My day as Ted Henley
As I have said in the past, many people who work at 660News (including myself) are jacks of all trades. This means we have to fill in where it’s necessary and today that meant I got to sit with Lynda Parcells at the anchor desk.
It was fun being Ted Henley for a day. I got to get up at 2 a.m. after struggling to fall asleep around 7-8 p.m. last night, I was rejected for my morning Timbits because they weren’t made yet, I got to read and write like a bohemian author, and I finished my shift when most are starting their work day.
Some people I have met have a flawed view of what morning show anchors do. I’ve had a few friends admit they believe Ted and Lynda simply sit in a booth and read what is written for them. Some go as far as to suggest the banter between anchors is also scripted. I can assure you this is not true.
I began my day reading through the newspapers and writing the stories for my newscast … with the help of the editor and writer of course. That’s not the end of the typing. I am responsible for every headline and tease you hear at the start of the cast, and before commercials and sports.
I also have to read over my whole cast to make sure there are no mistakes. That’s all done in only an-hour-and-a-half. Then when we get on the air we are constantly rewriting stories and making changes while we read. You definitely have to be a multi-tasker.
An added stress for me was trying to remember how to anchor. I haven’t sat at the anchors desk in months and I had to remember how to work the board, the computer system that runs our commercials and promos, and which mics to turn on and when. That’s a heck of a lot more than just reading.
As for the banter, there are no scripted conversations on the air. Everything you hear is natural and off the tops of our heads. We have to be careful what we chat about though…we don’t want to offend anyone or give our opinions/feelings about any important matters. It’s fun to talk about how disappointed we are the Santa Claus Parade has been cancelled but it isn’t right for us to comment on the royalty debate.
It was a nice change for me and great to get back to the anchor’s desk. Considering all I had to do and remember, everything went smoothly during the shift. Nobody died and my editor Radana Suk didn’t knock me over the head with a baseball bat out of frustration.
All-in-all it’s great being Ted Henley … for a day anyway.