A question that often comes up in rehearsal, assuming there is one, is do we sit or stand when presenting? It might seem a trival point but  being uncertain during  the pitch will undermine performance.

Often the decision is obvious. Large audience, large room, formal presentation means standing. Small audience, small room and an intimate conversational approach, sit. The in-between ones call for thought and it is interesting that the trend for news readers is to stand, despite the intimate nature of their sitting room audience.

Why is this? Perhaps because each newscast is pitching against rival channels and they find that the standing news reader has greater authority and communicates with more dynamism and more energy.  They have all worked out how to stand, something that can worry the  inexperienced.  The problem of ‘what to do with your hands’ is neatly solved by holding notes, not actually used.

 Where sitting is appropriate, it is worth breaking things up and creating movement and variety, sitting to start, standing as your argument develops, to explain a key chart or for an emotional finish.  The seated news reader is normally joined by a correspondent, standing, from the front line/disaster zone, plus the latest in electronic visual imagery. Dynamic energetic communication is the norm.

Even when the news is depressing, it is worth watching for ideas on presenting!