News presenter
A news presenter or news presenter, also known as a host, is in charge of transmitting the news through television or the radio. It is part of the informative process of the program. The presenter is a journalist who acts as an intermediary between the news and the viewer, helping the success of the program.
Overview
The presenters of newscasts or newscasts expose themselves before the cameras to tell and describe the news of the day using a series of qualities.
In addition to this, the presenter has several functions. On the one hand, the personalization function stands out, since the information on television and radio is transmitted through a person and thus give credibility to the news. On the other hand, there is the function of giving continuity, with which the presenter will try to organize the information in such a way that the communicative thread is not lost.
In addition to these functions, another aspect is the language of the news. In these programs, the host must transmit the news through verbal and non-verbal language. The words are mixed with the gestures and sounds of the presenter in order to entertain the viewer.
In short, the presenter must transmit the news in a way that does not lose credibility and the interest of the viewer, whether through television or radio.
Presenter Qualities
The role of presenter cannot be done by any journalist, and that is why, to carry out this position, the presenter must always manage a series of qualities.
Credibility is the most important quality of any newscaster. Well, he is the main person in charge of making the viewer believe the veracity of what is transmitted in a newscast. Believing in the presenter means trusting that what the news report is completely true. Armand Balsebre defined the term credibility as the trust that one places in the other, from which we proceed to an act of faith, that is, we believe in what the other tells us, we believe in his words.
Professionalism consists in the fact that the presenter has to give the viewer the feeling that he not only knows how to read the news, but also tries to understand it and find solutions in unexpected events or public appearances. Another quality is impartiality, which understands that the presenter must be neutral, objective and have a respect for the truth.
Personality and authority, which go hand in hand, refer to when the presenter has to have his own personality and transmit a certain authority, humanizing the news. These qualities are combined with experience, since over the years, the presenter learns from the mistakes made.
Concentration and tranquility cannot be overlooked. These help to read the news clearly and in the best way before the cameras. That is why clarity is another of the qualities. The use of clear language helps the viewer to understand well what is being told.
Finally, a good image and a good voice close the block of qualities. The physical characteristics of the presenter and his styling help when creating an image for the program, although it must be avoided that the presenter is the focus of attention instead of the news. For its part, the voice must be pleasant to the ear and must also seek expressiveness through intonation, vocalization, rhythm and attitude.
First news presenters in Spain
In the first years of the Franco dictatorship, a new type of television program emerged in Spain. The Telediario was born in 1957, directed by José de las Casas and Ángel Marrero. Said informative program was presented by Jesús Álvarez García, this being the first television news presenter in Spain.
The program was directed by a single conductor and he was in charge of memorizing the texts to later recite them and expose them in front of the cameras. The informant tried not to identify with the events narrated, but instead focused on reciting the news. As there was little technology, the contents of the news depended on many occasions on the contents of NO-DO or Radio Nacional.
The image of the presenter was recreated with a suit and tie for men, and with a wardrobe without arms, neckline and bare shoulders for women. Likewise, the presenter used clear and concise language with an average of 150 words per minute.