NPR to announce new voice of underwriting credits

NPR plans to unveil tomorrow the name of the on-air talent who has been chosen to voice its underwriting credits as a successor to longtime announcer Frank Tavares.

“The NPR Announcer will become the voice of all NPR national funding credits for broadcast and digital content,” wrote Eric Nuzum, v.p. of programming, in a Oct. 21 memo to public radio station leaders that was obtained by Current. “We think listeners — and sponsors — will find her engaging.” Though Nuzum wasn’t divulging the identity of the new announcer, he did reveal that the network has chosen a female.

Listeners will begin hearing her announcements next month in NPR newscast and online credits, Nuzum wrote; she will take over voicing of all credits later. Tavares is to continue with NPR through the end of the year.

Tavares, who lives in Connecticut, has read NPR’s underwriting credits as a part-time contractor from his home for more than three decades. In May, the network began a search for a new announcer after deciding to move the job in-house “to bring greater efficiencies to the process” and to help the network respond more quickly to new sponsorship opportunities, according to an NPR spokesperson.

Joe Gunderman, a production coordinator at WKSU in Kent, Ohio, and an announcer of NPR’s digital sponsorship credits, will also be replaced. Gunderman and Tavares were invited to apply for the new position, according to NPR.

Current will report more details on Wednesday as they become available.