:-(
Quite.
When I were a lad, our announcers in the North East were without doubt local celebrities. People here still remember names like Bill Steel, Neville Wanless and Annie St John as if it were yesterday. They used to appear all over the place and were as instantly recognisable as the stars of soaps, the news etc. Some folk didn't like them, but they still knew who they were. And in fairness, all they were were continuity announcers.
BUT, the unfortunate fact is that they didn't contribute in any significant way to the bottom line of the company. They did raise awareness of their stations far, far more than any oh-so-expensive graphics set, it has to be said, but at the end of the day this doesn't really matter -- which is why it pains me when companies insist on spending X million on new graphics when they're sacking staff to pay for it.
An out of vision announcer never has the same connection with viewers as the in-vision ones. But, that style is now out of fashion. One day companies might learn that the present methods are no more capable of raising a station's profile than the old ones -- and they're a hell of a sight more expensive.
A former member
HTV Best posted:
Yes, but I don't think it really matters if viewers know the announcers or not.
The important thing is what local continuity does for a regional station.
Local announcers give the station its own personality and viewers feel that the channel is, to a degree, part of their local community. I think this was particularly the case with in-vision announcers on the smaller, regional stations. At the other end of the scale, this also worked a treat for LWT. From 5.15pm on Fridays, ITV noticeably changed with an upbeat razzmatazz approach which marked the start of LWT.
Regional announcers also had far more scope to plug local programming in among their schedule announcements, adding to the feeling that you were watching *your* local ITV station. (It's no wonder viewing figures for all regional programming on ITV is falling - the shows are hardly promoted).
This was all part of ITV's charm and appeal and it has now been totally frittered away.
The important thing is what local continuity does for a regional station.
Local announcers give the station its own personality and viewers feel that the channel is, to a degree, part of their local community. I think this was particularly the case with in-vision announcers on the smaller, regional stations. At the other end of the scale, this also worked a treat for LWT. From 5.15pm on Fridays, ITV noticeably changed with an upbeat razzmatazz approach which marked the start of LWT.
Regional announcers also had far more scope to plug local programming in among their schedule announcements, adding to the feeling that you were watching *your* local ITV station. (It's no wonder viewing figures for all regional programming on ITV is falling - the shows are hardly promoted).
This was all part of ITV's charm and appeal and it has now been totally frittered away.
Quite.
When I were a lad, our announcers in the North East were without doubt local celebrities. People here still remember names like Bill Steel, Neville Wanless and Annie St John as if it were yesterday. They used to appear all over the place and were as instantly recognisable as the stars of soaps, the news etc. Some folk didn't like them, but they still knew who they were. And in fairness, all they were were continuity announcers.
BUT, the unfortunate fact is that they didn't contribute in any significant way to the bottom line of the company. They did raise awareness of their stations far, far more than any oh-so-expensive graphics set, it has to be said, but at the end of the day this doesn't really matter -- which is why it pains me when companies insist on spending X million on new graphics when they're sacking staff to pay for it.
An out of vision announcer never has the same connection with viewers as the in-vision ones. But, that style is now out of fashion. One day companies might learn that the present methods are no more capable of raising a station's profile than the old ones -- and they're a hell of a sight more expensive.
