I am often asked is, “How can I become a TV Show Host?”
Now that’s a loaded question. The question should be …”Do I have what it takes to become a TV show host?” What are the core technical skills and values you need to have to become a host? It’s as simple as the three T’s. Do you have the three T’s? These are think, talk and teach.
1. THINK
Do you think fast? What I mean by that is… can you visually recognize, see text and process text with speed and talk out the ideas in a conversational manner? You see, this is something that great hosts have in common. They process their thoughts very quickly. They think visually; they think in bullet points. They see text in whole phrases, not just word-by-word. They see what’s ahead but are present to the moment at the same time. Now this skill cannot be developed overnight. It takes time. If you are a fast, natural talker, you have it. You process pretty quickly. If you speak slowly, you process in an even, methodical, measured way. This does not mean if you process slowly or speak slowly that you cannot become a TV Host. Those who talk too fast and slush their words together need to work on their speech as well. So the key is to process quickly and speak in a controlled manner.
2. TALK
Do you speak quickly and briskly? Do you have great diction and speed, so you sound clear, concise and smart? Do you speak so fast you slur your words together? Or, do you speak too slowly for TV? Now speaking quickly does not mean talking fast. It means to speak with urgency, excitement, energy and with precise clarity. This clear and fast communication works brilliantly on television. Clear communication with energy is the key to sounding like a pro on TV. It’s a skill that is developed over time. Repetitive reading text aloud can help accelerate the think and talk process.
3. TEACH
As TV Hosts, we are Teachers. We like to teach the world. We are leaders. So if you like to explain a process, if you like to give directions and help people then this is the career for you. Provided that you have the other T-skills mentioned above. Passion for learning and teaching is a must when becoming a tv speaker or a host. Having a passion for passing on information is of great importance. Moreover, having the desire and curiosity to want to draw out information from people also helps when you are interviewing people. All of this passion for passing information, informing the public, and teaching them is a core value for TV show hosting.
With these 3 tips in perfection, then you’re on the right road to becoming a TV Show Host.
