ABSTRACT
The right average reading pace is one which is comfortable for the reader, clear to the listener and which suits the station’s style. That could be anywhere between 140 and 220 words per minute, depending on whether it’s a music station or a news station for example. Newsreaders, like swimmers, have to master the art of breath control. Breathing through the mouth permits faster refuelling than through the nose, but beware of snatching the reader's breath. There are different schools of thought about whether newsreaders should project their voice or talk naturally. In television a conversational tone is more appropriate to the illusion of eye contact with the audience, and projection matters less because television audiences offer more of their undivided attention than do radio listeners. Most TV stations use devices to project the script on to glass in front of the camera so presenters can give the impression of eye contact with the viewer as they read the news.
