Tips for a Successful Live Broadcast

Practice makes perfect! Make sure to run at least one "dress rehearsal" before going live. This will make sure everyone involved knows what to do and when to do it.

Check your picture and audio quality. Do this in a different classroom so you know exactly what everyone else will see and hear.

Keep it simple, at first… Once everyone has mastered the basic broadcast techniques, creative ideas will be implemented much more easily.

Keep the broadcast area clutter-free. As a general rule, the focus should be on the students, not the set.

Pick the right microphone for your broadcast. Use a hand-held microphone for a single speaker and the wide-range camera microphone for groups of 4 or more.

Keep background noises to a minimum. If you use the wide-range camera microphone, remind students and camera crew that EVERYTHING that is heard at the broadcast location will also be heard throughout the school.

Pick a broadcast team. Students love to be on camera, but everyone can't be on all the time. Hold auditions or have students fill out applications to assist you in the selection of the inaugural broadcast crew.

Use a focal point to start the broadcast. When going live, there is a period of time necessary to synchronize the TV sets in all the classrooms. Keep the camera focused on a still picture or object for a few seconds before starting so that everyone in the school will see the production from beginning to end.

Relax and have fun! All live broadcasts have an inherent element of surprise. Use unexpected happenings as the learning experiences that they are. Everyone will love your broadcasts, no matter how many "mistakes" were made.