Don't Shout

The TV industry turned out a tidy little packet of advice to anxious-to-please politicians. To help "those in public life to present their views by television convincingly," the National Association of Radio & Television Broadcasters issued Campaigning on TV, an 18-page pamphlet studded with admonitory italics ("You will begin your talk with a large audience --your job is to keep that audience") and containing a long list of dos and don'ts. Samples:

P: "Don't shout . . . make your points through informal, friendly conversation. Remember, your eyes as well as your voice reveal your sincerity to the viewer."

P: "You must get interest from the start. What you say and do in the first two minutes will determine the size of the audience you retain . . ." But politicians should avoid sensational openings because "the audience will feel cheated if it is tricked into believing the program is anything other than ... a political talk."

P: Candidates should wear light blue or gray shirts because white "washes out" on the screen. They should avoid large-figured ties and, if they have dandruff, they should never wear dark blue or black suits (it shows up on the shoulders as snow-flakes). For bags under the eyes and heavy beard line, pancake make-up is prescribed, while face powder will take the shine off an oily skin or a bald head. Candidates who ordinarily wear glasses should keep them on during TV because "eyes accustomed to glasses will react unnaturally without them."

P: Candidates should sit on the edge of their chairs to remove the temptation to slump. If they must get up, they are urged "to move slowly to allow the camera time to follow." They are particularly cautioned to "throw your shoulders back and keep your head high and your chin out . . . Always keep your back straight."

The pamphlet briskly urges the candidate, in picking a theme for his initial speech, to choose one "in which you believe." The worst bugaboo of all is competition: "No law compels people to listen to you. You must interest them. If you don't, a flick of the dial will bring them drama, news, comedians, music or"--the saddest fate of all--"another speaker."

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