Tips for Guests Joining MPT Programs via Zoom or Skype

Thank you for sharing your time and expertise with MPT viewers! Here are some tips to make the interview look and sound professional:

• For clear video, make sure there is light on your face and avoid having a bright window behind you. The camera should be at eye-level. Placing a few books under a laptop can help with that.
• We encourage guests to have a set of earbuds available in case they are needed. Even the inexpensive wired kind (with a microphone embedded in the cord) can often improve a noisy call.
• Please do not use Zoom virtual backgrounds or the blur function. These features do not upscale well for broadcast TV. (These settings can be found by clicking the up arrow next to the “video” button on the bottom left side of the Zoom screen.)
• If using a cell phone or tablet it should be positioned horizontally and placed on a solid surface.
• If using a browser (rather than an app) please restart the browser before the call to make sure it’s up to date.
• A wifi connection is often better than cellular. Ethernet is even better.
• It’s sometimes necessary to close other active programs on the device to free up processing power.
• The new Apple face tracking feature, Center Stage, often frames incorrectly for TV, leaving no room at the bottom of the screen for your name. It can be turned off by swiping down from top right.

We're always glad to connect early for a camera and sound check.