NDTV, the school’s all time favorite weekly news show. NDTV has had various anchors throughout the years, and many different staff members. 

The Knight Magazine has had the pleasure of interviewing one of NDTV’s anchors, Roman Garcia, for a special look at what the life of an NDTV anchor looks like:

What does the work of an NDTV Anchor consist of?

On the weeks where I’m assigned to anchor, I send a picture the weekend prior of what I plan to wear to Ms. Harkins and Mrs. Schwaneman, who both do a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure that there’s a show every week. Mrs. Schwaneman will approve or give me suggestions on the wardrobe option so it’ll be ready. Before the shoot day, everyone working on the show receives the script. The script is usually written by our associate producer Renee, the executive producer, or their segment producer. The best scripts so far have been a collaboration of all three, including the word of Ms. Harkins. That script is sent to the anchors, who sometimes will change a sentence if it doesn’t flow well or we want to add something ourselves. Once that is finalized, we are left to film the show. We tend to shoot the show on Wednesday after school. The anchors bring in clothes and the rest of the crew arrives to set up lighting, the cameras, and the technical room. Once everything is set up, we tape the show, hoping we can do it in one take. The show is shot as if it is live, so if there is any major mistake, we have to start over. That is the standard timeline for fulfilling the responsibilities of an NDTV anchor. 

What’s the hardest part about being an anchor?

The hardest part of being an anchor is the rude comments we receive about the show. At the end of the day, we are all students who have a passion for media. We all have to go to class everyday at 8:20 and ask our teachers to use the restroom. While we certainly don’t mind proper criticism, it’s difficult to work on a project for a week for someone to smirk and jeer once it airs. I applaud those who have the confidence to come up to me and tell me what they liked and didn’t like about the show. The student body is our audience, and we want to do our best to please them, but that becomes much harder when we are part of that audience. 

What’s the easiest part about being an anchor?

The easiest part of being an anchor is collaborating with the other members of Television Broadcasting. Our crew consists of students from every class except ninth grade, but we are not shy of one another. All of our talents and efforts go towards one common goal, and I think that’s why it’s been smooth. 

What is your favorite part about the work of an anchor?

My favorite part about being an anchor is being able to participate in every part of production. I’m able to give ideas, write them, collaborate and produce, edit, and then see it fill a slot on a show that I anchor on. Besides that, one of my favorite activities is reading the script and talking with my co-anchor to think of innovative ways to mix up the format. 

What did you have to do to become an anchor?

There was a process at the beginning of the year to become an anchor. I filled out a form that showed my interest and proceeded to give details about my experience, background, and devotion to the role. This included a teacher recommendation, so I thank Mr. Savage for filling that out and always supporting me and my interests. Eventually, there were scheduled interviews for the position of anchor. Last year’s crew asked me questions and gave me an opportunity to read from the teleprompter. From there, I kept my fingers crossed until I received news that I was part of this year’s anchor list. 

How do you like the class?

I love Television Broadcasting. I spend hours after school in Room 51 and it’s given me the resources to pursue my interests in storytelling. Ms. Harkins and Mr. Nick are fantastic teachers who teach a fantastic group of people. I cannot wait to come back after the holiday break and do another semester of NDTV.

Do you work on NDTV work at home, or do you get most of it done in class?

I try to never work on NDTV at home. The best ideas arise in the presence of others. When I work at home, I tend to shut out the world and only allow my opinion. NDTV is not a project meant for one person to start and finish alone. Despite the credits, every segment includes thoughts and ideas from everyone in the room in which you wrote it in. There is a large diversity of skill sets and experiences in that class, so I take advantage of it.

Thanks again to Roman Garcia for his time and answers! Make sure to tune in to NDTV this week to catch our anchors live!