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Attention: Subway Announcers Sought Forskhhxthwhalzlyzzz
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 6, 2009
Modified Aug 6, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 6, 2009
Modified Aug 6, 2009
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Do you have a silky-smooth voice that sounds great filtered through static, feedback, and screeching train brakes? Then this could be your big, um, break: NYC Transit has allocated funds to expand their Dedicated Announcers Program, which broadcasts announcements through individual sections of the subway system containing between four and 22 stations. And the subway's customer communications director, Termaine Garden, actually seems to believe these announcements are intelligible: "We look for professional voices to make professional sounding announcements. Our goal is perfection." A noble pursuit, but how about a little mediocrity first—with all the garbled static, most of these announcements make as much sense as a Sonic Youth feedback jam. Currently 33 announcers cover 15 posts throughout the system, and 14 more are going to be hired soon. After the Daily News reported on the "elite group" yesterday, some readers even showed up at the MTA building to try auditioning. One hopeful, Anthony Paterson, a 55-year-old unemployed chauffeur from Long Island, explained, "I've been told by many people I have great voice." We hope he gets it, and look forward to not hearing a word he's saying.
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audition
MTA
nyc
subway announcers program
voice
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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