Never Thank Video Tape

Why back when I started in TV News, a very smart News Director told me, "You don't thank video tape."

What the ND was saying, is never let the anchor say, "thank you" to a video taped report. If the Reporter is live and you want to thank them after their live shot, that's ok, but never if it's a taped package.

My ND told me it looks awkward and unprofessional.

Check out this video of David Muir's first newscast as the new Anchor of ABC's World News Tonight. Correspondent Cecilia Vega sigs out on video and than Muir says he name again and then thanks her.

It was awkward and it proved to me once again that my old ND knew what he was talking about.