Sarbanes-Oxley Act Article Essay Example for Free

Sarbanes-Oxley Act Article Essay Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act This article review is on the article written by David S. Addington called â€Å"Congress Should Repeal or Fix Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to Help Create Jobs.† The Heritage Foundation published the article on September 30 2013. In the article, the author addresses concerns among companies staying in compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The author indicates that section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act has caused a financial burden on companies. Companies spend a large amount of money to stay in compliance with the regulations on section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Furthermore, companies could use the money spent on auditing financial records to invest in more business lines and create more jobs (Additon, 2011). Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires companies to include a statement of the responsibility of the company management for â€Å"establishing and maintaining an adequate internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting† along with their report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The annual report must include an assessment of the effectiveness of the company’s internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting, followed by having a registered public accounting firm â€Å"attest on, and report on the assessment made by the management.† This aspect of the legislation requires companies to document important financial documents along with the review from the certified public accounting firm; it requires tremendous effort and large amounts of money for companies to comply with this aspect of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Additon, 2011). The author indicates that companies can use the money spent by companies to stay in compliance on other businesses lines; creating more job opportunities and benefiting the economy. The author demands that Congress should examine whether section 404 is needed, and if so, how to cut its costly burden on businesses. Modifying or repealing section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act can free businesses to stimulate the economy (Additon, 2011). Businesses must stay in compliance with the law to operate efficiently at all times. Companies should stay in compliance to get the confidence and trust from investors. The 2012 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Survey listed where companies  stand on reviewing cost, time, efforts, processes to stay in compliance with the regulations. Approximately 35% of midsize organizations spend from $100,000 to $500,000 annually, and almost 80% spend $1 million or less. By year four of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, most organization are spending $100,000 to $500,000 annually (2012 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Survey); this is relatively a small amount of money compared the total amount the company actually makes. The Sarbanes-Oxley act protects the public from unethical behavior by companies. If the government does not hold companies accountable for their financing, it will lead to unconfident investors in the market; if the public is not investing in businesses the economy will not be better. The prize the company pays to stay in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is at the right price, achieving trust, and confidence from the public. References David S. Addington Congress Should Repeal or Fix Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to Help Create Jobs. The Heritage Foundation. September 30, 2011. Web. Retrieved from: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/09/congress-should-repeal-or-fix-section-404-of-the-sarbanes-oxley-act-to-help-create-jobs 2012 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Survey. Retrieved from: http://www.protiviti.com/en-US/Documents/Surveys/2012-SOX-Compliance-Survey-Protiviti.pdf

The Theories Of Motivation Psychology Essay

The Theories Of Motivation Psychology Essay Motivation can be defined as giving a reason, incentive, enthusiasm or interest that causes a person to adopt a specific action or behavior. A simple example could be that our act of eating is motivated by hunger. We can classify motivation into two main types: Intrinsic motivation: when people do something for pleasure, importance or desire (internal) Extrinsic motivation: when external factors motivate a person to adopt a certain act or behavior(external) (Lionel, 1994) Theories of motivation: Incentive theory: A tangible or an intangible reward is given after the occurrence of an action/behavior with the intention of causing the behavior/action to occur again. Some studies show that if the reward is given quickly, the effect is greater than if the incentive is given after increased passage of time. This repetitive action-reward combination makes the specific behavior a habit.(Robert, 1995) This theory is promoted by many famous behavioral psychologists such as B.F.Skinner and emphasizes that if actions are positively received, people are more likely to carry them on again and again while if they are negatively received, people avoid carrying out those acts/behaviors again. Incentive theory differentiates itself from other theories such as drive theory in terms of behaviorism in such a way that it involves positive reinforcement i.e the act is reinforced to make the person happy and encourage him to carry it on again for example a person knows that eating food or drinking water will make him satisfied and happy, while in the drive theory, use of negative reinforcement is made i.e the stimulus has been associated with the removal of the punishment for example a person knows that when he will consume food if he is hungry, it will eliminate the negative feeling of hunger.(Wilson,1992) In simpler words, incentive theory suggests that people are motivated to do things because of external rewards. Behavioral concepts such as association and reinforcement play an important role in this theory of motivation.(Wilson, 1992) Drive reduction theory: This theory emphasizes that people have certain biological needs or drives (example hunger, sleep and sex) and as the time passes, the strength of the desire increases if it is not fulfilled or satisfied. Upon satisfying the drive, the strength is reduced and the organism returns to a state of homeostasis. In simpler words, people are motivated to carry out some actions in order to reduce the internal tension caused by unmet needs. An example of application of this theory is that when you drink a glass of water to reduce the internal state of thirst. Another example is if we were hot, we would seek for a shade, this seeking for shade and drinking glass of water is an example of drive reducing behavior. The problem however, faced with this theory is that the drives are not always, purely motivated by physiological needs. For example, a person may smell freshly baked bread and want to eat it although he has already done his breakfast little time ago. In this case the drive hunger is not motivating him to do this action but he is just eating the bread because he is attracted to the smell and he knows that a freshly baked bread tastes very good.(Lepper, 1995) Maslows theory of hierarchy of motives: Maslow emphasized that once our basic needs, which ensure our survival are met, our attention is diverted to our relationship with others, self esteem and fulfilling personal potential. (Maslow, 1970) Physiological needs are the first needs (hunger, sex etc) that need to be satisfied. Safety needs are listed as second needs and these mainly mean the feelings of security that the world is a safe placefor an individual to live. Belongingness and love needs are listed as third most important need which refer to being loved by others and accepted so that the individual can also give love to others. Esteem need is the fourth most important need. This means that a person has feelings of his self esteem which can be achieved through receiving respect from other people and recognition. Self actualization refers to reaching ones own unique potential. The final need is to find a meaning in the world beyond ones self or self transcendence.(Whyte, 1980) This hierarchy of needs is drawn in a shape of pyramid with the most important need starting from the bottom: Arousal theory of motivation: This theory suggests that people carry out some specific actions in order to increase or decrease their levels of arousal. More clearly we can say, that this theory motivates us in order to maintain our arousal level at an optimum point, not below it, not higher. A clear example of application of this theory could be when the arousal levels gets below the optimum point, the person may go to watch a movie or go for a jog. This is likely to boost up his arousal level. Similarly, if the arousal level gets high, the person is likely to seek ways in which he can bring it down, i.e ways that make him relax such as meditating or reading a book.in monkeys, curiosity motivates them how to open a latch door or a window. (butler, 1954). This theory is very popular both in the field of psychology or physiology. It was originated by Lindsley. According to him, too little stimulation can cause a person to get bored while too high level of stimulation can cause anxiety, which results in sensation seeking. Such sensation seekers are more impulsive and likely to participate in risky behavior. Impulsivity refers to inability of a person to judge the consequences of a risky action he is going to perform. Such impulsive people might not be able to correctly process cognitive information.(lynam and miller, 2004) Instinct theory of motivation: In accordance with this theory, people behave in specific way because they are evolutionarily programmed to. People do not actually learn to behave like that, it is an inborn behavior. A clear example of such a behavior is the migrations that occur in animals world.(forbes,2011) William james created a list of instincts which included: Modesty love Attatchement Play Fear Anger Shyness However, the main problems faced by this theory were that it did not explain behavior, but just described. It described the effect of genetics and heresity on human behavior. Most of our behaviors are not unlearned and thus, these instincts are not likely to motivate us. According to Sigmund freud, human behavior is driven by two biological instincts: eros and thenatos, the life instinct and the death instinct respectively. The life instinct includes sexual motivation, the death instinct includes aggression motivation. He suggested that people should handle these aggressive instincts carefully and non-violently by engaging in competitive activities.(steven,2002) William mcdougal also pioneered an instinct theory, in his theory, instincts compose of three parts; perception, behavior and emotion. Humans have perceptual predisposition to focus on stimuli that are important to his goals. Humans have the drive and energy called the emotional core between perception of the goal and the movement towards it. Mcdougal listed 17 instincts including: Hunger Rejection of particular substances Curiosity Escape Pugnacity Sex Maternal/paternal instinct Gregariousness Self-assertion Submission Construction Acquisition Crying Laughter Comfort Rest Migration (steven,2002) Cognitive evaluation theory: This theory suggests that there are actually two types of motivation; intrinsic and extrinsic which correspond to two types of motivators: Intrinsic motivators; that come from actual performance of the task e.g achievement, responsibility and competence Extrinsic motivators; that come from a persons environment or controlled by others e.g pay, promotion, feedback and working conditions. Any of these could be a more power motivator for an individual.(Lepper,1995) Intrinsically motivated people perform mainly for their own satisfaction and achievement.if they start to believe that they are working for pay or work conditions or for any other extrinsic reason, they begin to lose motivation. It emphasizes that powerful extrinsic motivators can decrease a persons intrinsic motivation, especially if the extrinsic motivators are believed to be controlled by others by the individual.(Lepper, 1995) Hezbergs two factor theory: According to hezberg, two kinds of factors are likely to affect motivation, and they do it in different ways: Hygiene factors: if these are absent, an individual is motivated. However, their presence has no perceived effect. These are the things that when u take away from a person, he gets dissatisfied and tries to take them back. Examples include decent working conditions, pay, security, company policies and interpersonal relationships. Motivators: these are factors whose presence motivates. Their absence does not cause dissatisfaction but just fails to motivate people. We can say that hygiene factors cause dissatisfaction while motivators cause satisfaction. The two scales are independent and one can be high on either or both.(Piers, 2007) MEASUREMENT OF MOTIVATION Measurement of motivation can be classified into two types: Measurement of social drives Measurement of biological drives (Chavajay, 2002) Measurement of social drives can be done through the following ways: Personality questionnaire Projective techniques Situational tests Observation Interviews 1-personaity questionnaire: in these questionnares, subjects are asked as to how will they respond to certain situations or conditions. Various tests are used in these questionnares such as interest inventory, Minnesota multiphase personality inventory and California psychological inventory. (Chavajay,2002) 2-projective techniques: these present simple and ambiguous stimuli that allow the subject to respond with projection of both sexes in their personality. These tests are conducted by showing abstract pictures, writing stories to subjects and include other tests like Rorschach inkblot test and Thematic Apperception Test. Psychologists have experienced that these tests can provide valuable insight into ones personality. However, it is easy to misinterpret the responses and an inexperienced tester can misuse the information that is collected. Projective tests are also known as objective tests. 3-situational tests: social drive or affiliation can be measured by giving a person choice between waiting in a need to achieve or the need to affiliate with others such as drives for works, compliance drives, social approval drives, self actualization drives. 4-observation: observation can be defined as watching an individuals behavior over a period of time. It can be done in natural environment or in clinical settings. Through observation, psychologists also try to know about behavioral problems. 5-interviews: its a way to gather information face to face from the person who is being evaluated. A successive interview is that in which the interviewee is made to talk openly about his feelings, drives and experiences.(Chavajay,2002) Measurement of biological drives can be done through following ways: Speed of learning of individual Preferences shown by an individual when given choices between more than one goal Rate of response of an individual Amount of obstruction required to prevent the animal from reaching a goal Action of nervous system Amplitude of a response Gross motor activity of an individual The stimuli presented can be varied and can be internal or external. (Chavajay, 2002) LISTS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MOTIVES Primary motives are also known as biological moitves have a definite physiological basis and are biologically important for an individuals survival. These arouse the behavior of an organism in directions that lead to a change in the internal environment. Sources of biological motivational needs include increase/decrease simulation, activate senses, decrease hunger, thirst, discomfort and maintaining homeostasis, balance. (Harter, 2011) The primary motives consist of: Hunger Thirst Pain Sexual drive Air or need for respiration Fatigue Sleep Maternal drive Secondary motives are individualistic in nature as they are related to self esteem, self exhibition, self security, self freedom and self assertion. These are also known as psychological motives and are very important in the development of an individuals behavior and personality.(Harter, 2011) The secondary motives include: Need for affiliation Need for approval Need for achievement Need for security Curiosity motive Competence motive Power motive Aggression motive Self actualization (Harter, 2011)

Essay --

The Segregation of Éire Ireland has a very conflicted history. Just when that history may seem to take a turn for the better, it seems that there is always another event to keep the trend of depression ongoing. The separation of the Protestant and Catholic Church would be the center of these events. However, the two different groups could potentially work together for the betterment of the nation. Through an analysis of why Protestants and Catholics split in the first place, disadvantages that Catholics would face in the coming years and also how these disadvantages were lifted, an argument will be developed in that there is perhaps the chance that they may end up working together in the future for the betterment of Ireland. Although these two groups would fight over the countless decades, they need to join into one entity if they wish to see a better future for Ireland. The traces of the split can be seen nearly five hundred years ago during the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. During King Henry VIII’s rule, Henry had wanted a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, to marry Anne Boleyn. When the Pope would refuse to allow a divorce between Catherine and Henry, Henry would decide to start his own church so that he could be in a position of power to proceed with the divorce. This church would become the Church of England. Through this radical break away from the social norm, Henry VIII would be remembered as a man who would go to great lengths to get what he wanted. This break would also signify the beginning of the Protestant Reformation across Europe. This event marks the first time that two groups are seen as a national friend and foe recognition. As Bartlett notes, â€Å"By the 1570’s loyal and disloyal ... ...ehind leaders such as Wolf Tone, pledging their support in the form of the United Irishmen. Even though the 1798 Uprising would ultimately fail, this milestone in Irish history had the other citizens of Ireland that the Catholics were willing to lay aside their past differences for the betterment of their nation. This begs the question that will they continue to work together in the future. Based off the past evidence, Protestants and Catholics have little to lose in assisting each other and having Ireland progress into a nation that is one unified completely. What needs to happen though is that each side has to lay out the terms with no outside influence. There can be no ambiguous statements surrounding these terms and officials have to free of bias, as much as a person can be, to effectively write equal terms that ensure economic progress and religious tolerance.

Humanistic Perspective on Personality Essays -- Psychology Carl Rogers

The humanistic perspective on personality deals exclusively with human behavior. Humanistic psychologists believe that human nature includes a natural drive towards personal growth, that humans have the freedom to choose what they do regardless of environmental factors, and humans are mostly conscious beings and are not controlled by unconscious needs and conflicts. They also believe that a person's subjective view of the world is more important than objective reality. Two of the humanistic theorists that have made an impact of humanism are Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When thinking about my personality in regard to different personality theories, I felt that I could most relate to the humanistic theory. Carl Rogers described self-concept as a collection of beliefs about one's own nature, unique qualities and typical behavior. My self-concept is that I'm an easy-going, nice guy. If something happens that upsets me, I am pretty laid back about it and deal with it gradually. I like the fact that I'm easy going, and I don't want to suddenly start showing a temper or overreacting about things that I know I can get past calmly. Rogers also stressed the fact that our self-concept may not always be accurate. I like to think that I'm an intelligent human, but when others see my transcript, for example, they may think otherwise. But, on the other hand, when I am in a situation that I know a lot about, like hunting, another might think I am very intelligent. Others' view...

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain? Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout all of our years that we are taught about world history, we are led to believe that Columbus was one of the greatest explorers of all time. In my mind there is no question about whether Christopher Columbus discovered America; of course he did, its Columbus! However, this is a highly debated issue and through writings by authors Jeffery Hart and James W. Loewen we will investigate the true importance of Columbus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the essay written by Jeffrey Hart entitled, â€Å"Discovering Columbus†, he argues strongly that, in fact, Columbus did discover America. He starts off by describing Columbus as â€Å"a genuine titan, a hero of history and of the human spirit.† He goes on to say that, â€Å"In discovering a new part of the world, Columbus destroyed such finite certainties†. By this he means that everyone thought the world was flat but by discovering this new land he â€Å"upset theologies†. He describes the reasons for Columbus going on a voyage as â€Å"multiple† and â€Å"confused†. Columbus wanted to cross the ocean to â€Å"prove his theories of navigation†. Since Spain was always desperate for wealth and the land routes were controlled by the Turks, Columbus wanted â€Å"to find a nautical way to the riches of Asia† and in the process of finding riches he wanted â€Å"to convert the pagan nations† to Christiani ty. He wanted to seek out â€Å"the Earthly Paradise† otherwise known as â€Å"Eden; as foreseen in the book of Revelation.† In doing all of these t...

Maya Angelou

‘Still I Rise' by Maya Angelou: the poem You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ‘Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries. Does my haughtiness offend you? Don't you take it awful hard ‘Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines Diggin' in my own back yard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history's shame I rise Up from a past that's rooted in pain I rise I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise. GCSE English Blended Poetry  © Maya Angelou in whose name Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. has granted permission.  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Exploring the Poem We are now going to explore ‘Still I Rise' using the five aspects of poetry we looked at earlier. Situation Viewpoint Ideas or themes Language and style Mood or atmosphere After reading ‘Still I Rise' a couple of times, use the following questions to help explore your ideas about the poem. Situation What do you think Angelou might mean in the opening lines when she says that history tells lies about her? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 In the closing lines, who is Maya Angelou referring to as her ‘ancestors' and why is this important? Angelou repeats the words ‘I rise' throughout the poem. What does she mean by this? GCSE English Blended Poetry The Sheffield College, 2006 Identity is an important idea in the poem. What impression do you get of Maya Angelou in the second, third, fifth and seventh verses? What impression of herself does Maya Angelou definitely not want to convey in the fourth verse? What impression does Maya Angelou leave us with at the end of the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Viewp oint Who is ‘I' in this poem? Who is ‘you' in this poem? Ideas and Themes What themes do you see in the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Language and Style As you work through this section, you might want to refer to the Glossary, to read about some of the techniques discussed. Angelou uses a lot of natural imagery in the poem. List all the similes and metaphors which relate to nature that you can find in the poem. Imagery What points do you think Angelou is making in using this natural imagery? Comment on at least three images in detail. GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Alliteration and Assonance Find as many examples of alliteration and assonance in the poem as you can. What effects do you think Angelou is hoping to achieve by her use of these techniques? Rhythm and Rhyme Re-read the poem aloud or at least read it to yourself imagining how it would sound if you were reading it aloud. How do you think the rhythm and the rhyming of the poem affects your understanding of what Angelou is saying? Repetition What do you think Angelou is trying to achieve with the repetition in the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Mood and Atmosphere How would you describe the mood or atmosphere of the poem? Does the mood change throughout the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Maya Angelou ‘Still I Rise' by Maya Angelou: the poem You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ‘Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries. Does my haughtiness offend you? Don't you take it awful hard ‘Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines Diggin' in my own back yard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history's shame I rise Up from a past that's rooted in pain I rise I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise. GCSE English Blended Poetry  © Maya Angelou in whose name Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. has granted permission.  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Exploring the Poem We are now going to explore ‘Still I Rise' using the five aspects of poetry we looked at earlier. Situation Viewpoint Ideas or themes Language and style Mood or atmosphere After reading ‘Still I Rise' a couple of times, use the following questions to help explore your ideas about the poem. Situation What do you think Angelou might mean in the opening lines when she says that history tells lies about her? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 In the closing lines, who is Maya Angelou referring to as her ‘ancestors' and why is this important? Angelou repeats the words ‘I rise' throughout the poem. What does she mean by this? GCSE English Blended Poetry The Sheffield College, 2006 Identity is an important idea in the poem. What impression do you get of Maya Angelou in the second, third, fifth and seventh verses? What impression of herself does Maya Angelou definitely not want to convey in the fourth verse? What impression does Maya Angelou leave us with at the end of the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Viewp oint Who is ‘I' in this poem? Who is ‘you' in this poem? Ideas and Themes What themes do you see in the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Language and Style As you work through this section, you might want to refer to the Glossary, to read about some of the techniques discussed. Angelou uses a lot of natural imagery in the poem. List all the similes and metaphors which relate to nature that you can find in the poem. Imagery What points do you think Angelou is making in using this natural imagery? Comment on at least three images in detail. GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Alliteration and Assonance Find as many examples of alliteration and assonance in the poem as you can. What effects do you think Angelou is hoping to achieve by her use of these techniques? Rhythm and Rhyme Re-read the poem aloud or at least read it to yourself imagining how it would sound if you were reading it aloud. How do you think the rhythm and the rhyming of the poem affects your understanding of what Angelou is saying? Repetition What do you think Angelou is trying to achieve with the repetition in the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006 Mood and Atmosphere How would you describe the mood or atmosphere of the poem? Does the mood change throughout the poem? GCSE English Blended Poetry  © The Sheffield College, 2006

Art of Anchoring

Nature of the Work |[About this section] |[pic]Back to Top | |Radio and television announcers perform a variety of tasks on and off the air. They announce station program information, such as program schedules and station breaks for commercials, or public service information, and they introduce and close programs. Announcers read prepared scripts or make ad lib commentary on the air, as they present news, sports, the weather, time, and commercials. If a written script is required, they may do the research and writing. Announcers also interview guests and moderate panels or discussions.Some provide commentary for the audience during sporting events, at parades, and on other occasions. Announcers often are well known to radio and television audiences and may make promotional appearances and do remote broadcasts for their stations. Announcers at smaller stations may cover all of these areas and tend to have more off-air duties as well. They may operate the control board, monitor the tra nsmitter, sell commercial time to advertisers, keep a log of the station’s daily programming, and produce advertisements and other recorded material.Advances in technology make it possible for announcers to do some work previously performed by editors and broadcast technicians. At many music stations, the announcer is simultaneously responsible both for announcing and for operating the control board, which is used to broadcast programming, commercials, and public-service announcements according to the station’s schedule. Much of the recorded material that used to be on records or tape is now in the form of digital files on computers. (See the statement on broadcast and sound engineering technicians and radio operators elsewhere in the Handbook. Public radio and television announcers are involved in station fundraising efforts. Changes in technology have led to more remote operation of stations. Several stations in different locations of the same region may be operated from one office. Some stations operate overnight without any staff, playing programming from a satellite feed or using programming that was recorded earlier, including segments from announcers. Announcers frequently participate in community activities. Sports announcers, for example, may serve as masters of ceremonies at sports club banquets or may greet customers at openings of sporting goods stores.Radio announcers who broadcast music often are called disc jockeys (DJs). Some DJs specialize in one kind of music, announcing selections as they air them. Most DJs do not select much of the music they play (although they often did so in the past); instead, they follow schedules of commercials, talk, and music provided to them by management. While on the air, DJs comment on the music, weather, and traffic. They may take requests from listeners, interview guests, and manage listener contests. Some DJs announce and play music at clubs, dances, restaurants, and weddings.They often have the ir own equipment with which to play the music. Many are self-employed and rent their services out on a job-by-job basis. Show hosts may specialize in a certain area of interest, such as politics, personal finance, sports, or health. They contribute to the preparation of the program’s content, interview guests, and discuss issues with viewers, listeners, or the studio audience. Public address system announcers provide information to the audience at sporting, performing arts, and other events. Work environment.Announcers usually work in well-lighted, air-conditioned, soundproof studios. Announcers often work within tight schedules, which can be physically and mentally stressful. For many announcers, the intangible rewards—creative work, many personal contacts, and the satisfaction of becoming widely known—far outweigh the disadvantages of irregular and often unpredictable hours, work pressures, and disrupted personal lives. The broadcast day is long for radio and TV stations—many are on the air 24 hours a day—so announcers can expect to work unusual hours.Many present early-morning shows, when most people are getting ready for work or commuting, while others do late-night programs. The shifts, however, may not be as varied as in the past because new technology is allowing stations to eliminate some of the overnight hours. How did you start off as an anchor? I've been performing in stage shows in school since I was four. Later, while I was doing my Mass Communications from Jamia Milia Islamia, Usha Albuquerque offered me the anchor's job on a career show called Hum Honge Kamyaab. This came out of the blue as I was not planning on getting into a career in anchoring.But after Hum Honge Kamyaab, I got a lot of other offers as an anchor and there's been no looking back since. What is required of an effective anchor? An effective anchor needs to be quick witted, observant and adaptable to unforeseen situations. Which are the areas on e needs to work on constantly to improve as an anchor? One needs to be abreast of what's happening around, to be in sync with the latest fashion accessories and the prevailing dressing trends. Besides, one should work on his/her wit. Basically, one needs to imbibe and absorb a lot more than what one normally does. [pic] |†An effective anchor needs to be quick witted, observant and adaptable | | |to unforeseen situations† | Do you like to work with a ready script? No, I've never done that. All my performances have been impromptu. What are the factors you take into consideration before taking up a new assignment? I look at two factors. One, how much does an assignment appeal to me and can offer me in terms of creative satisfaction.The second factor is obviously the money it gets me. Does TV anchoring pay well? It depends. It pays me very well but I can't be sure of all other anchors. Actually, a lot depends on your popularity. Who are your favourite TV anchors? Jaaved Jaff erey, Shekhar Suman, Cyrus Broacha and last but not the least, Amitabh Bachchan. What are the stylistic elements you've imbibed from them? From Jaaved Jafferey, I've learnt a certain amount of mimicry. In Cyrus, I admire the ability to be as natural and effortless as one can be. I admire Shekhar Suman for the way he has maintained himself.One can't say whether he is in his early forties or the late twenties. I admire Amitabh Bachchan for the modesty, dignity and grace with which he carries himself. Who are your favourite co-anchors? Have you ever co-anchored without a script? I have enjoyed anchoring Public Demand with a girl called Kahkasha who used to be very sparkling. Ritu, who later went on to become Mahima Chaudhary, is one of my other favourite co-anchors. Yes, I have co-anchored without a script. That's not a problem. Once you know the content and once you relate well with your co-anchor, that's no big deal.How has the Mass Communications course helped you in anchoring? Well , it hasn't directly helped me in my anchoring but then being a TV anchor, knowing the camera angles and having an idea of when a break is going to be called, obviously facilitates a better performance. What is the idea behind the creation of Encompass Production? I have found most media houses to be specialists in either events, production or else the creatives. ‘Encompass', as the name suggests, aspires to take up all these activities simultaneously and become a one-stop all-pervasive media house.So far, we have concentrated more on events but we are now producing two TV serials and a movie, which I will be directing. What training do you recommend for aspiring TV anchors? Well, primarily, I feel they should be well-read, more knowledgeable and have a more rounded worldview. Besides, one needs to work on his/her looks because today looks definitely matter. It is unfortunate that good avenues for formal training in TV anchoring do not exist in our country. I'm trying to do my bit on this front through a series of workshops. Besides, nobody can deny that luck plays a crucial part in your success or failure over here.Where do you see Encompass Productions ten years down the line? Having evolved as one of the biggest media conglomerates in the country. Where do you see yourself ten years down the line? Personally, I'm getting into film direction because that is what I'm trained in. Fortunately or unfortunately, the easy money that TV anchoring gave me tied me to it for far too long. But now, I'm fully charged to give film direction a shot. Ten years down the line, I see myself being a successful director of movies. How to Become a TV Reporter or News AnchorBeing a TV reporter/anchor takes sacrifice. On the surface it seems like a glamorous job but those of us who have worked in the industry know it is just the opposite. There is, however, no other job like it in the world. If you like deadline pressure, doing something new every day and making a difference it may be the job for you. [edit] Steps 1. Start at a small market television station: Everyone has visions of taking over the NBC Nightly News anchor desk, but the truth of the matter is a tiny portion of people who get into the TV news business will ever make it to a top 10 market.It’s a good idea to start your career in a small market because you can learn all aspects of the business. You will likely do everything like; report, produce, anchor, shoot video, edit and maybe even run the teleprompter with your foot! You’ll also get the opportunity to make your mistakes. Audiences are much more forgiving in Mobile, Alabama than they are in New York City. 2. Be willing to get little pay†¦at least in the beginning of your career:The average reporter job in a small market gets paid between $15,000 and $18,000 a year. Shocked right?Contrary to popular belief most TV personalities are not rolling in dough. Television news is a field where the supply outweighs the deman d. Basically there are more people who want to be on TV than there are available positions. That’s part of the reason why pay is not competitive. Also, if you start at a small market station, you will get small market pay. It’s the nature of the business. If making a lot of money in your career is important to you don’t get into TV news! 3. Forget about holidays at home: The truth is you will hardly ever get holidays off.You will most likely be working. Established main anchors at TV stations will most likely get holidays off which means you will be stuck at work. If you constantly move markets every couple of years to increase your salary and experience you will always be the new kid on the block, which means you won’t have seniority. So, you can kiss Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Fourth of July and Labor Day goodbye. Also â€Å"sweeps† months (when stations monitor how many people are watching) will be off limits for vacation time. These months include: February, May, July and November. 4.Be willing to move anywhere to get your first job: Jobs are so competitive that you can’t be choosy when landing your first job. Sure, you may want to hold out for San Diego, California but if Biloxi, Mississippi offers you your first job you should probably say yes. 5. Go to college: Most TV stations require that you have a college degree preferably in broadcast journalism. Some schools that have top broadcast journalism programs are University Missouri Columbia, Northwestern University, Syracuse University and Arizona State University. 6. Learn how to speak well: Your voice is key in this field.You should concentrate now on projection, enunciation and inflexion. All of these things will help you deliver your â€Å"script† in a compelling nature. Be authoritative in your speech. This will give you credibility with your audience. Read newspapers and magazines aloud. Listen to the best journalists in the field wh en they speak and try to emulate them. 7. Learn how to write for TV: You of course learn some of this in school. Writing for TV is very different from writing a term paper. You need to learn how to write to the images your audience will see on TV. It’s called writing to video.Also, you should keep writing simple and stay away from legalese and cliches. You have only one shot to get the attention of folks at home. 8. Be willing to work all the time: You may be placed on the morning shift, the evening shift, a split shift and the weekend shift at any given moment. New reporters especially have very little say in the hours they work. Working overtime is very common and few stations pay overtime. 9. Create a resume tape: A resume tape is a reel that shows a sample of your reporting/anchoring skills. It usually starts with a slate – a brief showing of your name and contact information.The slate is usually followed by a montage, which is a short segment of compelling live sh ots, samples of reporting and anchoring. The montage is then followed by three of your best stories. The best way to get your first resume tape is to do one in school otherwise it can be quite expensive. When your tape is done you send it on VHS format along with a cover letter and resume to news directors at the stations you are interested in. Then, you wait and cross your fingers. 10. Be Persistent: Don’t stop until you get that first job! Persistence is an invaluable skill any reporter/anchor should have. [edit] Tips Tip: Join a professional association for broadcast journalists like the National Association of Broadcasters, Radio Television News Directors Association, National Association of Asian Journalists, National Association of Black Journalists or the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, to name a few. [edit] Warnings †¢ Warning: TV news is a small and incestuous field. Everyone knows everyone and reputations spread quickly. †¢ TV news is not for the faint of heart. If you have problems with stress and working on a deadline, try another field. If your feelings are easily hurt this may not be the best field for you.