Guest cfif Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Is it just me, or is Bill Ratner WAY overused? Don't get me wrong, he has a great voice....it's somewhat generic (which isn't always bad) though and I hate to see stations with more unique sounding voices switch to Ratner. Anyone else feel that too many stations use Ratner? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/6447-bill-ratner/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazynetjunkie 34 Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Overused.. But not for the fact that too many stations use him. He does a good job and has a good price for his "status" so he's getting the work he earned himself. I think he's overused because of the number of regular TV commercials he does which appear on ALL the stations. He's currently the voice of Hyundai. I know he's the current voice for a couple other companies which I don't remember off the top of my head right now. He was last year's voice (and 2008's too) for Old Navy. He's one of the voices for Popeye's Chicken and a few other more local/regional commercials. Don't forget all the movie trailers he does too. I just find it weird when I hear Ratner's voice saying, "Closed captioning on CBS 2 News is brought to you by HONDA" and then you see a commercial right after that for HYUNDAI using Ratner's voice. Ratner has to be the longest going voiceover WBBM has had in a very long time. They've been using him since 2003. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/6447-bill-ratner/#findComment-58872 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 703 Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Heck, Ratner even does narration for long-form programs like The Weather Channel's short-lived "Full Force Nature" that is still in repeats to this day. I swear, this guy is everywhere. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/6447-bill-ratner/#findComment-58875 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1115 Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 And GI Joe. He was Flint in the original GI Joe. Still his best performance. But yeah, he's the one voice that seems to be *everywhere* these days. Kinda like Howard Parker a few years back though he scaled down his station voiceover work after he started doing every movie trailer. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/6447-bill-ratner/#findComment-58905 Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 979 Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 He's on KMGH in Denver, and he does the ABC network as well. I like most of his voicework, it's personable and it comes off as friendly. The voice he uses for ABC doesn't really, but that's fine. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/6447-bill-ratner/#findComment-58927 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABC 7 Denver 1715 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 He is on most of the Hearst stations these days. For the stations that he is isn't supplying imaging services, Steve Stone and Jim Cutler (only for WLKY) provide imaging. I am glad he's been pulled from WNBC. I am kind of sick of his voice. Personally I'm surprised Jeff McNeal hasn't become more popular. He is a sound alike to Chris Clausen and Clausen was the go-to voice before Ratner. If you don't think they sound alike, listen to the current Media General Station Group Package, cuts 3&4, at WJAR (http://southernmedia-nmsa.com/#1,1,WJAR). Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/6447-bill-ratner/#findComment-90172 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctmajka 112 Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 It's great hearing him in both Hyundai and V8 commercials on both WLS and WBBM, especially because my mind is now programmed to assimilate his voice with both stations. What's weirder is hearing Brian Lee all over CBS 2, but then he's Katie's voice over on ABC 7. What's wrong with a little uniformity, people? :bang: Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/6447-bill-ratner/#findComment-91673 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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