Being a Master of Ceremonies

Being a Master of Ceremonies

The Master of Ceremonies is the "conductor" of an event or meeting. The primary responsibility of the Master of Ceremonies is to serve as a genial host. An ideal MC is a person who has poise, presence and who can command the attention of an audience.The Master of Ceremonies is responsible for ensuring that the program/event runs smoothly, runs on time and that all important people at the event are introduced in a complimentary, professional manner. Being a successful Master of Ceremonies requires, preparation, a friendly manner and ability to adjust to/ad lib as necessary to ensure a successful event
"It is an honor to be asked to be the master of ceremonies at a function. It means that you have a sense of humor, know how to project your voice, andcan handle audiences. It means that you have the gift of being able to "think on your feet" so that you can react quickly in an emergency. (An 'emergency' arises when the lead entertaining act has not arrived, when the main speaker falls ill and has to be taken home, or when the air-conditioning ceases to function and the
microphones don't work!)."

Letitia Baldrige's Complete Guide to Executive Manners, Rawson Associates, New York, 1985, P. 320

Public speaking

Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. The art and science of public speaking, especially in a North American competitive environment, is also known as forensics. The word forensic is an adjective meaning "of public debate or argument." The word is derived from the Latin forensis, meaning "of the forum."
In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effects?" The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. Good orators should be able to change the emotions of their listeners, not just inform them. Public speaking can also be considered a discourse community. Interpersonal communication and public speaking have several components that embrace such things as motivational speaking, leadership/personal development, business, customer service, large group communication, and mass communication. Public speaking can be a powerful tool to use for purposes such as motivation, influence, persuasion, informing, translation, or simply entertaining.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_speaking