It was interesting to read a claim on a forum that it was a surprise that British TV still had announcers.
It is never a bad thing to question conventions. Sometimes things are simply done through habit or tradition.
This week ITV 1 reintroduced idents before their key morning programmes. However the idents are voiced by programme presenters – not announcers.
Most TV channels in the UK and Ireland follow the same convention – an ident with a voiceover (either live or recorded) precedes virtually all programmes.
Of course, this is a relatively new convention which was an evolution of the standard BBC practice in the 60s and 70s.
It was not unusual on ITV back then to go straight from a trail or advert into the pre-programme ident – or frontcap – of the production company.
Occasionally there was no form of buffer before an imported programme or film. It looked messy and I can’t imagine the IBA exactly approved even if this practice wasn’t specifically prohibited.
For the same reason, some ITV regions looked a little messy initially after production company idents were withdrawn in 1988.
Soon most regions realised how this looked and a local ident or in-vision announcement before each programme became the norm in almost every region.
So are announcers still needed today?
I’d argue that on the main public service channels there should be no question over their fundamental value.
Firstly, a voiced ident is part of the channel brand.
Some programmes benefit from a nicely scripted introduction.
In the case of a channel like BBC One, the feeling that a live announcer is watching live with the audience helps to lift the channel above the others. The channel is a living, breathing, reactive thing – not a streamed video.
I also think that spoken announcements are the best way of ensuring Ofcom compliance warnings are given.
Yes, you can argue for captions or generic recorded announcements on violence or strong language. But I prefer to hear them integrated into properly scripted links.
Of course, I suppose I’m really arguing that announcers are needed on the main BBC channels. I can’t pretend that the same principled arguments should apply to all the other channels, especially the smaller ones.
I’ve argued in the past that the range of voices used in modern BBC continuity may have widened too much. I stand by that. Diversity should not mean anything goes and undermines the role of skilled announcers with good voices like Duncan Newmarch.
I can also accept that having a live announcer on duty at all times – including during Breakfast or the daytime News Channel simulcast – was wasteful.
Perhaps the efficiency in the BBC nations – where the announcer is also the transmission director – should offer inspiration?
But if anyone very seriously proposes axing announcers on the main BBC channels, I’ll happily join the fight to save them.
Modern announcers are not the legacy of Sylvia Peters. They are an essential part of the grammar of a public service broadcaster.
If you think otherwise, watch the mess the next time you’re on holiday in the USA.
Acknowledgements
FEATURE IMAGE:
PICTURED: BBC Scotland continuity announcer Kirsty Merchant. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
Acknowledgements