When broadcast journalists get to work on breaking news, it’s a moment that always

separates the mere readers from the true leaders. The best news anchors and “live” reporters
make their work look easy, but it isn’t. Beyond voice, looks or delivery, the best possess what
I call “skills without script.”

They communicate with command, comfort and clarity, even — or especially — when a
story is developing so rapidly that formats and scripts are useless.

“Skills without script” are built on mental agility, critical thinking and continuous learning.

Here are eight essential “skills without script” that I teach to journalists.

1. Knowledge base: An understanding of issues, names, geography, history and the ability to
put all of these in perspective for viewers. It comes from the journalist’s commitment to
being a student of the news.

2. Ability to process new information: Sorting, organizing, prioritizing and retaining

massive amounts of incoming data.

3. Ethical compass: Sensitivity to ethical land mines that often litter the field of live breaking
news — unconfirmed information, graphic video, words that potentially panic, endanger
public safety or security or words that add pain to already traumatized victims and those who
care about them.

4. Command of the language: Dead-on grammar, syntax, pronunciation, tone and

storytelling — no matter how stressed or tired the anchor or reporter may be.

5. Interviewing finesse: An instinct for what people need and want to know, for what
elements are missing from the story, and the ability to draw information by skillful, informed
questioning and by listening.

6. Mastery of multitasking: The ability to simultaneously: take in a producer’s instructions

via an earpiece while scanning new information from computer messages, texts or Twitter;
listen to what other reporters on the team are sharing and interviewees are adding; monitor
incoming video — and yes, live-tweet info to people who have come to expect information in
multiple formats.

7. Appreciation of all roles: An understanding of the tasks and technology that go into the
execution of a broadcast, the ability to roll with changes and glitches, and anticipate all other
professionals involved.

8. Acute sense of timing: The ability to condense or expand one’s speech on demand, to
sense when a story needs refreshing or recapping, to know without even looking at a clock
how many words are needed to fill the minute while awaiting a satellite window, live feed or
interviewee.

Whenever viewers have the chance witness the control room of a broadcast facility or
observe live at the scene during breaking news events, they are inevitably amazed at the on-
air calm that transcends the off-air chaos.
That’s the essence of skills without script and the measure of the best broadcast journalists.

Previously: How to publish credible information online while news is breaking