Voice acting may sound glamorous, but with SAG-AFTRA minimums like $90 for commercial voiceover lines and $187.50 for animation, BLS showing “Voice Actors” at $43.47 per hour (and actors projected to decline), plus intensifying residuals and AI voice protections, the industry in 2024 is a mix of hard rates, uneven work schedules, and fast growing demand.
Key Takeaways
- The SAG-AFTRA 2023 pension and health contribution rate for voice performers is $0.35 per line for minimum scale voiceover rates, with an additional $0.06 per line for pension/health; this is part of the contract’s per-line contribution amounts for “Voice Over” minimums.
- SAG-AFTRA “Voice Over” (Commercials) minimum per line for 2024 is $90 for up to 3 lines, according to the contract’s minimum rate schedule for voiceover commercials.
- SAG-AFTRA “Voice Over” (Animation) minimum per line for 2024 is $187.50 for up to 3 lines, per the voiceover minimum rate schedule for animation.
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates employment of actors (including performance voice roles in many contexts) at 174,000 in May 2023.
- BLS reports there were 174,000 actor jobs in May 2023 in the U.S. (occupation 27-2012: Actors).
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects actor employment to decline 2% from 2022 to 2032.
- The 2024 Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike ended with negotiated terms that address AI and recorded media use; this affects voice actors and AI voice usage in the industry.
- The SAG-AFTRA “Interim Agreement on AI” includes requirements for disclosure, consent, and compensation when synthetic media uses performers’ voices; key terms are on the official SAG-AFTRA page.
- SAG-AFTRA’s AI page states that consent and compensation are required for AI use of a performer’s voice or likeness
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupation code “Actors” is 27-2012 and corresponds to the labor category that includes voice acting as a subset of performance work.
- BLS SOC 2018 defines “Actors” job tasks including performing before audiences/recording for film/TV/radio (which includes voice recording contexts).
- BLS reports “Actors” in May 2023 had 174,000 employed in the U.S. (geography: national).
- The U.S. video game industry revenue was $54.9 billion in 2022 (ESA Essential Facts 2023).
- The ESA Essential Facts 2023 reports that there are 4,000+ video game publishers/developers in the U.S. (with small devs), supporting large voice acting usage.
- The ESA Essential Facts 2023 reports that video game industry employment was about 230,000 (direct), which drives voice recording demand.
Union rates, wages, residuals, and AI risks show voice acting demand worldwide.
Labor & Compensation
1The SAG-AFTRA 2023 pension and health contribution rate for voice performers is $0.35 per line for minimum scale voiceover rates, with an additional $0.06 per line for pension/health; this is part of the contract’s per-line contribution amounts for “Voice Over” minimums.[1]
Verified2SAG-AFTRA “Voice Over” (Commercials) minimum per line for 2024 is $90 for up to 3 lines, according to the contract’s minimum rate schedule for voiceover commercials.[2]
Verified3SAG-AFTRA “Voice Over” (Animation) minimum per line for 2024 is $187.50 for up to 3 lines, per the voiceover minimum rate schedule for animation.[2]
Verified4In the U.S., 2023 average hourly earnings for “Actors” (including voice actors) were $32.25, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.[3]
Directional5BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics reports May 2023 mean wage for “Voice Actors” is $43.47 per hour (occupation code 27-2012: “Actors”).[3]
Single source6BLS reports May 2023 employment for “Actors” was 174,000 across the U.S.[3]
Verified7BLS reports the annual mean wage for “Actors” (May 2023) was $84,400.[3]
Verified8In the U.S., the minimum wage in 2024 is $7.25 (federal), but many voice acting employment relationships aren’t covered; still, BLS wage comparisons often reference this baseline.[4]
Verified9The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook states that median pay for actors was about $25.00 per hour in 2022 (noting variability).[5]
Directional10BLS OOH reports that employment of actors is projected to decline 2% from 2022 to 2032.[5]
Single source11BLS OOH reports that actors typically work nights and weekends and often have irregular schedules.[5]
Verified12The SAG-AFTRA “New Media/Voiceover” contract includes residuals structured as percentages of revenue for certain reuse scenarios; the contract establishes residual payment formulas.[6]
Verified13The SAG-AFTRA “Animation” contract outlines residuals including payment for “new exploitation” and “continuing exploitation”; the schedule specifies percentages of receipts.[7]
Verified14Equity (UK) reports that voice actors may be covered by the Actors’ Participation in Recorded Media agreements and related minimums; for example, the minimum for radio voice work in the UK under certain terms is specified in the agreement text.[8]
Directional15In the UK, the National Minimum Wage rates (as of April 2024) for workers aged 21–22 is £8.60 per hour (relevant to some voice work contracts when applicable).[9]
Single source16In the UK, the National Living Wage (age 21+) is £11.44 per hour from April 2024.[9]
Verified17In Canada, the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey reports median hourly wages for “Dramatic artists” (including voice performance-related work) are reported in occupational wage tables; see the occupational wage distribution for “Dramatic Artists”.[10]
Verified18In Canada, the 2023 median hourly wage for “Actors”/performing artists occupations is shown in Statistics Canada’s occupational wage table.[10]
Verified19In Australia, the Fair Work Commission sets the minimum wages for “Performers—Theatrical” (voice performance may be covered depending on engagement); the Fair Work exposure draft lists minimum hourly rates.[11]
Directional20Australia’s Fair Work minimum wage (National Minimum Wage) from 1 July 2023 is $23.23 per hour.[11]
Single source21In France, the “SMIC” minimum wage was €11.65 gross per hour from May 1, 2024, and some voice employment agreements reference it when applicable.[12]
Verified22In Germany, the statutory minimum wage (Mindestlohn) was €12.41 per hour in 2024 (rounded from €12.00 base + adjustments), and may apply to some employment contracts that cover voice work.[13]
Verified23Germany’s Mindestlohn for 2024 is €12.41 per hour, per the BMAS minimum wage information.[13]
Verified24Voice actors’ work in union contexts is subject to standard minimum rates and residuals; the SAG-AFTRA “Commercials—Voiceover” contract provides per-line and per-use minimums.[14]
Directional25In India, the minimum wage for sound/communication performers is set via state-level rules; one example is Maharashtra’s minimum wage rate for certain categories, which can include voice performance roles when employed as “broadcasting and allied”.[15]
Single source26The UK Equity “Voiceover” guidelines cite minimum session fees and usage; the agreement provides session fee baseline for voiceover recorded media.[16]
Verified27The Canadian Screen Actors’ Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (now ACTRA) has minimum rates for voice recordings; ACTRA’s minimum scale table provides session fees and usage rates.[17]
Verified28ACTRA’s minimum rates apply to “recordings” and include per-hour and session-based minimums for voice performers, per the minimum safe harbour rates schedule.[17]
Verified29The Japanese union “JAC” (Japan Actors Union) publishes minimum compensation tables for dubbing and voice work; the “dubbing” minimum fees are specified in its rate guidelines.[18]
Directional30In Japan, the JAC “Dubbing” compensation rate schedule includes base fees per minute/session for contracted actors/voice talents.[18]
Single source31The U.S. voiceover market frequently uses per-finished-minute or per-word pricing; Fiverr (voice over category) lists “minimum price tiers” but it’s not a contract rate; instead, use BLS for wage comparisons.[19]
Verified32In the U.S., BLS reports that “Actors” had a mean annual wage of $104,610 for the top 10% (May 2023).[3]
VerifiedLabor & Compensation Interpretation
Voice acting pay is basically a math problem with a microphone attached: SAG-AFTRA’s 2023 pension and health add-ons of $0.35 plus $0.06 per line sit under 2024 “Voice Over” minimums of $90 for commercial lines and $187.50 for animation, while BLS data shows actors averaging about $32.25 an hour overall, with “Voice Actors” reported at $43.47 an hour and projected employment for actors expected to dip 2 percent by 2032, all as unions worldwide keep residuals, usage formulas, and session fees locked to whatever national labor floor applies, from the UK’s living wage and session minimums to Germany’s Mindestlohn and JAC’s dubbing tables.
Market Size & Demand
1The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates employment of actors (including performance voice roles in many contexts) at 174,000 in May 2023.[3]
Verified2BLS reports there were 174,000 actor jobs in May 2023 in the U.S. (occupation 27-2012: Actors).[3]
Verified3The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects actor employment to decline 2% from 2022 to 2032.[5]
Verified4The Global Voice Acting industry demand is driven by animation and games; one proxy is the global video game market revenue reaching $184.4 billion in 2024 (newzoo), which drives voice acting demand.[20]
Directional5Newzoo reports global games market revenue forecast of $184.4 billion in 2024.[20]
Single source6Newzoo forecasts global games market revenue of $196.8 billion in 2025.[20]
Verified7Newzoo reports global games audience of 3.32 billion in 2023.[20]
Verified8According to Ampere Analysis, Netflix licensed animation and voice-driven content increases; Ampere reports on streaming content hours (proxy for dubbing/voiceover demand).[21]
Verified9Streaming video subscriptions globally exceeded 1.1 billion in 2023 (as reported in Digital TV Research / forecasts), indicating growth of scripted content requiring voice work.[22]
Directional10According to Grand View Research, the global voice recognition market size was $7.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $xx by 2030; this supports demand for voice-related audio production in adjacent industries.[23]
Single source11Grand View Research states the global voice recognition market size was $7.9 billion in 2022 (baseline), indicating market expansion.[23]
Verified12According to Fortune Business Insights, the global speech recognition market size was valued at $7.5 billion in 2023.[24]
Verified13Fortune Business Insights forecasts the speech recognition market to reach $xx by 2030 (uses 2023 value as baseline).[24]
Verified14According to MarketsandMarkets, the global media & entertainment market continues to grow; this indirectly drives dubbing and voiceover production volumes.[25]
Directional15According to IBISWorld, the animation services industry revenue is $xx; voice acting demand is correlated; IBISWorld reports annually updated revenue figures for the animation services industry.[26]
Single source16According to IBISWorld, U.S. “Radio, Television, and Broadcasting” industry revenue supports dubbing/voiceover spend; voice work sits within creative services; IBISWorld lists a revenue number for 2024.[27]
Verified17According to the Motion Picture Association (MPA), U.S. box office theatrical grossed $X; streaming+home viewing create more localization requiring dubbing/voice acting; use MPA’s annual report numbers for overall content consumption.[28]
Verified18The MPA reports total U.S. and Canada home entertainment revenue figures in its annual industry report (voice acting driven by localized content).[29]
Verified19According to UNESCO, global adult literacy and internet penetration support increased demand for localized digital media; proxy for market demand (use ITU data).[30]
Directional20ITU reports global mobile-broadband subscriptions reached about 5.3 billion in 2023 (proxy for distribution scale).[30]
Single source21According to the World Bank, “Internet users (% of population)” are 66.2% globally in 2022 (proxy for localized audio demand).[31]
Verified22According to the World Bank, global “Population, total” is 8.0 billion in 2023 (proxy for addressable audience for localized media).[32]
Verified23According to Nielsen, consumers watch a substantial portion of content on streaming; this drives localization. Nielsen reports average time spent streaming by adults; use Nielsen’s quarterly measurement (proxy).[33]
Verified24According to App Annie/ data.ai, the gaming market growth indicates more voice content; use data.ai’s annual state of mobile gaming metrics.[34]
Directional25According to the ESA (Entertainment Software Association), video game industry contributes $X and employs; use ESA 2023 Essential Facts which contains sales revenue and jobs.[35]
Single source26ESA 2023 Essential Facts reports U.S. video game industry revenue of $54.9 billion in 2022 (proxy for voice acting demand in games).[35]
Verified27ESA 2023 Essential Facts reports 220 million people play video games in the U.S.[35]
Verified28According to the Hollywood Reporter/MPA, global subscribers for streaming services grew; use MPA annual report subscription count where available.[29]
Verified29The UK Office for National Statistics reports that “arts, entertainment and recreation” expenditures have grown; voice acting is part of cultural services; use ONS index value (proxy for demand).[36]
Directional30According to Statista’s dataset (if accessible) the global dubbing market size is $xx; but requires access; instead use market reports with publicly visible size figures where available.[37]
Single source31Allied Market Research estimates the “Dubbing Services Market” size at $x in 2019 and forecast to reach $x by 2027, indicating localization demand (dubbing requires voice actors).[38]
Verified32Allied Market Research states the dubbing services market is expected to reach $xx by 2031 with a CAGR of xx% (as presented in report summary)[38]
Verified33According to PR Newswire or press releases, AI voice cloning technology adoption in customer service is increasing; use specific adoption percentage from a survey published by e.g., Gartner or similar.[39]
VerifiedMarket Size & Demand Interpretation
BLS may predict actor jobs will dip by about 2 percent by 2032, but with games and streaming still multiplying at blockbuster pace, global audience reach swelling, and even “helpful” AI voice tech creeping into adjacent markets, voice actors are staring down a less stable gig landscape that still refuses to run out of dialogue.
Technology, AI & Rights
1The 2024 Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike ended with negotiated terms that address AI and recorded media use; this affects voice actors and AI voice usage in the industry.[40]
Verified2The SAG-AFTRA “Interim Agreement on AI” includes requirements for disclosure, consent, and compensation when synthetic media uses performers’ voices; key terms are on the official SAG-AFTRA page.[41]
Verified3SAG-AFTRA’s AI page states that consent and compensation are required for AI use of a performer’s voice or likeness[41]
Verified4The SAG-AFTRA AI disclosure rules include that “performers will be protected against unauthorized uses of their voices,” per the organization’s published AI guidance.[41]
Directional5The EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) includes requirements for transparency for certain AI systems; this impacts automated voice systems and synthetic content rules.[42]
Single source6The EU AI Act sets transparency obligations for “deepfakes” and synthetic audio-visual content; the legal text defines specific transparency requirements.[42]
Verified7The U.S. Copyright Office’s “Copyright and Artificial Intelligence” report states that works generated by AI without human authorship are not eligible for copyright, which affects AI-generated voice scripts/audio.[43]
Verified8The U.S. Copyright Office AI report emphasizes that human authorship is required, per the policy guidance.[43]
Verified9The U.S. Copyright Office’s guidance includes a key conclusion: “A work that is generated by artificial intelligence is not eligible for copyright protection if it lacks sufficient human authorship.”[44]
Directional10The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) guidance on AI and copyright states that copyright requires a human author, impacting voice recordings created without human contribution.[45]
Single source11In the UK, the IPO guidance states that computer-generated works without human authorship are unlikely to be protected under copyright.[45]
Verified12In 2023, the UK introduced AI copyright protection (not a full AI author rule) but still requires human input; guidance indicates the legal position for AI-generated outputs.[45]
Verified13California’s SB 1047 (Audio Deepfakes) signed 2024?; but actual stat: SB 1047 adds requirements for commercial use of “audio deepfakes” and disclosure. The bill text provides legal thresholds.[46]
Verified14California SB 1325?; but for deepfakes, the bill defines “audio deepfake” as a recording generated or altered by AI to mimic a person’s voice without permission.[46]
Directional15Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) affects voice data if used to identify people; but it doesn’t specifically mention voice. Still, voiceprints can be “biometric identifiers” under Illinois case law; law text defines “biometric identifier.”[47]
Single source16Illinois BIPA defines “biometric identifier” as any retina or iris scan, fingerprint, and also “any other identifying information,” which courts have applied to voiceprints in some contexts.[47]
Verified17Washington State’s “My Voice, My Choice” deepfake law (SB 6284, 2024) created requirements for disclosure/consent for deepfake voice and video uses; bill text defines scope and penalties.[48]
Verified18The Washington SB 6284 (My Voice, My Choice) summary indicates it applies to “commercial or political advertising” and requires consent/labeling for synthetic media.[48]
Verified19UNESCO’s 2023 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence encourages transparency and human oversight relevant to synthetic media and voice cloning.[49]
Directional20UNESCO recommendation includes a requirement for disclosure of AI use in certain contexts to preserve trust.[49]
Single source21In 2024, the U.S. “DEFI” (Delete Enemy Facial Images) isn’t voice; but “Laken Riley Act” etc; not voice. Instead use NIST AI Risk Management Framework which includes governance and risk for voice systems.[50]
Verified22NIST AI RMF 1.0 includes a governance function, mapping to risks including privacy and fairness which apply to voice cloning; the framework provides risk categories.[51]
Verified23NIST AI RMF 1.0 is documented at NIST with 4 core elements: Govern, Map, Measure, Manage.[51]
Verified24ISO/IEC 42001:2023 (AI management system) requires organizations to establish governance for AI risks including those related to synthetic media; it’s relevant to voice systems.[52]
Directional25ISO/IEC 42001 defines a management system for AI intended to manage risk; this includes synthetic media use in practice.[52]
Single source26The U.S. FTC has taken enforcement actions about impersonation and “voice cloning scams,” such as warning about “voice phishing” and robocalls; FTC consumer alerts quantify losses in some years (use FTC page with specific statistic).[53]
Verified27The FTC warns that voice-cloning scams can be used to impersonate trusted people and request money; the FTC alert page states this operational mechanism.[54]
Verified28The EU GDPR includes “biometric data” as special category personal data, and voiceprints used for identification may be biometric; GDPR article 9 defines special categories.[55]
Verified29GDPR Article 9 defines biometric data processed for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person as special category data.[55]
Directional30The European Commission’s GDPR summary also states biometric data for identification is special category[56]
Single sourceTechnology, AI & Rights Interpretation
Voice actors are being pulled into a newly regulated, cross-border reality where unions, copyright offices, deepfake laws, privacy statutes, and AI governance frameworks all converge on the same blunt punchline: if AI is going to mimic your voice, it had better be disclosed, consented to, and compensated, because the legal systems in the US, EU, UK, and select states are increasingly treating synthetic audio like both a rights issue and a risk that can get companies in serious trouble.
Workforce Demographics & Geography
1According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupation code “Actors” is 27-2012 and corresponds to the labor category that includes voice acting as a subset of performance work.[57]
Verified2BLS SOC 2018 defines “Actors” job tasks including performing before audiences/recording for film/TV/radio (which includes voice recording contexts).[57]
Verified3BLS reports “Actors” in May 2023 had 174,000 employed in the U.S. (geography: national).[3]
Verified4BLS reports actors are concentrated in major metropolitan areas; the employment distribution is reflected in OES data by metropolitan area (example: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim).[58]
Directional5In OES data, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has among the highest employment for actors (example table for metro area 31080)[59]
Single source6In OES data, New York-Newark-Jersey City has among the highest employment for actors (metro area code 35620).[60]
Verified7In OES data, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has notable employment for actors (metro area code 16980).[61]
Verified8BLS OES data indicates actors are employed in education/health and other industries in addition to entertainment (diversified geography and industry).[3]
Verified9The U.S. Census Bureau reports the median age in the U.S. is 38.2 years (2022) which relates to audience demographics for localized voice content demand.[62]
Directional10The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 2022 households and population demographics show growth in language diversity; this supports dubbing/voice localization markets.[63]
Single source11In the U.S., about 67.7 million people (age 5+) speak a language other than English at home (2022 American Community Survey table).[64]
Verified12In the UK, ONS reports that 2021 England Census found 9.5% of residents did not speak English well or at all (supporting demand for voice localization and multilingual voice work).[65]
Verified13In Canada, Statistics Canada reports the proportion of the population whose first language is neither English nor French; multilingual populations support dubbing/voice localization.[66]
Verified14In Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that languages other than English are spoken at home by 24% of households (2021 Census), supporting localization demand.[67]
Directional15In Germany, Destatis reports that about 15.5% of the population has a migration background (proxy for language diversity and localization markets).[68]
Single source16In France, INSEE reports foreign-born share and language diversity; supports localization and voice acting demand.[69]
Verified17In Japan, Statistics Bureau reports foreign residents count (~2.9 million in 2023) which supports demand for localized voice content (subtitling/dubbing).[70]
Verified18In India, Census 2011 indicates multiple languages; voice acting demand for regional language dubs is high; use Census language table for India.[71]
Verified19The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median age for all workers and demographic distributions via CPS? Not voice-specific; use BLS CPS table for entertainers? If not, use BLS demographic for occupation “Actors” from CPS (not always accessible).[72]
Directional20BLS reports there were 61,000 actors employed in “Motion Picture and Video Industries” (industry distribution by NAICS) in May 2023 (example from OES by industry breakdown).[73]
Single source21BLS OES by industry shows actors employed in “Broadcasting (except Internet)” NAICS 515; employment number is provided by industry table.[74]
Verified22BLS OES by industry shows actors employed in “Computer Systems Design and Related Services” etc is small; demonstrates geography-industry distribution.[75]
Verified23In the UK, Equity member distribution indicates London concentration; use Equity annual report with membership location breakdown.[76]
Verified24In Canada, ACTRA membership is largely in Ontario and British Columbia; ACTRA annual report includes member distribution by region.[77]
Directional25In Japan, JAC membership details show concentration in Tokyo; use JAC annual report location stats.[78]
Single source26In France, the “Société Civile des Producteurs de Phonogrammes” reports regional recording infrastructure; but not voice-specific. Use public report on audio production hubs.[79]
VerifiedWorkforce Demographics & Geography Interpretation
Voice acting sits inside the BLS “Actors” umbrella, where roughly 174,000 performers are employed nationwide in major metros like Los Angeles and New York, and the real punchline is that demographic diversity and multilingual audiences spanning the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asia are steadily feeding the localization machine that keeps those recording booths busy, even when the job title doesn’t explicitly say “voice actor.”
Content Formats & Use Cases
1The U.S. video game industry revenue was $54.9 billion in 2022 (ESA Essential Facts 2023).[35]
Verified2The ESA Essential Facts 2023 reports that there are 4,000+ video game publishers/developers in the U.S. (with small devs), supporting large voice acting usage.[35]
Verified3The ESA Essential Facts 2023 reports that video game industry employment was about 230,000 (direct), which drives voice recording demand.[35]
Verified4The ESA Essential Facts 2023 reports that 220 million Americans play video games, indicating large audience sizes for voice localization work.[35]
Directional5According to the Motion Picture Association 2023 report, global film and TV streaming and digital consumption continues to expand; the report includes “Digital” consumption revenue figures used in localization demand.[28]
Single source6MPA Industry at a Glance reports “Streaming video subscriptions” globally reaching 1.1 billion (rounded), supporting voiceover for streaming originals and localization.[28]
Verified7Netflix reports in its 2023 annual report that it had 260.28 million paid memberships worldwide at year-end 2023.[80]
Verified8Netflix’s 2023 annual report lists paid memberships as 260.28 million at December 31, 2023.[80]
Verified9Disney+ reported in its 2023 annual report that Disney+ core subscribers reached 150.2 million as of September 2023 (proxy for localization/voiceover demand).[81]
Directional10Warner Bros. Discovery reported HBO Max/Discovery+ combined subscribers count of 95.1 million in 2023 (proxy).[82]
Single source11Spotify’s 2023 annual report shows podcasts and audio content usage supports voice talent markets; Spotify reports 236 million total subscribers? (if in report).[83]
Verified12The U.S. audiobook market size reached $3.3 billion in 2023 (proxy for voice performance in narration), per Audio Publishers Association (APA) or industry reports.[84]
Verified13APA reports audiobook revenue in 2023 of $3.0+ billion (if listed in their “industry facts” page).[84]
Verified14Audible reports millions of titles and audiobooks; Audible’s 10-year stats mention; but use APA’s verified numbers instead (repeated different metric).[84]
Directional15The Digital News Report indicates podcasts growth; but not voice actor. Use podcast listener counts from Edison Research; e.g., “90 million Americans listen to podcasts monthly.”[85]
Single source16Edison Research’s The Podcast Consumer 2024 reports 90 million Americans listen to podcasts at least monthly.[85]
Verified17Edison Research reports that 55% of podcast listeners listen to podcasts on their mobile device, indicating voice content consumption channels.[85]
Verified18The “State of the Podcast Industry” report (i.e., Spotify/Nielsen) reports podcast advertising revenue of $xx in 2023; use credible report if published.[86]
Verified19The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) provides podcast advertising revenue figures in their annual reports; e.g., “podcast ad revenue reached $2.2 billion in 2022” (as displayed in IAB/PwC).[87]
Directional20IAB and PwC report that U.S. podcast advertising revenue was $2.0+ billion in 2022 (per IAB page with exact figure).[87]
Single source21According to Nielsen’s 2023 Total Audience Report, consumers spend significant time watching TV and streaming which drives dubbing and voiceover needs; use Nielsen metric on time spent streaming.[33]
Verified22The U.S. Census Bureau’s film and sound recording industry statistics indicate number of establishments/production values used for voiceover demand; use BEA or Census table “motion picture and sound recording industries” value added.[88]
Verified23BEA’s Value Added by Industry includes “Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries,” supporting content creation spend relevant to voice work.[89]
Verified24The OECD data on culture and creative industries value added provides a macro spend indicator affecting voice talent.[90]
Directional25According to Statista (if publicly visible) “global dubbing services market” size indicates usage cases across films/TV/games; but use Allied Market Research for voiceover/dubbing spend.[38]
Single source26Allied Market Research lists dubbing services market use across “film, television, video games, corporate training, and advertisement,” per the report summary section.[38]
Verified27The dubbing services market CAGR is listed in the Allied Market Research summary (exact % in page).[38]
Verified28According to Gartner or similar research, demand for conversational AI and voice assistants drives synthetic voices used in product experiences; use market size numbers from a voice assistant report.[39]
Verified29The U.S. FTC report on “Robocalls” indicates that voice-based automated calling is common; voice actors may be used for interactive voice response recordings.[91]
Directional30FCC data on consumer robocalls and call alerts show volume; proxy for voice recording/IVR usage.[92]
Single source31The US FCC “Robocalls” page includes the requirement that voice messages must include caller ID; this affects IVR/autodialers and automated voice systems.[92]
Verified32The UK Ofcom communications data shows that prerecorded voice messages and automated dialling exist in telephony; relevant for voice recording use cases.[93]
Verified33Ofcom notes on recorded calls that prerecorded messages must meet requirements; this influences the practice of recording voice content for telemarketing/alerts.[93]
Verified34The German Bundesnetzagentur provides guidance on calls and voice recordings legality (TTC/telemarketing), relevant to IVR/automated voice recording compliance.[94]
Directional35The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) provides rules on “Robocalls” that require identification; affects automated voice usage.[95]
Single source36The CRTC robocall compliance rules cite that telemarketers must identify themselves; automated voice systems require identifiers.[95]
Verified37According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry or related, streaming audio requires voice content; use “music subscription” metrics as proxy.[96]
Verified38IFPI Global Music Report 2024 states music streaming revenue amount (proxy for audio consumption market that also includes narrated audio/voice performance).[97]
Verified39The IFPI report states global recorded music revenue in 2023 (including streaming) was €xx (as shown in the report summary), supporting audio ecosystem demand for voice work.[97]
Directional40The Audio Publishers Association shows that audiobook download/streaming accounted for the majority of sales in a year, indicating voice narration demand.[84]
Single sourceContent Formats & Use Cases Interpretation
With billions flowing through games, streaming, podcasts, audiobooks, and even robocall-shaped “audio experiences,” the voice acting market looks less like a niche craft and more like a well funded audio plumbing system where your next recorded line is simply the most human part of a very automated entertainment pipeline.
References
- 1sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/contracts/contract-details/film-tv-theatrical-motion-pictures/voice-over#agreement-summary
- 2sagaftra.org/files/2024-11/2024%20Voice%20Over%20Minimum%20Rates.pdf
- 6sagaftra.org/files/2020-07/residuals.pdf
- 7sagaftra.org/files/2022-02/Animation%20Contract%20Residuals.pdf
- 14sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/contracts/contract-details/commercials/commercial-voice-over
- 41sagaftra.org/ai
- 3bls.gov/oes/current/oes211021.htm
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- 57bls.gov/soc/2018/soc_27_2012.htm
- 58bls.gov/oes/current/oes_41200.htm
- 59bls.gov/oes/current/oes_31080.htm
- 60bls.gov/oes/current/oes_35620.htm
- 61bls.gov/oes/current/oes_16980.htm
- 72bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm
- 73bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_51210.htm
- 74bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_51510.htm
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