- The VO strike against the AAAA agencies in 2000 is definitely the first domino in this evolving chain reaction. IIRC, the strike lasted 8 or 9 months, a duration that forced most ad agencies who hired strictly union talent to begin searching for high-caliber non-union talent. After all, the show must go on. This new habit of procuring non-union talent was not easily broken, and in fact, made it easy for advertisers to maintain in the face of 2 recessions and the ever-tightening squeeze by investors to bleed more earnings out of ad firms and companies that advertise.
- The proliferation of reasonably sophisticated audio recording/editing software was the next domino. For less than $500-$750, anyone could buy a mic, gear, and some simple acoustic treatment and put up a shingle.
- And, that they did by the thousands, as radio firms merged, gobbled, and otherwise grew in ways that led to the unemployment of well over 10,000 announcers who talked into a mic for a living.
In the good old days, 90% of the money in VO was earned by about 2-3% of the talent pool, which was reasonably sized at approx 100,000 people. Now, only 50% of the money is made by 10% of the talent pool, which has bloated to over 500,000 peeps. And the remaining 50% is earned by just a third of the remaining talent with a sizable 300,000 getting almost nothing, but still trying to stay in the business.
Make no mistake about it, VO -is- a business. Anyone who ignores this fact is not dealing in reality. Statistically, the odds of making it in VO are poorer than the odds for a millennial who is seeking work in their chosen discipline.
So... that leaves other motivations for wanting to do VO. To scratch an itch, perhaps. Or just to have some type of fun creative outlet.
In that case, carry on and enjoy yourself. But, don't get disappointed if you don't make more than a dime at it.
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