Name: Prim Reddy
Age: 27
Occupation: Television presenter
Describe a typical work day
We work 15 six-hour shifts a month. In the afternoon slot, we start at 11.30am and the evening shift starts at 5pm. Make-up, hair and wardrobe are booked for an hour before we air. We write our own scripts before going on air. We have to familiarise ourselves with the script. By the time we get into the studio, our scripts have to be ready for the voice balance. All our links are live, so we are required to be close by at all times should there be a break in transmission. Our director runs the show, which means that everything I do has to be passed by him or her first.
Is there a dress code at work?
We arrive at work in our own clothing but use the selection made by our manager when on air.
Describe your workplace?
The SABC is huge and it’s easy to get lost. The presenters have an office. Here we log on to the Internet in search of information for use in our links. We also use the Net to keep abreast of what’s happening in and around the world. Our studio is an octagonal room with a mirror at one end, a computer and a camera. While in this room, the only form of communication is with a director through an earpiece.
Who do you report to?
I report to the presentation co-ordinator, who is responsible for organising everything, from our schedules to our clothes and on-air presentation. We also report to the presentation manageress, who heads the entire department.
What do you like most about your job?
The challenge every day is different with a different audience and different programmes, and because it is live, and you just have one chance to communicate with an audience that you cannot see.
What do you like least about your job?
The hours are extremely irregular, so I have a problem distinguishing between night and day.
What do you have to study to become a television presenter?
Presentation is about being comfortable in front of a camera. My communications major has helped me with the background to television. Writing and being able to communicate with an audience you cannot see are very important. I would say that communications and journalism are two very important courses to help one understand audiences and their needs. Computer literacy is also essential.
What personal skills are most important to do your job well?
Punctuality is number one on the list. People expect you to be the same off air as when you are on air. Audiences love presenters to be human so they can identify themselves in you, so it’s important not to allow the glamour of television to take over your character. You are what you are because of the people – thank them for it, and they appreciate you for it. Humility is the key, not attitude.
What advice do you have for someone wanting this job?
The easiest thing to do, is to find an agent who will introduce you to the industry, and while you’re waiting for your big break, tertiary education is important. Television is no longer an industry about pretty faces – make-up can make anyone look beautiful. Its about making the best of the opportunities you have and its about how you can add to people’s lives to make them more meaningful. A chance at education is at your doorstep, so use it as your passport to the world. It was mine.
e.tv in association with Wits offer a course in television production and can be reached at
(011) 717-9749
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, May 2001.