Annual Report : State of the Voice Over Industry

 

At the beginning of each new year, Voices.com presents a comprehensive overview of industry statistics that directly affect voice actors, including updates on broadcast television, radio, podcasting, video games, audiobooks, and other mediums and applications. Current trends are reported on and are diligently sourced for accuracy. The key highlights are as follows:

Television

Broadcasting 2007: Report on the Industry
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is the national industry association that represents Canada’s private broadcasters - including private television and radio stations and networks, and specialty, pay and pay-per-view television services.
• 101 Television Stations
• 49 Analog Specialty Stations
• 13 Pay-Per-View Services
Source: Canadian Association of Broadcasters November 2007

Radio

Broadcasting 2007: Report on the Industry
In Canada, there are:
• 184 Private Commercial AM Stations
• 465 Private Commercial FM Stations
Source: Canadian Association of Broadcasters November 2007

Current History of Broadcasting in the US
• The number of FM stations passed the number of AM in 1983; in 1998 there were 6,179 commercial FM stations on the air, and 2,400 noncommercial stations.
• The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was established in 1968 as a not-for-profit, nongovernmental agency to finance the growth of noncommercial radio and television; by 2003 the PBS network served more than 200 television and nearly 800 radio stations.
Source: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Internet

Internet Advertising in Canada
• The growth of spending on internet advertising has increased dramatically versus growth for television, and radio. Internet advertising revenues are increasing rapidly in Canada and in other countries around the world, including the UK and the US.
• In Canada, internet ad revenues increased from $176 million in 2002 to $1.0 billion in 2006, based on a compound annual growth rate of 55%. By comparison, television ad revenues have increased over the same period by 5.7%, while radio has increased by 6.5%.
Source: Canadian Association of Broadcasters November 2007

Podcasting

Podcast Market Research
• 6.6 Percent of adults downloaded audio podcasts within the last 30 days
• 37% of the US population has heard of podcasting (up from 22% in 2006)
• 13% of the US population has listened to a podcast (up from 11% in 2006)
• 11% of the US population has watched a video podcast (up from 10% in 2006)
• Podcast listeners in the US are nearly even between men and women with 51% being male and 49% being female in 2007
• 12.3 million U.S. households will be listening to podcasts by the end of the decade
Source: Forrester Research compiled by in Podcast Market Research

Podcast Advertising
Ad spending on podcasts will reach $300 million, while social network ad spending is expected to rise to $2.5 billion worldwide by 2010, from just $350 million in 2006.
Source: eMarketer

Audiobooks

Audiobook Sales on the Rise Nationally
• This year’s survey showed a 6 percent increase over 2005 with audiobook sales now estimated at $923 million in North America.
• The Audio Publishers Association (APA) released the results of the 2007 APA Sales Survey, conducted to gather data and measure the growth of the audiobook industry. Independent research firm Lewis & Clark Research surveyed audiobook publishers during the summer of 2007, analyzing reported consumer sales data from 2006 and comparing current statistics against the previous year’s findings.
Source: Audio Publishers Association

Animation

Celebrity Voice Actors in the Animation Studio
• Competition. The trend of casting well-known actors in newly released animations is reducing demand for career voiceover actors.
Source: Animation World Magazine

Videogames

Advertising in games is expected to rise to $800 million in 2009
• $266 Million, or more than one-third of advertising in games in 2009, will come from “advergaming,” when advertisers create a game around a product rather than place their brands within a well-known title, according to Yankee Group senior analyst Mike Goodman at the Advertising In Games Forum.
Source: The Yankee Group 2007

Voice Over Industry Research

Vox Daily
Vox Daily is a blog that offers daily dose of voice acting news, articles, tutorials, interviews, intelligent conversation and business ideas.
• Vox Daily has been read 83,908 times
Source: FeedBurner, December 2007

Vox Talk
The voice acting entertainment podcast covering voice acting news, business tips, technology, and an assortment of voice actor contributions. This show is produced weekly.
• Vox Talk podcast has been downloaded 20,575 times
Source: FeedBurner, December 2007

Voice Over Experts
The educational podcast featuring renowned voice over coaches from US, Canada and abroad. Join us each week for pearls of wisdom and tricks of the trade to improve your voice over career.
• Voice Over Experts podcast has been downloaded 14,535 times
Source: FeedBurner, December 2007

Salaries
• High-paying contract jobs with residuals can range from $150,000 or $200,000 a year.
• Nonunion freelance jobs fall between $150 and $500.
Source: Goliath Business News

Outlook for 2008

Future is Bright for the Voice Over Industry
Voice acting is finally becoming part of the mainstream. The days when voice actors were referred to as “voice talkers” or asked, “So, what is it that you do?” are fading quickly into the history books as mass media embraces the art and profession of voice over. The combination of technological progress, public awareness and celebrity endorsement have elevated voice acting to a new plateau and social status within the broader entertainment industry.

Degree in Journalism Required? Nope, just a computer and a phone!

Technology has allowed even the most unsuspecting of people to become a talk show host on their own program.

Podcasters don’t have to have a degree in journalism or broadcast to get their content out there, nor do they have to have golden announcer voices like at the established networks… all they need is a computer, high speed internet access and a decent phone line or microphone.

BlogTalkRadio, Talkshoe and Skypecasts are among the Web sites that have become popular for would-be radio jocks, and all it takes is a computer and a telephone.

“You can create a show within five minutes and be on the air within 15 minutes,” said Alan Levy, the CEO of BlogTalkRadio.

Using the BlogTalkRadio site, a host uses their telephone and computer to create live, call-in shows. Unlimited participants can join, and the service is free because it’s advertising-supported. After airing, the shows are archived and become available as podcasts for other listeners.

So far, nearly 46,000 shows have been created–with subjects ranging from entertainment to politics to sports and lifestyle. Actor Brad Pitt, politician John Kerry, baseball player David Wright, and author Jodi Picoult are among those who have been interviewed.

“Some shows are good, some aren’t so hot,” said Levy. “The cream rises to the top.”

Around 350 shows are on the air each day with a budding network of rising stars.

Like BlogTalkRadio, Skypecasts are another option for aspiring radio hosts. These programs can host up to 100 people from anywhere in the world.

Talkshoe, another site, requires users to download software for its “Talkcasts.” Those who want to listen are then directed to a “Live Now” page to see what shows are playing. They can also download recorded shows, or podcasts, from the site.

Unlike traditional radio, hosts can have listeners from anywhere tune in or participate, controlling the action from a dashboard in their user account.

“We have some extremely loyal users,” said Mark Juliano, a senior vice president and founder. “The kind of service we are providing is something people were paying thousands of dollars for not too long ago.”

Source: CNET News.com

Image: istockphoto.com/Lidija Tomic

Horton Hears a Who! Voice Actors and Voice Cast

Hey Horton, hear a Who?

One of the best-loved stories penned by Dr. Seuss is coming to the big screen to be released on March 14, 2008.

Directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, and written by Ken Daurio (screenplay) and Cinco Paul (screenplay), this animated adventure brought to light by the people behind Ice Age is touted to be great for family viewing.

The voice talents of Jim Carrey (Horton) and Steve Carell (microscopic fellow) star in this CGI animated Dr. Seuss film.

How does the story go?

Horton the Elephant struggles to protect a microscopic community from his neighbors who refuse to believe it exists. Horton, it appears, also hears a Who (!) whom no one else can hear, hence the title, Horton Hears a Who!

Other voice actors in the cast for Horton Hears a Who! include:

Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Isla Fisher, Will Arnett, Dane Cook, Dan Fogler, Jaime Pressly, Selena Gomez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Amy Poehler, Josh Flitter, Carol Burnett, Joey King, Samantha Droke and others.

Source: IMDb

Arbitron States Radio Reaches 233 Million Listeners per Week

Arbitron today released preliminary findings from RADAR® 95. Below are some of the key demographic findings from the new RADAR results that radio advertisers look for when placing their ad buys.

Key findings are as follows:

Read more

Letterman’s Show Returning With Writers

Here’s some news for you from one of the funniest men (with writers) on television in New York, or, anywhere else for that matter…

If you’ve been missing your late night shows, the new year will bring you a gift in the form of fully scripted delights from the cast and crew at the Late Show with David Letterman.

Read more

Disney Movie “Bolt” Voice Cast Announced

Bolt is a German Shepherd who has lived his whole life on the set of his action Television show, and now believes he has superpowers. He becomes separated from the studio and goes on a journey of a lifetime.

The film features the voice talent of John Travolta, Thomas Haden Church, Woody Harrelson, Bernie Mac, Mario Cantone, Bruce Greenwood, and Hugh Grant.

Bolt will be released in Digital Disney 3-D on 1,200 to 1,500 screens domestically. Bolt hits theaters on November 26th 2008.

Source: Slashfilm.com

New Knight Rider Trailer Now Out

The trailer for the eagerly-awaited feature-length pilot episode of the new series of ‘Knight Rider’ has gone online.

US soap star Justin Bruening, plays Mike Tracer, the son of Michael Knight - the character originally played by David Hasselhoff - in the two-hour pilot episode for the new series. Read more

Vote To Choose “Unofficial” Winner for Announcer Job at NBC Nightly News

BUFFALO, New York, December 28, 2007 - - With over 60 entries submitted in just four days, audio’connell Voice Over Talent and professional voice over talent Peter K. O’Connell has opened the voting process to the public to select the “unofficial” winner for the announcer’s job on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.

O’Connell joined a chorus of voices on the web who were disappointed by the vocal performance of well respected actor Michael Douglas, the network’s choice for the announcing position on the program. O’Connell had advised that the network “should probably take Douglas back into the studio and try again. But if NBC News decides to make a change in announcers, we’ve got a bunch of great professional voices for them to choose from.”

Professional voice over talents from around globe sent in auditions which can be heard on the company’s blog site - www.voxmarketising.com - or accessed through the company’s web site - www.audioconnell.com

Voters are requested to pick their top three choices from the submitted auditions, ranked in order of preference. Complete rules are listed on the blog.

About audio’connell

audio’connell Voice Over Talent is a worldwide voice over talent service featuring professional male and female voice talents specializing in commercials, corporate narrations, voice imaging, podcasting and messaging on-hold (MOH) created for advertising agencies, media and broadcast production companies as well as both large and small businesses around the world.

The company also operates Voice Over Workshop to provide professional voice over training to novice and experienced voice talent around the world.

audio’connell Voice Over Talent is an affiliate of O’Connell Companies.

Lauren Graham Plum Card Voiceover

Here’s a voice over that needs some identification!

The Pinkberry American Express, Plum Card Commercial has a very distinctive voice associated with it and we want you to take a guess as to who it is…

Read more

Sydney Radio Newsreader Jim Angel dies at 67

JIM ANGEL was the voice of Sydney news for almost half a century.

Angel, who died on Christmas Eve, retired from radio in 2001 after a 44-year career with stations 2UE, 2SM, 2GB and 2CH but the style he brought to the news can still be heard today.

“For him every news bulletin was opening night,” said 2GB announcer Jason Morrison. “He was the most unlikely star at the station. He never really understood how many people were aware of who he was and what he did.

“He set the standard of the way news was presented in Sydney. There’s a whole generation of blokes my age who aspired to be as good at the craft as he was. You can hear traces of Jim Angel in newsreaders of my generation.”

The “little man with the big voice” received numerous tributes following his death of a massive stroke at his home in the Southern Highlands, aged 67.

“There was no finer example of theatre of the mind of radio,” said 2UE’s program director, Greg Byrnes.

The Premier, Morris Iemma, said an entire generation of people had woken up to Angel telling them what was happening of a morning. “Jim Angel was a radio icon.”

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Image: Sky News

Next Page »