12 Tips to a Better On-Air Delivery
| 1. |
Vary
your rate of speech. Don’t talk too fast or stay at the same speed. |
| 2. |
Vary
your pitch levels. Don’t be monotone. |
| 3. |
Use
a downward pitch at the end of a sentence unless it is a question. You
will sound more authoritative. |
| 4. |
Avoid
non-words like umm’s and ahh’s. |
| 5. |
Allow
your voice to be animated, to inject energy behind the words. |
| 6. |
Project
your voice. You will sound confident and credible. |
| 7. |
Emphasize
key words for variety and power. It will help to keep the attention of
your audience and let listeners know what you think is important. |
| 8. |
Sound
positive. Don’t use qualifiers (sort of, maybe, perhaps) or nullifiers
(This may be wrong...; I’m new, but...). |
| 9. |
Do
not call attention to your mistakes. Most of the time, if you don’t
react, your audience won’t notice them. |
| 10. |
Clearly
articulate each word. Express your vowels and work your consonants, especially
at the ends of words. |
| 11. |
Be
aware of your posture and body positioning. They contribute to your sound
and breath control and support. |
| 12. |
Remain
calm and confident under pressure. Your voice should never convey the problems
of the day. |
|
Copyright 1999 Association
of Music Personnel in Public Radio |
