BUFFALO, New York, September 16, 2008 – – Professional male voice over talent Peter K. O’Connell has agreed to be represented by three talent agencies with primary offices in five states, it was announced today.

O’Connell will be represented in Texas by Houston-based Pastorini-Bosby Talent Agency and in Georgia by Atlanta-based RSH Management. Headquartered in Nashville, Dan Agency will handle voice over bookings for O’Connell in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. O’Connell has existing professional representation in New York, California, Illinois, Ohio, Arizona and Colorado.

“Each of these agencies have wonderfully straight forward management when it comes to talent representation and I know that’s not always easy to find in this business,” O’Connell said. “I’ve said no to more agents than I’ve said yes to because in the past it’s been clear the business relationship wasn’t going to work in the long term. But after some really frank discussions with each of them about the voice over business, I feel very comfortable working with RSH, Pastorini-Bosby and Dan Agency,” O’Connell concluded.

A professional voice over talent and audio producer for over 25 years, Peter K. O’Connell is president of audio’connell Voice Over Talent, a worldwide, English language-based voice talent company. He also operates International Voice Talents, featuring foreign language male and female voice actors.

Both organizations provide professional voice talent for commercials, animation, corporate narrations, documentaries, broadcast voice imaging, audio books, podcasts and messaging on-hold (MOH). Industries served by the two companies include advertising agencies, media and broadcast production companies as well as both large and small businesses around the world.

Mr. O’Connell also owns Voice Over Workshop, which provides professional voice over training to novice and experienced voice talent around the world.

The three businesses are all a part of O’Connell Companies.
– 30 –

NOTES TO EDITORS

Company Media Releases ON LINE:
http://www.audioconnell.com/media

Company Name Pronunciation:
au·dio·o’·con·nell (awe-de-oh-oh-kah-nel) or au·di-o’·con·nell (awe-de-oh-kah-nel)

Company Name Spelling:
Use lower case letters- audio’connell or audio’connell Voice-Over Talent

Company Web:
http://www.audioconnell.com

Company Blog:
http://www.voxmarketising.com

O’Connell Voice-Over Resume:
See resume here

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Tags: media releases // Comments Off on MEDIA RELEASE – O’Connell’s Voice Over Representation Expands In Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama

We’re right about in the middle of hurricane season in the U.S. and it looks like it’s going to be another hard season.

If you know of any broadcast, cable or internet outlets that can use this PSA (public service announcement), please forward this post or this PSA to them.

LISTEN – Public Service Announcement

[audio:http://www.audioconnell.com/clientuploads/mp3/080914_RedCross_Hurricane_FINAL.mp3]
Click here to download the Red Cross Hurricane PSA!

As always, we’re not looking for compensation or publicity, just an outlet to broadcast the request for donations all to benefit the American Red Cross. There are no usage restrictions on this audio as long as it is used in its entirety.

If you want to record the PSA yourself for your station, here’s the script.

The physical damage is severe but the emotional toll is catastrophic. The 2008 hurricane season in the United States is upon us and as always, the American Red Cross stands ready to help.

The Red Cross is sheltering thousands along the Gulf Coast while preparing to shelter more along the Atlantic coast as storms approach.

They are mobilizing Red Cross people, our fleet of emergency response vehicles and mobile kitchens.

The Red Cross is also delivering meals and clean up supplies across the Gulf Coast and staging food and supplies along the Atlantic coast.

Please support the American Red Cross as they once again support Americans in their time of need.

Donate now by visiting Red Cross dot org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. To donate $5 right now, text the word “give” to the number 24357, or spelled out as the number 2, HELP.

Support the American Red Cross as they help Hurricane Disaster Victims again this year.

And if you could throw the American Red Cross a couple of bucks in the effort, that would be good too.

Please note in the comment section of media to whom you have sent this to or (if you’re the media) what outlet you are from.

Thanks for being a good person.

Tags: commentary, public service announcement // Comments Off on free PSA supporting red cross donation for disaster relief efforts

Truth be told, initially many internet radio stations seemed to be little more than young people slapping together a mix tape/disc of their favorite song and setting up a radio station. Some folks took it a step further and really tried to piece together a more professional sound. I think conceptually, a lot of it was good but in truth the commitment wasn’t really there with a lot of internet radio station owners.

But as happens in the shake down of any new “thing” the strong survive. In the case of internet radio, those who survive we’re able to stay committed to their primary goal of sharing their music while also securing an advertising arrangement that would allow them to pay their bills and even keep a little some thing for themselves.

One of my clients is one of those long haul pioneers in internet radio who has stayed true to his programming objective and kept the money flowing as well. It’s eclectic, relaxed and cool in sound and attitude. I hope you’ll spend some time listening to Roo Radio and enjoying the true spirit of broadcasting that I think many of my fellow voice talents respect. Also here is a sample of some of the recent voice imaging I did for the station.

LISTEN TO ROO RADIO STATION IMAGING
[audio:http://www.audioconnell.com/clientuploads/audio_for_blog/080914_audioconnell_RooMontage.mp3]

Tags: advertising, commentary, commercials, internet, radio, voice talent // 2 Comments »

Pause, but don’t stop.

Keep moving forward but never forget.

And to liberally borrow this Irish proverb from voice talent and my friend Caryn Clark who was in New York on September 11, 2001:

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal,
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”

And to quote my Irish Father:
“Don’t let the bastards get you down.”

Requiescat In Pace.

Now carry on.

Tags: commentary // Comments Off on keep moving but remember

As this blog is “where the worlds of voice over, marketing and advertising collide” I try and make sure individual posts cover one or more of those areas each week. This post covers all three.

If you earn your living as a voice talent, a marketer (for your own company or on behalf of someone else) or in advertising (either for yourself or someone else) there is a trend developing that you need to think about. Why?

Because it affects how much money you’re going to make in the future. Think mortgage payments, new cars and education.

With me now?

Double click on the chart below and then click back for some thoughts.

That chart is part of a much more in-depth study produced in August, 2008 by the Pew Research Center for People and The Press. Maybe its stuff you thought was happening and maybe it even reflects your personal changes. But this is now quantifiable. And that means a lot to how we all make our livings. Pay attention:

You have just read a 15 year trend in media usage, specifically how people get their news.
* 24% fewer people in that time period get their news from newspapers
* 12% fewer people get their news from the radio
* 31% fewer people watch the nightly network news
* On line and cable news consumption is through the roof

This is about more than just news, I think. This is a game changer for people who work in media (including voice over), marketing and advertising. Most are dealing with this and thousands of pages of similar data already but I’m guessing you may not be, so let us ruminate for a moment, shall we?

Let’s just for the sake of this post take out concerns of the bias of cable news outlets as it affects their presentation of the news to the growing majority of American cable news consumers and how that impacts how people think, act and vote about issues of the day. Great topic and just considering it gets your head to throbbing but back away from it just for this discussion.

Let’s do say you’re a voice talent and you’ve been charging $200 for a :30 second commercial on local broadcast television and $150 or even $100 for cable TV spots because there are fewer viewers. Survey says that number is changing a bit (though broadcast ratings are still higher). Should you consider changing your cable fees? Is that change justified? Survey says maybe.

Let’s say you’re in advertising and you’ve been specializing in print ads which mostly go in newspapers or you’ve been doing lots of radio spots on news talk stations. Shouldn’t you at least reconsider either your primary business services or your media recommendation to clients? Survey says it’s probably worth some brainstorming.

Let’s say you’re in marketing for a grocery store and you do weekly inserts with specials and temporary price reductions and the like. Has coupon redemption gone up or down on those inserts? Any reasons you know of for a change? Survey says maybe.

Let’s say you are a consumer that can be influenced by commercials you see on cable TV, print ads or weekly grocery store inserts (we’d all like to say “not me” but we’d be lying). Could your buying habits be impacted by this change in media usage? After all, you’re the one changing the usage. What if you’re not finding out about all these new special offers because the media vendors haven’t changed their marketing plans for their clients? Clients whose products you normally buy or would consider buying.

The point is not that any of these industries need to play catch up because that’s what we’re all doing everyday anyway. A trend arises and we react. Tuesday go left. Wednesday go right. Thursday is too far away to consider.

The point is to be aware that there are very specific changes in media usage. This information is but one small part.

But do you comprehend the change? Do you even feel it, maybe? Is the change impacting the way you do business? Should it change the way you do business?

Is it impacting the way you buy things? Does it alter your opinion of brands? Could it alter the opinions of consumers of your brand?

That box below here is where the discussion begins…be a part of it, now. Thanks.

Tags: advertising, commentary, commercials, internet, marketing, media, radio, technology, tv, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice // 9 Comments »

Thursday, September 4 was ABC Radio broadcaster Paul Harvey’s 90th birthday.

And he is still on the air.

And his ratings are still unbelievable (promoted as “the most listened-to newsman in the world”.)

And he is still one of the top paid of ALL American broadcasters.

While missing his dear wife Angel, who died only recently, Paul continues an active although somewhat lessened broadcast schedule.

He is an icon….truly an icon in the world of broadcasting.

Not an icon of radio or TV. Not of national or international work.

Paul Harvey is an icon in the world of broadcasting.

Since you’ve heard him, you know why.

And if you haven’t heard him, listen. Do it now.

Happy birthday, Mr. Harvey. Good day!

Tags: ABC News, announcers, commentary, radio, tv // 2 Comments »