BLOG: The Truth About News Anchors

There seems to be a lot of interest in the glitz and glamour of being a news presenter. Life on-screen, and the financial perks, does have an allure, I admit. But there is another side to it. Nothing, not the financial package, or the glamour, can compensate for the all the birthdays that I have missed. For all the late nights and the long shifts I have struggled to stay awake in. For the time I was unable to console my nephew who failed his final exams. Or when my father couldn’t sleep at night worried about when I will return home. Or when my sister, my best friend, signed her wedding papers, I was in Multan covering a political rally.

There is a general perception that the job of a newscaster isn’t a serious profession; that anchors, especially women, show up at work, doll up and mindlessly read off a teleprompter. That may have been true in the past, but not anymore.

Newscasters (people who read the news) are now referred to as news anchors, since the job description has changed. Those who appear on screen are now required to research and understand each story, as well as find exclusive tidbits, before going on air.

Here is a confession. I had the same opinion about anchors, until I auditioned for a news channel on a talent hunt in my university.

I had always been a good speaker. Plus I enjoyed current affairs. How hard could it be? I thought. Little did I know that speaking in front of a crowd is very different from speaking to a camera, especially with a little talk back device called an Interruptible Feedback or IFB planted in your ear.

I still remember the day of my first studio practice. I was excited, who wouldn’t be. My hair and makeup took an hour. As I walked into the studios and settled into a seat opposite the camera, a small gadget was placed inside my ear for the producer to communicate with me. There I was, ready for my red carpet moment.

Just then a loud voice, boomed in my ear. We are going to practice breaking news, I was told.  All I had to do was read the script from the prompter, and wait for a reporter to provide additional information. That sounds easy. I took a deep breath and began:

“Breaking news say apko aagah kar rahay hain Lahore aur iskay girdo-nawah mein zalzallay kay ghatkay mehsoos kiye gaye hain.”

That’s it, one line? No. I was told to continue talking, to continue re-reading the line in a loop, without repeating the words, until the producers gathers more details. How many different ways could there be to say this?  Already frazzled, I was distracted by the constant chatter and laughter in my ear.

I kept prolonging it:

“Ahm tareen khabar hai punjab say jahan Lahore aur us kay kareebi illaqon mein zalzalay kay jhatkay mehsoos kiye gaye hain, zalzalay ki shidat kay hawalay say abhi tak itlah mosool nahin hui.”

I was running out of breath. I was running out of words.

The producer, now miffed, could sense my panic. He called in another anchor to demonstrate how the job is done. Anchor B varied her tone, changed the words, to stretch that one-line for 30 minutes! I was awestruck. That was the day I realized how demanding this profession can be. You need to be creative. You need to be present, mentally, at all times especially when thousands are watching. 

For everyone out there who wants to be a news anchor, only because it pays well, let me tell you that it is a bumpy ride. There will be hardships, compromises and hurdles. To get through it, Keep calm and ‘kaam say kaam’.

Aleena Farooq Sheikh is a news anchor with Geo TV Network.