PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – There’s one job in the control room that scares me more than any other: The teleprompter. The teleprompter is a screen that has all the words that the anchor reads. It requires intense focus to match the anchor’s reading pace while moving the dial to match their speed. If the teleprompter is too slow or fast, it can make the anchor look bad on live television.
I’ve been in the control room for the midday and 4 p.m. shows several times throughout the past few weeks. I’ve watched the producer eye the rundown and make last-minute changes to stories. I paid attention as the technical producer quickly switched between a bright array of buttons. Their jobs are all intense, but for some reason teleprompter scares me more than any other control room position.
Last Friday, I operated the teleprompter for the first time during the midday show. I was definitely a little shaky at first, but I got the hang of things fairly quick. Although, I don’t think I blinked once, it ended up going well.
I’ve spent some time the past few weeks learning the ins and outs of production and editing. At the Hampton Roads Show, I mic-d up the guests and escorted them from the green room to the studio. I shadowed the floor director and helped get the set ready.
Back in the newsroom, I learned to edit and worked on my writing. I edited teases and headlines that aired in the evening shows. I also spent time at the oceanfront where a movie was preparing to film. Virginia Beach native and Grammy Winner, Pharrell Williams, is making a movie about his life and some scenes will be filmed locally. I did not see any celebrities and the crew didn’t say much, but it was still a really fun experience.
