“I’m 17 years old and I am an anchor. I’m talent.”
We need to think about this a little, broadcast teachers. Is it really the best thing for the student when you name them an “anchor,” and let them sit behind the desk and read the prompter all semester, or all year?
Letting the same kids do all the anchoring for your shows is certainly your choice as a teacher. It might be the tradition you or the person before you established, but is it the best thing for those student anchors?
Some concerns are:
- Do your anchors ever go into the field and work on a story?
- Do your anchors learn to shoot and edit?
- Do your anchors write their scripts?
- Do your anchors ever run a studio camera, operate the audio board, or create graphics?
- Do other kids in your class want a chance to anchor?
Professional news anchors did not start out as anchors. They were reporters first. They learned to cover news, and tell stories. In fact, many of them today probably carried their own gear, and shot, wrote and edited their own pieces. Every day. Five days a week.
To give a teenager the anchor desk, and a sense of power or prestige, is not always a good thing. It might be short-changing them, actually. They have a chance to get a well-rounded experience in your class by doing it all. For those who actually pursue broadcasting in college, this will only help them in the often highly competitive world of collegiate journalism.
Finally, there are others to think about when you choose anchors, namely all the students you did not choose. Some kids avoid the camera and want nothing to do with anchoring, but it might surprise you how many others would actually like to take a turn on the desk.
Written By: Dave Davis
