open casting call for NBC Nightly News announcer (very unofficial)

NBC News Logo_All Copyrights Acknowledged

I’m not one to find a problem or an issue with something without trying to also come up with a solution. “Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution” is how I try to look at it.

With that in mind, I recently wrote about how much I disliked Michael Douglas’ read for the open of NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. As an actor, director and producer, Douglas is a tremendous talent. But for this particular read, he was awful. There are many people who share my opinion.

So it is with a solution in mind that I request your help, your participation in casting a voice talent to replace Michael Douglas (and fast!).

–> HERE is the NBC Nightly News theme for you to use in your audition (not for commercial purposes).

–> HERE is the script:

“From NBC News World Headquarters in New York, this is NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.”

(As of 12/27/07 the nominations/auditions are now closed. Thank you!)

This is open to men AND women BUT only serious takes, not your dog or your mother or your two year old (although my daughter COULD do a better job than the current announcer).

I’ll post all entries here on audio’connell Voice Over Talent’s voxmarketising blog and notify NBC that they are here for their review. I’m not promising anyone a job but if you get it, you’ll owe me a very expensive dinner.

As an example for you, here is my audition:

[audio:http://www.audioconnell.com/clientuploads/mp3/NBC_Nightly_News_Auditions/Peter_OConnell_NBC_Nightly_Open.mp3]

–> P.S. Now you can listen to ALL the auditions here

And below is the NBC Nightly News theme (again).

28 Responses to “open casting call for NBC Nightly News announcer (very unofficial)”

  1. What a great idea! My “audition” will be forthcoming.

  2. What a great idea Peter!
    …and may I say, you sound GREAT!

    Liz

  3. OK…this is a GREAT idea and I’m cracking up at your boldness. I would not be surprised if people in the media wanted to chat with you about this!

  4. Peter,

    Great fun. Thanks for the opportunity to play along.

    Be well,
    Bob

  5. […] you’ll recall, I put out an open casting call for auditions for the announcer position in NBC Nightly News with Brian […]

  6. Thanks everybody for submitting, hopefully more will play along. You all sound great!

    Its nice to have a bit of fun but I don’t think any of us better buy that new microphone with our NBC Nightly News announcing checks just yet. 🙂

  7. Oh what fun, I can already her the “suits” at NBC saying; “Why didn’t we think of this…?”

    My entry is on the way.

    Thank you for thinking of us Peter.

    Frank Frederick
    “The Voice” tm

  8. Great idea Peter… let’s audition before the job is officially open. I’m seeing a trend developing. Thanks for the fun!

  9. Frank and Dave –

    You both sound great.

    Take a number in line with me as we wait to be called up as the next great network announcer.

    My ticket says 22,375 so the wait won’t be THAT long!

    Best always,
    – Peter

  10. Printed here is the number 22,377, do you think Bob got the one before me? I am getting closer… They just called number two.

    I think Mr. Douglas is safe for a while.

    Frank F.

  11. Or maybe Dave,,, or Jeffery, or … Oh well.

    F2

  12. Printed here is the number 22,377, do you think Dave got the one before me? I am getting closer… They just called number two.

    I think Mr. Douglas is safe for a while.

    Frank F.

  13. The “simple” intro is not as easy as it sounds! But everyone sounds excellent, naturally!

  14. My audition is posted with apologies to the production team at CNN in Atlanta. No girls it’s not me but he does sound a lot LIKE me!

  15. Frank, the line of excellence keeps getting longer!

    Diane- You made it sound simple, simply great.

    Philip – CNN is crazy NOT to hire YOU.

    Best always,

    – Peter

  16. […] new voice over for NBC’s Nightly News (but loves Michael Douglas’ work otherwise), is holding a contest, albeit an unofficial one, to find the next voice of NBC’s supper hour news […]

  17. […] actor and friend, Peter O’Connell, decided to act on his disappointment.  He has opened an unofficial casting call.  ANY voice actor, who thinks that he or she can do better, is welcomed to send Peter their […]

  18. Honestly, I would never have known that Michael Douglas was the NBC Nightly News voice. He’s sounds…okay…but a voice pro belongs in that position. I guess it’s who you know in the biz.

    Happy New Year, Peter!

  19. […] willing to share their abilities with us on our unofficial, unsanctioned and possibly unholy quest for a new announcer for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. Of course, if NBC takes my original advice and gets Michael Douglas back into the voice over booth […]

  20. […] a solution, O’Connell posted a completely unofficial open casting call on his voice-over company’s blog – voxmarketising.com. The call garnered over 60 submissions […]

  21. It sounded like Mr. Douglas was being distracted by someone in the studio asking his opinion on paint colors or carpet swatches, and as he was straining to see what would go well with a sculpture of dogs playing poker, he quickly rambled off the script, then ran the hell out of there. Or, he was drunk.

  22. […] VMT Interview (On voiceover or marketing or advertising or all of the above): – Winners of the Unofficial NBC Nightly News Voice Off including winning entries and interviews with the third place finisher, the second place finisher […]

  23. […] the Unofficial NBC Nightly News Voice Off was an epiphany for many reasons not the least of which was the power of the […]

  24. Hey Peter,
    I just came upon this and wish I heard about it sooner! Too bad there aren’t more chances like this to showcase the talent in the VO world!
    It’s fun to put a little spark like this in our day!
    Thanks
    Cindy Brooks

  25. HI Cindy:

    Thanks for stopping by. The contest was great fun for everybody and as you noted a wonderful showcase for some terrific talent.

    Best always,
    – Peter

  26. […] to outdo the announcer of the NBC Nightly News, the lovely and talent Peter O’Connell is once again sponsoring fake auditions, this time for the announcer gig of the new Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show. And when I say […]

  27. […] on the enormously popular Unofficial Casting Call for the NBC Nightly News announcer, I am today kicking off the Unofficial Casting Call for the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon […]

  28. […] a solution, O’Connell posted a completely unofficial open casting call on his voice-over company’s blog – voxmarketising.com. The call garnered over 60 […]