Going Natural

Multimedia is changing audience expectations for on-camera talent. News presenters and program hosts are in contact with the viewers/users 24/7, on the mobile phone, on the computer, or on the TV. People no longer seek out big voices announcing the news from the mountaintop. On the internet, that "old school" delivery is often presented as a parody of credible speech. Today's news consumers prefer to spend time with an intelligent friend, someone they'd like to meet for a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  As a talent coach, I teach techniques for making delivery more "real." While I'm not a hair and makeup teacher, appearance issues are part of the package. The audience wants us to look "real."

An African-American reporter for WPTV in West Palm Beach has decided to let her chemically straightened hair "go natural" during sweeps. As reported on the Maynard Institute's web site, Journal-isms http://mije.org/node/1349, she also produced a sweeps series on her transformation. Positive reaction so far has included this comment from former CBS morning anchor Rene Syler: "...our world is shaped by the images we see; young black girls need to see more women in high profile jobs sporting their natural hair." I suspect the new 'do makes Rochelle Ritchie more "real" to her viewers/users who can't afford the $9600 she claims to have spent on straightening procedures, not to mention the risk of exposure to the harsh chemicals involved in the procedure.

Here are the before and after pix; you decide.

The natural look has always been controversial. Back in the 70s, black women had a better chance of being hired if they didn't have a look that news directors (almost always white men) considered to be too "ethnic." In this case, the management of Rochelle's station actually encouraged her to be herself and share the experience with her audience. That's progress.

What we can all learn from this: in the multimedia world, the only look that is wrong is one that is fake or phony. The hair should be nothing more than a flattering and non-distracting frame for the face. I encourage on-air talent to work with their local resources to achieve this professional but approachable look. Now that we're all doing more with less, who has time to fuss with a fancy hairdo?