News Reading Script · Two-anchor newscast open with handoffs
Water Main and a Robot Named Gary (Two-Anchor Newscast)
A two-anchor news script for co-anchor practice: a serious water main story hands off to a light robotics win, with natural banter and a clean tease.
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Length
- 149 words · ~1 min
- Skills
- two-person timing, tonal shift, news delivery, banter
- License
- CC BY 4.0
The script
DanaGood evening. I'm Dana Whitfield.
MarcusAnd I'm Marcus Bell. We begin on the east side of Port Ellery, where a water main break has closed part of Orchard Road.
DanaCrews say a twelve-inch pipe burst just after three, flooding two blocks and leaving about four hundred homes without water. Service should be back by midnight, but the road stays closed until morning.
MarcusBottled water is available at the Fairmount Community Center until nine.
DanaNow, some better news. Marcus, you've been waiting all day for this one.
MarcusI have. Eighth graders at Hillcrest Middle School built a robot that sorts recycling, and this weekend it won the state engineering fair. Its name is Gary.
Dana(a beat)Gary.
MarcusGary. The students say he's very good at his job and doesn't like glass.
DanaFair enough. Congratulations to the team, and to Gary. Still ahead, big plans for the old rail yard. Stay with us.
Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0. Original script drafted with AI assistance and edited by SceneDub; any resemblance to existing characters is coincidental.
Practise it now
The teleprompter scrolls at the speed you set in words per minute. Tick "Record audio while reading" to capture a take; the audio stays in your browser until you download it.
Coaching notes
- The handoffs are the skill. Pick up each line the instant your partner finishes, as if you'd rehearsed it together a hundred times, with no dead air and no stepping on words.
- 'Now, some better news' is the gear change. Dana should lift her energy and soften her face here, so the robot story doesn't feel like it's mocking the water main.
- The 'Gary.' exchange lives on timing. Dana's 'Gary' is flat and dry, and Marcus's repeat confirms it with a grin. Don't laugh through either one.
Try it three more ways
- Read it as a morning show, with both anchors looser and the banter going a line longer than planned.
- Read it as a national network open, cooler and more formal, with only a flicker of a smile at Gary.
- Read it with the roles reversed: Dana warm and playful, Marcus the dry one.
Take it further
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Frequently asked questions
How long is the "Water Main and a Robot Named Gary (Two-Anchor Newscast)" script?
149 spoken words, about 1 min at a conversational 150 words per minute and 1 min 9 sec at a slower 130 wpm. Your take will vary with pauses and character choices.
Can I use this script in my voice acting demo reel?
Yes. SceneDub's original scripts are licensed CC BY 4.0. You can perform, record, edit, and publish them, including in demo reels, classes, and auditions, as long as you credit "Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0" where you share the recording or the text.
How should I practise this script?
Read it silently once, then perform it with the direction above: professional, then lighter, with real chemistry between the anchors, steady broadcast pace, ~160 words per minute, with quick handoffs. Record a take with the teleprompter, listen back, and try one of the alternate reads to stretch your range.
Can one person perform a two-character script?
Yes. Play both Dana and Marcus and make each one distinct through pitch, pace, and attitude, or record with a partner and take one role each.