Some Finer Points of Reading Service Etiquette
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Ad-libbing: Still a major factor in listener discontent. Avoid the temptation.
Don't appear in any way to agree or disagree with the reading material. Don't
say uh-huh or clear your throat suggestively during editorials. Don't announce that
an article "might be of interest to some listeners." The editors decided on the
importance of the item when they placed it in the publication. Don't say "this
column relates to a story we read last week." All we do is read. It's embarrassing to
have a listener call and say "we may be blind but we're not stupid."
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Quotes: There is no need to say "quote" "end quote" every time you see quotation
marks. Pause, take a breath before opening quotes and after end quotes. Most news stories are full of
"he said" and "she said" and further clarification is distracting, and unnecessary. The exception -editorials and op/ed columns are personal opinion pieces and you should indicate when the writer is
quoting someone else.
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"Reading" photos: They’re “eye-catchers” for the sighted. A photo that is worth a 1000 words may
take 1000 words to describe it. Don’t try. If the photo is above the fold on the Times-Dispatch, and
there is no accompanying story, you might say “there’s a photo of an upside down pickup truck and
the caption is…..”
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Editorial cartoons are important, and often difficult. Describe the individual elements of the
cartoon without interpretation or explanation, and read the text. If your description is complete, the
listener will be able to “get it.” If you have questions, see the notebook of tips on reading the paper
"live." If you have further questions, talk to the Program Director or staff on duty.
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Pronunciation tips: When you are reading an article with foreign names, remember to ask staff or
other volunteers for help with pronunciation.
pronunciation guide.
Each studio computer desktop has a link to a
Virginia names in particular are a sensitive subject with our listeners. Even those of us who were
born here don't know the pronunciation of every town or river in the state, so it's important to confirm
your pronunciation with someone else. Also, on this side of the mountains, it’s “Appa latch ia,” on
the other side, it’s “Appa lā chia.” Either way, some listeners will be impressed, others won’t.
Vocabulary Concerns
How often do you find yourself driving your car without really paying attention to what you're doing?
Maybe missing an exit because you're "on automatic pilot"? We do the same sort of thing when reading
aloud. Listen to the meaning of what you are reading. If it doesn't make sense to you, it probably won't
make sense to anyone else. Here are a few heard on the Voice from time to time:
contact – contract
exasperate – exacerbate
adopt – adapt
frenetic –frantic – fanatic
Watch for heteronyms, words spelled the same, but with different meanings and different sounds:
sow – to spread
or sow – female pig
bow – to play a stringed instrument or bow – after a performance