Can an American break into London Radio???

Hi!
I've been obsessed with the British culture for a very long time. (I'm in my late 20's) I've worked in ONLY major markets in the US for the past 4 years that I've been on air (top 10, top 3).

I was wondering from your perspective, could an American break into London radio? Has it been done before? I know it would be confusing, but I would love to make that a challenge of mine.

thoughts? Thank you!

First, - I am an expat Brit, orig from north of London, and I have been Stateside since 1987. I have held a J-1 work permit, held a green card then became a citizen.

The British do not care for an American accent, as much as Americans love an English accent.

Note that English and British are NOT interchangeable! England, is one of several countries that make up Great Britain. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also separate countries. Anyone who lives in British Commonwealth countries can hold a British passport, Canada, Bermuda, Australia, India...

You will also need to get a work permit, which while not impossible, you'd have to line up behind citizens of countries in the EEC, who have priority..

I can only think of two 'American' DJs who have made an impression on the British scene; David (Kid) Jensen, a Danish-Canadian! and Emperor Rosko.. (it was his book that sparked my interest in radio!).

You may also want to google - American working in England, to get more information on the legal requirements..

Hope that helps!

Regards

Geoff
newport ri

jazzjock said:

The British do not care for an American accent, as much as Americans love an English accent.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I think the trend goes in waves- just as American TV goes in and out of fashion over here.

Note that English and British are NOT interchangeable! England, is one of several countries that make up Great Britain. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also separate countries. Anyone who lives in British Commonwealth countries can hold a British passport, Canada, Bermuda, Australia, India...

You will also need to get a work permit, which while not impossible, you'd have to line up behind citizens of countries in the EEC, who have priority..

Click to expand...

Good advice

I can only think of two 'American' DJs who have made an impression on the British scene; David (Kid) Jensen, a Danish-Canadian! and Emperor Rosko.. (it was his book that sparked my interest in radio!).

Click to expand...

I can add a couple more to that, although it's still not a long list...

Charlie Wolf, who began on 80s pop pirate Laser 558 and early 90s 'border blaster' Atlantic 252. Now does talk radio, and a regular on BBC discussion programmes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_wolf


Paul Gambaccini- New Yorker who has appeared on stations as diverse as Radio One (pop music) and Radio 3 (deadly serious classical station)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gambaccini



It would be tough to break straight into London stations- what format do you work on, OP?

This is an old topic but I just found this board...

Back in the 1990's, as an American radio announcer from a major city, I had an interview with Capital FM and was told, point blank, that my accent would not be appreciated there.

But I got a fun tour of the station...

For what it's worth, the attitude toward American accents (which I've never heard on the air anywhere in England or Scotland during my travels over the years, on either the Beeb or commercial radio) seems very different in Ireland.

I went there a few years ago just on a pleasure trip with no interest in getting a different radio gig (I'm happily working in radio in the US). Over in Dublin, for example, while the RTE stations' air personalities all sound local, it was a different story on the commercial FMs. There, the American accent was essentially the norm, to the point that if you didn't know you were in Dublin you would get the impression you were tuning across the radio dial in Cleveland, Ohio or Buffalo, New York. Everyone sounded like he or she came from someplace in the Great Lakes, and specifically the American rather than the Canadian side (there is a subtle difference).

I think Geoff's being somewhat disingenuous to the American accent on radio as IMHO the handful of US and for that matter Canadian presenters that have been on-air here in the UK have always been received well.

BTW we mustn't forget Laser's Jessie Brandon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDXcHW-cqP4

David
90.8 Sunshine FM
Paphos, Cyprus