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Radio Imaging

Radio imaging is a general term that describes how a radio station is conceptualized by listeners, how it is defined as a product, and where it is positioned within the marketplace. This branding is a kind of auditory fashion statement that indicates a station's style, mood, and genre, in short, consumer packaging for radio. Radio imaging is made up of signature "filler" pieces that transition between songs, commercials, programs, and DJ commentaries. These short - 20 seconds or less - recorded elements include station identification, promos, jingles, intros, sweepers (a bridge that transitions from commercials to music), liners (a phrase played over an intro or between songs), bumpers (a 10 second transition between songs), and stingers (an auditory effect to highlight a punch line or underscore a point).

Radio imaging is an important element of marketing, letting radio listeners know what experience they're tuned into. Is a station serious or funny? High impact or laid back? Inspirational or confrontational? In order to appeal to the intended target audience, radio imaging must combine appropriate music, voiceovers, and jingles with voice talents that can convey the right energy and tone. Listeners need to be able to identify with a station's personality in order to become committed to it, and that persona is shaped by well-considered radio imaging.

It takes a skilled voiceover actor to do effective radio imaging. A voice talent must both understand what radio styles call for and to be able to produce the necessary performance. Some popular radio imaging genres with their corresponding voice characteristics include Rock, hard and driving; Adult Contemporary, bright and upbeat; News, direct and professional; New Country, energetic country attitude; and Soft AC, smooth and flowing. In addition to radio imaging, female voice talent Janet Ault has hundreds of voiceovers to her credit in all types of media including television, e-learning, corporate industrials, voice messaging and voice prompts, audio tours, store-casting, jingles, interactive kiosks, characters, and animation.

	"Janet Ault has been a true asset to my production work since the first day she voiced a spot for me. She does just about everything from voice characterizations to imaging with an uncanny ability to follow direction closely always giving me a number of takes to choose from. And when it comes to turnaround time her work gets to me either on time or earlier. Janet Ault will always be on my shortlist of voice over artists." Jeff Atherholt Production Director WRBS - Baltimore, MD