How should anchors use a teleprompter on air?

• A. Speak at a fast pace to save time
• B. Read as written with minimal eye contact
• C. Speak at a natural pace and maintain eye contact
• D. Ignore the prompter completely and improvise

Answer: (C)

Delivering on air with a teleprompter works best when you speak with a natural pace and keep your eye contact with the camera. The teleprompter is there to help you stay on message, not to trap you into robotic reading. When you pace your delivery like normal conversation, your voice stays clear and engaging, making it easier for viewers to follow along. Maintaining eye contact with the lens builds connection and credibility, so the audience feels like you’re speaking directly to them rather than reading at them.

Practice dialing the prompter speed to match your natural speaking rhythm, and use brief pauses at punctuation to add emphasis and clarity. Glance at the prompter just enough to stay on track, but keep most of your focus on the camera so your expressions and gaze remain engaging. Reading exactly as written with little eye contact tends to feel stiff and disconnected, while ignoring the prompter leads to disorganized delivery and more mistakes. Moving too quickly just to save time can blur your message and reduce audience understanding.