It’s possible the voice of God is female, you know…
Steve Safran August 1st, 2006
I wrote some months back, wondering why - as near as I could tell - there were no TV stations that had a female announcer as their “voice.” Sure, there is “Lifetime,” “Oxygen,” and the like - but those are targeted toward women. Why not have a woman as the voice of a station just because she has a strong voice? Differentiate the product. Here’s a great commentary to continue the thread. Joan Baker - keep in mind she is a voiceover person - wants to know why we still cling to the “male voice of God” silliness. She’s right. Make your station’s voice be heard - make it a woman’s voice.
14 Comments Add your own
1. Anonymous | August 2nd, 2006 at 3:33 am
I haven’t watched in a long time, but doesn’t the SciFi Channel use a female voice?
2. Dave | August 2nd, 2006 at 6:14 am
I think it depends on what you’re selling, ultimately.
It needs to fit the style of your product. The new sprite ads use a female voice that fits well with the “techy” design style of the commercial.
I think stations should consider a female especially if all of the competitor stations in their market have a “voice of God” male announcer. Might be a good way to differentiate their product and target either a female-leaning or younger-skewed audience.
3. Evan Parker | August 2nd, 2006 at 7:39 am
Why use the ‘voice of God’? For the same reason you use the ‘Breaking News’ title for every fender-bender within sight of your helicopter. For the same reason radio stations all take their commercial breaks on the same clock. Everyone else is doing it, and if you don’t then the consultants and other GMs to make fun of you when we meet for drinks at TGI Fridays.
Seriously, there are too many chefs. I am admittedly low on the food chain, but I get to make the recommendations for the voice talent. However, when I have tried to do something different, I can sometimes get it past my boss, and sometimes past his boss, but his boss’ boss (background in sales-doesn’t know where my studio is) always halts it because it’s not the sound he wants.
4. RC | August 2nd, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Joan Baker’s commentary is a master stroke! Finally someone gets to the bottom of what could possible be a societal issue hidden in our collective blind spot — namely that our belief that God is male drives many important choices and some of these choices are inadvertently hurtful to women. Anyone with a mom can appreciate the importance of Joan’s editorial. Hers is an evolved point of view that we as an industry can take to heart. A voice is so much more than male or female. A voice is an idea, a symbol, an attitude — a brand. Clearly, gender-based casting sometimes makes all the sense in the world, but what Joan Baker illuminates is not about gender-based but gender-biased.
Joan’s voice comes through loud and clear. Does anyone know who her agent is?
5. Fashion Designing For Wom&hellip | November 28th, 2006 at 7:29 am
Fashion Designing For Women…
Good observation, your ideas are right on….
6. V.92 Fax Modem&hellip | November 29th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
V.92 Fax Modem…
great blog, keep it comming….
7. meetings online citrix pr&hellip | December 11th, 2006 at 2:48 pm
meetings online citrix productivity web webinars conferencing time…
Good observation, your ideas are right on….
8. meetings online citrix pr&hellip | December 11th, 2006 at 2:48 pm
meetings online citrix productivity web webinars conferencing time…
Good observation, your ideas are right on….
9. toothbrush toothbrushes h&hellip | December 21st, 2006 at 7:07 am
toothbrush toothbrushes home delivery tothbrush…
Thank you, I could not have sead it better my self….
10. cheap airline tickets rea&hellip | January 3rd, 2007 at 3:19 pm
cheap airline tickets really cheap airline ticket beirut…
Good observation, your ideas are right on….
11. 24 volt electric blanket&hellip | January 3rd, 2007 at 9:12 pm
24 volt electric blanket…
Didn’t notice it before . . . quite clever….
12. really cheap airline real&hellip | January 6th, 2007 at 12:21 am
really cheap airline really cheap airline ticket tegucigalpa…
Thank you, I could not have sead it better my self….
13. effective home hair remov&hellip | January 10th, 2007 at 12:53 am
effective home hair removal appliances…
great blog, keep it comming….
14. best of&hellip | January 17th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
best of…
Like what you have to say. Your blog makes good since to me….
Leave a Comment
(Please keep URLs out of the comment body or the spam filter will block you.)Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed