how to be a good
MC
1
Know your event. These instructions apply to all types of
ceremonies, from graduations to bar mitzvahs to celebrity roasts. The key to
being a good MC is confidence. Knowing what's going on (and thus what you
should talk about) is everything. There's nothing more embarrassing than
announcing to 100 people that Joe Blow is about to juggle bowling balls, only
to have Jane Doe come out singing a song.
2
Establish your contact
well in advance of the event day. Your contact will tell you the schedule and order of
events, allowing you to be prepared. Your preparation will let you focus on
interacting with the crowd, instead of trying to be entertaining, and figure
out what's going on at the same time.
3
Smile constantly. Smiling shows the crowd that you're at
ease and having a good time. You want them to be at ease and have a good time,
so you've got to set the example. If need be, imagine in advance several happy
or funny scenarios. Play out these scenarios in your head while you're talking
to the crowd. Remember the old speech class advice - imagine everyone in the
crowd is in their underwear. Your light-heartedness is sure to rub off.
4
Don't forget your main
job is to talk to the crowd. You're keeping them informed about the ceremony, and
giving the talent or featured individual time to prepare to go onstage.
5
Study your lines. Usually people have lines before they do
the actual thing. So study them so your mind won't go blank during the show.
6
Don't stop when you
mess up. Sometimes people
say the wrong things when they're talking because they're nervous. Don't stress
and move on.
7
Try to be funny. Nobody likes a dull host! Try to laugh
sometimes and crack a joke once in a while.
8
Stare at something or
think of something that makes you "less" nervous.Stare at the wall or a clock and talk to them
to make you less nervous.
9
Slow down with your
words. If you talk too
fast it can lead to stuttering and people watching you can't understand what
you say. So slow down when you are talking
10
Ask questions that
people might answer. Especially younger crowds with answer "yes"
or "no" if you ask a question. It keeps them focused and they won't
get distracted.
11
·
Consider creating hand made things
at home and give them to people when they come. It makes them feel like they
are your friend and points out the simplicity of being a host. Simplicity is
the best policy.
Warnings
·
Don't talk about other people or
friends. It leads to gossip and gossip is ugly and you might say something you
might regret after they have gone.
·
If they mention a person you don't
like, make it a policy to be silent.
Steps how to be a good
reporter
1
Improve your
communication skills. To be a good
reporter, you will need toread, write, speak and listen. You will need to be able to ask good questions.
2
Read, watch and follow
the news. Notice how
events are depicted. Notice what makes a good story and what doesn't. What
would you like to see done better? What seems to be empty sensationalism?
3
4
Strive for accuracy
and neutrality in any story you report. Be sure to cover both sides of any contentious issue.
5
Record the facts. Don't make assumptions (they can often
be wrong), and don't make things up. Reporters are supposed to seek and report
facts. Lying, making up stories or quotes, or even accidentally misquoting
someone can only damage your credibility (an absolutely essential quality in a
reporter).
·
When someone tells you
something that you find important to the story, whether it's allegedly factual
or simply an opinion, go ahead and quote that person. Then if what they told
you turns out to be wrong or inaccurate, it will be their credibility -- not
yours -- that suffers.
6
Avoid displaying your
own personal opinions. As
a reporter, your job is to report the facts so others can form their own
opinions. Make sure you are recording the factual details of any news story and
tell those facts without including your personal viewpoint. Once you start
giving your opinion, it becomes editorializing, not news reporting.
7
Decide which media
you'd like to work with. You
could focus on print journalism, broadcast news, or even online news coverage.
You can focus at first on one medium and then branch out as you become more
experienced. The print news industry is an excellent place to start. That's
where many successful reporters began their careers.
8
Begin a news story
with a quick summary of what happened, who was involved, and when, where, why
and how it happened. Build details
from there, beginning with the most important information and working toward
the least important. By including the most important information first, you
will allow your editor to trim the end of the story if it runs too long.
9
Seek out stories you
find interesting. Chances are good
that others will find them interesting, too. You can report on "hard"
news stories which involve current events of interest to a wide audience, or
you can report on softer "feature" stories which might involve more
light-hearted events and be of more casual interest.
10
Hard news stories can
include:
·
Information that is
time-sensitive. If it is relevant today but won't be as interesting next week,
next month or next year, you should report it as news.
·
Recent changes in
government policy or personnel
·
A plane crash or other
tragedy
·
Any other topic that
is dramatic or alarming
11
Feature
("human-interest") stories will include:
·
Personal occurrences
involving local figures
·
References to local,
historical events
·
Accounts that are not
time-sensitive . A feature story may be as interesting weeks or months from now
as it is today
12
Think locally. Often, local news is not accorded the
professional reportage that national or regional stories receive, even though
local news may be of huge interest to the audience. The city council makes
decisions every day that affect everyone in town!
13
Attend events. Did a new city park just open? Is a
local club kicking off its summer fundraiser? Be there and publish an account
of the event for those who didn't attend.
14
Writing
"free-lance" articles can be a good way to kick-start your career.Go to events, conduct your own research, then
write the stories and forward them to local media outlets. If an article is
well written, and the story isn't already covered, you may get published.
15
It may be possible to
merge your article with that of another author. If you have good information, and the
other writer does,too, your stories might be combined under a shared
"byline" (authorship).
16
Producing an
interesting feature article is a great way to get published.If you submit a human-interest piece to a
media outlet, they may decide to save your work and use it later to fill space
on a "slow" news day.
17
Go to work for your
school newspaper or a small, local news outlet.These media will usually be happy to hire a
good reporter. Even if they don't pay well, or if you have to start as a
volunteer, it's a good way to get your foot in the door.
18
Join a broadcast or
other media club at school. That's
a good way to learn to report news and feature stories.
19
Use your affiliation
with a news outlet to obtain a press pass. This might give you access to news events and venues that
the public doesn't have.
20
Get in the habit of
carrying a camera and a voice recorder with you so that you have them when you
unexpectedly need them. Then
be prepared to turn them over to your employer if he/she wants to fact-check
your information before publishing it.
·
Don't be afraid of
"small" stories, especially at first. They may not be earth-shaking,
but they will give you good practice in reporting and help you establish your
reputation.
·
Attend a school of
journalism or broadcasting where you can learn professional writing or speaking
techniques. Public speaking is a skill best learned with professional help. A
conversational style (in speaking or in writing) can go a long way toward
establishing the reputation of a new reporter.
·
If you're serious
about a career in journalism, consider starting as a "citizen-journalist."
That's someone who does it out of love for the craft rather than for money.
Have ablog or a podcast.
Write for Wikinews or another wiki.
·
Interview skills are
also essential to a reporter's success. There are various good interview
techniques. Experiment and find the style that works best for you. You should
seek to put at ease the person you're interviewing. You'll get a much more
interesting and revealing conversation that way.
Warnings
·
Let people know if
they will be quoted, photographed, or recorded. It is simply common courtesy.
·
Always check your
facts.
·
Ask permission to
photograph or record individuals. Some have protection orders or cannot have
their pictures published because of professional constraints. Again, this is a
matter of common courtesy.
How
to Make a Spoof Newscast
Steps
2.
Make a set. This could be an elaborate
newscast set that looks like it could actually be at CNN headquarters, or just
a cardboard box with "NEWS" written on it.
3.
Brainstorm funny news ideas. Think of what you
are going to say. Make it an outrageous, impossible newscast, a snide comment
on issues going on today, or just an absurd interview with a colorful
character.
4.
Exaggerate your characters. For example, if you're going to parodize a specific newscaster
(i.e. Tom Brokaw), make sure the audience knows who you're parodizing (i.e.
exaggerate his way of speaking). If you're interviewing, say, an old lady, in
your newscast, show that she smells of cats or has blue hair and constantly
forgets things.
5.
Come up with costumes and a script, if you need them.
6.
Rehearse your newscast! Get it down to perfection. Even if you have the funniest script
in the world, it loses some of its hilarity if it is badly acted out. If you
are improvising it, have a general idea to focus on throughout the sketch.
7.
Have a camera person turn on the camera and start recording.
8.
Start your spoof newscast, and make it as funny as possible.
9.
Once you are done, stop the camera.
10.
Look over what you have done. If you have the time and the skill, go back and re-record it
until you perfect it and hilarity has been maximized. Show it to a couple of
other people if you need a second opinion on how good it is.
11. Import the video
onto your computer, and add special effects such as captions and sound effects,
if possible. A news ticker (that
scrolly thing you see at the bottom of the screen on news channels) has endless
possibilities for added jokes.
Tips
·
Have more than one story, including sports, weather, traffic,
and developing stories.
·
Try to keep a straight face throughout the whole thing
·
If you want it to be convincing then make sure to have a fake
news set, set up.
·
Once you finish, burn it on a DVD
Warnings
·
It will be hard finding a program that can make the news ticker
and special effects.
Things You'll Need
·
camera or computer with built-in camera
·
Tripod
·
Video editing program
·
Friends
·
DVD's to burn your movie on
How to
Be a Good Host
Steps
1. Invite people who
are similar to you.
2. Don't tell them to
come sometime. Tell them when to
come. When they come, if they are late then pretend that it doesn't matter. If
they apologize for being late, say nobody is perfect.
3. Offer for them to
sit wherever they want to. Offer them fruit and
healthy food to eat.
4. If they come for a
dinner, have everything ready. Don't rush. Move
more slowly than ever or people feel that they have become a burden to you.
5. Don't be extravagant
about the food you're going to serve. It makes people feel uneasy.
6. Remind them while
they are eating that you cooked the food for them so they should eat it all and
not have formalities because formalities make you tired.
7. The most you should
let them do is empty the table. Tell them that the
washing-up is part of being the host.It is the rule of the house not to let the
guest work since they do enough of that at home
8. After you have
offered them dessert, offer them coffee or tea so they feel comfortable to sit
and talk.
9. Talk about things
that they want to talk about and not your family problems.If you have any good
recipes on how to be healthy, let them know. People are always interested to
hear something new.Everyone has different health problems and it shows your
concern and that your not superficial.
10. If they want to
leave ask them to stay a bit longer since you enjoyed they're company.
11. Don't make them feel
obliged about a return visit. Tell them to come
back, it's nearer.
Tips
·
Consider creating hand made things at home and give them to
people when they come. It makes them feel like they are your friend and points
out the simplicity of being a host. Simplicity is the best policy.
Warnings
·
Don't talk about other people or friends. It leads to gossip and
gossip is ugly and you might say something you might regret after they have
gone.
·
If they mention a person you don't like, make it a policy to be
silent.
How
to Handle Divorce Anger
Steps
1.
Write it out. Often putting into
words how you feel about the process, and your ex, is like taking a weight off
your shoulders. It's now spilling from your mind onto paper.
2.
Shout it out. Take a drive deep
into country and yell with all your might. It's amazing how good you'll feel.
3.
talk it out. At first, talking
can be very therapeutic. Speak to a trusted family member or friend, but do
not, under any circumstances, console with your children, regardless of their
age. They are not the right person to talk to about divorce issues.Constantly
talking about your anger can be deconstructive so keep yourself in check.
4.
Think about what it is that you are angry about and at whom? Being retrospective about the role you played in the
relationship can help you remove some of the anger.
5.
Choose your battles carefully and let the small stuff go. You are going through a lot; getting worked up about the small
stuff will take the focus and energy off the big stuff.
tTips
·
Find something to do just for yourself, everyday, that you know
always makes you feel good- a walk, gardening, working out or playing cards
with friends.
·
If you think you need professional help, by all means get it.
·
Writing your anger out periodically can help clear your mind so
you can enjoy the good stuff in life.
Warnings
·
Anger can build and become destructive if you don't do something
about it. So do something about it.
How to Become a TV Reporter or News Anchor
Being
a TV reporter or news anchor is an exciting and fast-paced profession. However,
if you're in it for just the glamour and the glory, then you may have to
rethink your priorities. Being a TV reporter or news anchor not only requires
hard work, rigid deadlines, and the ability to talk to the most difficult
people, but you may also find yourself spending six hours in 20 degree weather
waiting for a hostage situation to break. If you think you have the guts,
stamina, and dedication to be a TV reporter or news anchor, then follow these
steps.
1. Be an articulate
speaker. Your voice is key in
this field. You should concentrate on projection, enunciation, and inflection.
All of these things will help you deliver your “script” in a compelling nature.
Be authoritative in your speech. This will give you credibility with your
audience. Read newspapers and magazines aloud. Listen to the best journalists
in the field when they speak and try to emulate them.[1]
·
You'll have to speak loudly and slowly enough for people to
understand you, but quickly enough to cover everything you have to say in a
given amount of time.
2.
Look good on camera. This doesn't mean that you have to look like a movie star or a
Victoria's Secret model. You don't even have to be classically handsome or
beautiful. You do, however, have to look appealing on camera, and have that
special quality that makes people want to watch you doing whatever you do. This
is a mixture of charisma, confidence, and that special something that will make
people respond to you even if you're covering a story about a local bake sale.[2]
·
Unfortunately, it can go the other way -- you may be incredibly
attractive but may come off as lackluster on camera. Don't think that your
looks are a golden ticket to the profession.
3.
Have killer people skills. If you want to succeed in the world of TV reporting or news
anchoring, then you have to be able to talk to anyone about almost anything. If
you're reporting, you may have to talk to people live, on site, and on camera,
even if they aren't comfortable, and your job will be to make them comfortable.
If you're an anchor, then you'll have to introduce people to your audience and
talk to them in the studio, and use the same skills to make them open up and
feel at ease.[3]
·
You may not realize that many reporters and news anchors have to
write and investigate their own stories, but this may actually be a large
component of your job. If this is the case, then you'll need to be able to talk
to a variety of people who can give you access to the information you want.
4.
Be free from bias. Tough one, eh? If
you want to be an honest TV reporter or news anchor, then you'll have to learn
to put your prejudices aside. Even if you lean a certain way politically or
feel biased against certain professions, people, or regions, you'll have to do
your reporting as objectively as possible. You won't be able to let the people
you interview see through to your personal beliefs, or you won't be giving
people the honest, unbiased news that they really want.
·
If you're prejudiced against certain people, they will be much
less likely to open up to you.
5.
Have stellar writing skills. Though being an articulate speaker is crucial, being a strong
writer isn't far behind. Even if you're just reading what you have to say and
improvising as you go along, or if you have to write your own stories, writing
skills will get you far in the field. Writing skills will also help you
communicate with others if you have to develop your own stories, and your
writing should make you sound as professional as possible.[4]
6.
Have ridiculous stamina. If you're the kind of person who needs a nap after working for
two hours, then the life of a TV reporter or news anchor is not for you. You
may have to work 12 hour shifts, get up at 2 a.m., or spend hours just standing
in the same spot during unusually cold or hot conditions waiting for a story to
break. And you have to have the ability to work a 10 hour shift, only to be
told that a major story just broke and to work 5 more hours until you take care
of business.
How
to Be a Good News Road
Ever
wanted to be a journalist? Ever dreamed of working for newspapers and magazines
such as The New York Times, Vogue, The Times or GQ? If so, you've come to the
right article! This article is packed with information, tips and how you can
make it big in the competitive but exciting, dog eat dog world of journalism!
Steps
1. Enjoy writing. Write everyday, read newspapers/magazines everyday, watch the
news to keep up with current affairs and be devoted to literature. If you don't
enjoy writing, reading, meeting new people, being under pressure, well then
you've come to the wrong article and career choice, journalism is all about
writing and if you hate English class with a passion, then this is not the
right career for you.
2. Keep a journal or a
diary. Most well known
journalists had diaries when they were younger to practice their writing
skills. Remember, it doesn't matter what you write about when you're starting
out, practice is everything!It will help you get into a habit of writing
everyday. Plus didn't you realize that journalist has the word journal in it?
3. Carry a camera with
you. Nowadays many journalists are trying to add more skills to their
self and CV. If you have a flair for photography, it can help you a hell of a
lot in the long run, journalist's are always taking pictures to put in their
articles.
4. Carry a pen or
pencil and pad at all times. You never know when
a newsworthy story will come up. Take notes if you find a good story. At least
try and write the main idea or points as and when they cross your mind so that
you won't forget.You never know! It could be the best story of the century! Get
it down on paper before you forget it.
5. Be willing to meet
new people. This is what
journalism is all about. If you feel you are incapable and uncomfortable with
meeting and talking to different people and strangers, you need to work on this
problem NOW. All good journalist's are not afraid to ask anything to the interviewee
(within reason of course!).
6. Remember to always
refer back to the interviewee. Do not, under any
circumstances tell lies, twist the story and make up your own side of the
story. Nowadays, there are too many sleazy journals and newspapers out there (ahem,
News Of The World phone hacking, anyone?) and if you want to be successful, you
need to stay true to the interviewee, do not make up lies and stay 100% legit!
7. Expand your
vocabulary. Read the daily
newspaper. Purchase a nice dictionary and thesaurus. Your short story will not
be nearly as exciting if every character walks everywhere and says every line
of dialogue. A comprehensive vocabulary can help bring your stories and poems
to life, enabling you to better describe the world around you.~ Be sure that
you are using words correctly. Some of the alternatives listed in your
thesaurus may not have the right shade of meaning or be appropriate for the
level of formality. Look up the word in your dictionary to be sure, and if in
doubt, use a word that you already know.
Tips
·
A good journalist should be open-minded and ready for anything.
·
You need to be quick minded, do not let anyone pull the wool
over your eyes!
·
A journalist must know how to catch his reader's attention. With
that, a striking sentence is needed.
·
Try to discover your own writing style.
·
Practice meeting and talking to different people.
·
Start to read books and classic literature to practise and
improve your English skills.
·
Be confident!! don't let shyness get in the way now!!!
·
WRITE WRITE WRITE! It must have started sounding repetitive, but
all good journalists are able to write well and they all have a certain writing
style.
·
Carry a pen and notebook with you EVERYWHERE.
·
Also keep a small camera with you, and make sure it takes high
resolution pictures as well.
Warnings
·
Be legit
·
Stay safe in any media frenzies and also stay safe in any
foreign countries when reporting abroad.
·
Don't publish any lies in articles
Things You'll Need
·
A flair for writing
·
Pencil and pad
·
Camera or phone
·
A good story
·
A voice recorder
·
A Thesaurus
·
A Dictionary
