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How to prepare a Member for television

What to do in the ninety minutes before a live hit, and what never to skip.

What this is

TV prep is the process of confirming the booking, setting expectations with the producer, and rehearsing the Member so a four-minute live segment goes the way the office intends.

When you will need it

Any booked television appearance — cable, network, local, or a remote hit from the office.

Step by step

  1. Confirm the format: length, live or taped, solo or panel, host, and topic.
  2. Ask the producer for the likely first question and the segment framing.
  3. Write three talking points and one pivot line.
  4. Prepare for the two questions the office least wants.
  5. Rehearse out loud with the Member — at least one full run-through.
  6. Check logistics: location, arrival time, lighting, background, audio.
  7. Watch the segment live and clip it immediately.
  8. Debrief briefly afterward and note what to change next time.

What good looks like

  • The Member knows the first question before the light goes on
  • Answers land inside twenty seconds
  • The pivot is rehearsed, not improvised
  • A clip is captured and posted within the hour

Common mistakes

  • Skipping the out-loud rehearsal
  • Not asking the producer about the panel
  • Prepping only friendly questions
  • Sending the Member into a remote hit without checking the shot

Staffer tips

  • Twenty seconds is a long answer on television. Practice the short version.
  • If the Member is on a panel, prepare one interruption-proof sentence.
  • Never let the first time the Member says a line be on air.

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