Pat’s Tribute to the Man Who Invented the TelePrompTer

Thursday, 28 April 2011 | by Pat's Picks

In almost every industry there are tools that are vital to getting the job done. In shoe stores it’s the Brannock Device. In barbershops, it’s the Barbicide stuff. And in TV newsrooms, it’s the TelePrompTer.

The prompter allows me to look at the camera and read copy at the same time. It makes my job a lot easier, and I was sad to hear of the passing of one of its inventors, Hubert Schlafly.

As a tribute to him this morning on NY1, I re-enacted the way the news was delivered before the TelePrompTer was widely used. I think the subtlety of the tribute may have been lost on some. But that’s the way I like it.