How does the radio spokesperson’s voice influence credibility?

Josefa D. Martín-Santana; Eva Reinares-Lara; Pedro Reinares-Lara

doi:10.1515/commun-2017-0015

Article

How does the radio spokesperson’s voice influence credibility?

Josefa D. Martín-Santana , Eva Reinares-Lara and Pedro Reinares-Lara

Published/Copyright: April 2, 2017

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From the journal Communications Volume 42 Issue 2

Abstract

In radio, spokesperson credibility is a resource that can improve the effectiveness of a message, and its analysis requires the study of how voice qualities influence the listener. The aims of this study are to design and test the suitability of a scale of radio spokesperson credibility, and to analyse the effect of the phonoaesthetic function – that is, how a spokesperson’s gender, vocal pitch, accent and their interactions affect their credibility. We conducted a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design via eight radio programmes in which we inserted a radio spot as stimulus material. The hypotheses were tested on a sample of 987 Spanish radio listeners, and the advertised service was blood donation. The results allowed the validation of a scale of spokesperson credibility, traditionally used in audiovisual media, formed by three dimensions (attractiveness, expertise and trustworthiness), and provide several implications for the selection of a spokesperson for radio.

Keywords: radio spokesperson; spokesperson credibility; voice qualities; spokesperson gender; spokesperson vocal pitch; spokesperson accent

Published Online: 2017-4-2

Published in Print: 2017-4-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/commun-2017-0015

Keywords for this article

radio spokesperson; spokesperson credibility; voice qualities; spokesperson gender; spokesperson vocal pitch; spokesperson accent