Announcing at the Radio
From the professional point of view, I have never liked to mention a number of people, who have excelled on certain spheres on human development; since there is no doubt that you run the inevitable risk not to mention someone, and it is something uncomfortable but involuntary. About the aforementioned, I get out of a essential list of announcers from the radio that this media has treasured throughout the 20 century and the ongoing century as the most important professionals within the announcing.
During 88 years, great announcers have been carrying out their works in the broadcasting of dramas, the immediacy of everyday news, the entertainment provided by musical programs and others, the historical outlines of important events of our revolution, and of course, at the Radio Reloj station, an institution of the Cuban announcing; so all that makes us to reach a true that defines the announcing in Cuba: professionalism.
Certainly, announcing implies professionalism in all senses. The best announcers I have met at Radio Reloj for more than 40 years, they have been very responsible persons to talk on the microphone. I have noted that moments before broadcasting or going on the air, these announcers have felt that professional “little bug”, which makes them nervous and relax at the same time. Listeners also allow themselves to be drawn in by the charming of the announcers ‘voices that reach houses, work, streets, the country, and the mountains and remain in the memory of the audience, as a personal mark.
No-one should believe that announcing is an action of pure will. This specialty requires studies, which qualify the announcers for they can carry out their work. In addition, there are some aspects to be taken into account in order to correctly talk on the microphone.
It is known that there must be a correspondence among tone, rhythm, and intentionally of subjects to be addressed connected to announcing. It is also important that emotional relation, that special sympathy achieved between the announcers and those who use to tune the programs, after waiting for a pleasant meeting.
In regarding to the rhythm, it can be dynamic, intermediate, or slow; on correspondence with the issues to deal with, and that they are connected to the function, the form, and the receivers of the programs.
A director of radial programs should adjust balance of voices, in a convenient way, if needed. That would help the quality of the dialogs between colleagues, in case they are required, which is established on the base of coherence. For an announcer, not to be coherent at the radio is awful, or a friend of mine would say: “It would be disastrous.”
Another aspect to take into account at announcing is the correct use of the language. The more you speak well the mother language, the more you will obtain better results, which is showed by the quality of the program.
Language should be clear and direct, away from those nonsense idiomatic phrases that do not help for this kind of communication.
Related to tones, all they must respected: those cheerful, sad, pessimist, moderate, conversational, didactic, intimate, and romantic; in correspondence with the subjects, the function, the form, and the receivers of the programs.
The announcing of excellence has purposes and nuances that provide a hallmark and personal for the professional quality of the announcers. It should not be forgotten that a message can be enriched according to the professional purpose.
The Cuban radio will always treasure those voices of the announcers that have turned this profession into a source of marvelous memories and memorable both for the media and the listeners.
Cuba is a country, and it will continue to be, whose wonderful voices from the radio constitute an example to be followed in the international field.
Now, turn on your radio and you can listen any time the variety of voices that provide the best professional quality as this media fulfill all the requirements previously mentioned, for the audience’s good.
And something else: I have confirmed in all stations throughout this island that Cuba owns an announcing of excellence, and that those youngsters, who are now beginning their professional carrier are able to take over from their predecessors with excellency.