A news/talk radio station’s imaging voice is not just a big-voiced genius who makes your station sound impressive and huge. The individual that you use is more than that, or should be. That human is your station’s narrator. It is an extension of your station’s brand and mission.
I am going to give you my tips on this most important role at your radio station.
JJ Surma, Jim Cutler, Jeff Davis, Victor Lisle, Matt Anthony, Issa Lopez, Steve Stone, Dan Levy, Anne Vyndra, John Driscoll, and others who are professionals in this craft are essential for winning. In my career, I have used three of these voices twice!
I generally don’t preach changing the station voice on a whim. I know that Jim Cutler and Jeff Davis have been the signature voices on several legendary stations. Every radio brand has its own personality. I have stated my mystical thoughts on each radio station. I believe that each brand has its own feeling. In fact, I have found that feeling to be a unique experience to each station.
I have programmed a few stations in my career, and each one has been a little different. A Program Director’s job is to unify the presentation of the station from every avenue that it is presented. I am someone who sometimes weighs any change with a certain amount of anguish. Very likely, you have built a personal relationship with your station’s imaging voice. I consider several of these individuals to be close friends. It is almost more important to have the right imaging voice-over artist than almost anything else on the station.
News/talk radio professionals, I would never discount your contribution to the station. But, the table has to be set. Your station’s voice is the place setting at a fancy dinner. The utensils, plates, napkins, and glasses need to be in their proper places. Your station’s presentation must be correct. It is not an easy thing to accomplish.
When do you know that it is time to change your station’s imaging voice? In many ways for a news/talk radio station, changing voices is like getting divorced and remarried at the same time. This is a huge decision.
So, let’s start with why you may need to change your station’s imaging voice. Is that person delivering your vision? This is certainly subjective. I, personally, like for the copy to speak on its own merit. Unless I direct my talent, I like a deadpan read. It allows me to write sometimes outrageous things.
If the read is deadpan, it is actually funnier than accentuating a funny or outrageous sequence of words in the promo or liner. I worked with a very good voice guy, who just couldn’t help himself if I tossed in a line that could be construed as something funny. Even though I knew that this imaging voice could not help himself, I would instruct him with an email and phone call to read it plainly. This talent would always get a requested re-read. By the way, I hate asking for a line to be voiced again. I want it right the first time. A lot of my stuff can be timely, but a day or two later is a bad thing.
Replacing a station’s imaging voice on a news/talk radio station is not like a music station. Technically, on a music station, you can launch with a station legal ID, some stagers, and 12 liners. The last time that I changed a station voice on a news/talk station, I needed 40 pieces at launch. That was a bare minimum. It was a three-week project to make the switch.
That is why it is like a divorce and remarriage in one day. You must remove all the old stuff and add the new stuff in a matter of an hour. After you make the change, it must replicate your vision. If it is just the same stuff with a different voice, you are probably just rearranging deck chairs on a cruise ship. There will not be a substantial change to how your station sounds or is perceived by your audience.
Before you contemplate the change, here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Is it the writing?
Writing is 8/10ths of the rule here. I was speaking with a major imaging talent and he was telling me about the horrific writing that he sees on the regular. Being totally transparent, I have written stuff that is just plain horrific. At the time that I wrote it, I thought that I was a genius. I am sure that you have felt those feelings as well.
- Could it be the station’s voice?
If your voice does not clearly differentiate your station’s brand, you may need to make the change.
- Is your station’s imaging person easy to work with?
This can be a bigger difference than most people realize. The station consultant recommended working with a particular imaging talent. The individual was extremely volatile. I would receive his files with cursing and screaming at me over petty things. I knew that I had to change. If you don’t have a good relationship with your station’s voice, it will likely be unworkable.
- Does the station voice present your image of the brand as instructed?
If the person is following directions well, you really need to assess your personal vision for the imaging voice. This could be you.
Our industry is often about following feelings. It is an inexact science. At the end of the day, you must be happy with the way that your station is being presented. If you are not getting what you need, it may be time to move on. Always consider your vision and how it has been shared with your station’s voice.
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Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He currently serves as News/Talk Format Captain for Zimmer Communications. Prior to joining Zimmer, Peter held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Des Moines, Little Rock, Greenville, Hunstville, and Joplin. Peter has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. He can be found on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
