Work of Announcing

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 36, 22 March 1929, Page 12

Work of Announcing

Women Not Suitable DURING the month of November the British Broadcasting Corporation, after testing a number of women who applied for posts as announcers, decided to adhere to the policy of using men only for full time announcing before the microphone. The suggestion by the corporation that women might be employed for announcing purposes, led to the receipt of a considerable number of applications from women. They were then invited to Savoy Hill and given tests under broadcasting conditions. The capabilities of the women applicants were earefully considered by the British Broadcasting Corporation before coming to a decision, and on November 9 the following official statement was made:-"There are no vacancies for announcers-male or female-and the corporation does not contemplate appointing women to full-time announcing posts in the near future. Among those women tested no suitable candidate was found. The total number of whole-time announcers employed at the central station at Savoy Hill is six. Women are employed before the microphone part-time, to announce programmes during the afternoon, in the children’s hour, and at the provincial stations." In commenting upon the result of these tests the New South Wales Broadcasting Company, Limited, says it does not come as a surprise to controlling authorities in the Commonwealth that women should fail to pass the tests for announcing. Their opinion is that women are not suited to the arduous duties of an announcer, the difficulties of whose work are not apparent to the general public. The conditions of announcing, they consider, place the work within a sphere peculiar to men. Announcing calls for a large degree of showmanship, and to get the best result out of a programme the announcer has at times to marshall considerable numbers who are to perform either in solo or concerted items during a session. No matter how carefully the management may map out a programme the timing is apt to go wrong. A boxing or wrestling contest may end much sooner than was expected, some condition might arise which calls. for a considerable alteration in the programme in an outside show, or the land line between the studio and the pick-ing-up point might go wrong. Then it is that the announcer has to estimate the capabilities of the forces at his disposal, and see an impromptu programme through.