Definition:
This is the act when giving a presentation of merely reading the slide out verbatim, normally in a flat tone, as if you are just saving the other attendees from actually reading it themselves without bringing anything else to the presentation.
Explanation:
This is caused by people not knowing how to present their slide deck and so just reading from it. If you have been asked to present a slide deck, use your slides as speaker notes rather than a script, add some feeling to them, so you do not bore the hell out of everybody.
If people you know ‘drain the slide’ and just read out everything verbatim. Suggest they get involved in any form of community event. Be it business or technical and start to present on their speciality subject, the feedback and experience from actually doing proper presentations will cure this problem quickly.
Disclaimer: As always these posts are not aimed at anyone client or employer and are just my personal observations over a lifetime of dealing with both management and frontline associates.