Podcast Transcript
Format: magazine style podcast
Host: Chuyi Lu
Interviewee: A young Chinese audio platform user
Estimated duration: 4-5 minutes
Opening:
(Sound effect: Phone unlocking sound)
(Sound effect: Gently tap the screen)
Hello everyone, this is China Listener, a website that follows Chinese audio platforms. Here, we can lead everyone to see how digital media is changing the concept of ‘listening’. In my previous article, I discussed that Ximalaya sells not only audio content, but also its’ good ‘auditory experience.
Today, I have a more specific question to ask you:
Why are some online voices so trustworthy before we verify them?
(Transition sound: Gently place the headphones on the table)
Me:
I asked a young female user from China who is a student. She usually enjoy listening to some Chinese audio. Like on an app like Ximalaya, what makes her feel that a speaker is trustworthy?
Interviewee：
Oh, this question is very difficult to explain clearly. emmm, to be honest, I don’t usually specifically check the background of this speaker. I basically believe in the feeling packaged by the entire platform first. For example, if I put it in a somewhat serious category, like those so-called ‘courses’, or if many people have already heard of it, I think it’s more reliable. I know this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true, but when I use the app, these prompts really affect my judgment in a short period of time.
Me:
This answer is very important. This indicates that trust is not only created by the person who speaks.
Trust also comes from the platform environment around the sound.
On Chinese audio platforms, sounds are often classified before we hear them. Categories such as audiobooks, children’s content, business, history, culture, paid courses, membership content, etc. not just organize content, but more affect users’ expectations of the content.
A sound placed in the ‘knowledge’ category and a sound placed in the ‘entertainment area’ sound different. A paid course may appear more professional simply because it’s placed behind a paywall. Also, a highly ranked program can also make people assume that many people approve of it.
So, the platform is not just about delivering audio to the audience. It’s also creating conditions that make certain sounds more credible than others.
(short pause）
Me:
But audio has another power, it makes people feel very close.
Unlike video, audio does not necessarily require us to stare at the screen. We can listen while walking, cooking, studying, going to work, or before going to bed. That’s why even if the sound is meant for many people, it still appears a bit private.
I also asked my interviewee when she usually listens to audio.
Interviewee：
Emmm, I usually listen while doing other things, such as taking public transportation to school and hypnosis before going to bed. I don’t have to keep looking at the screen, I just wear headphones, and the sound actually feels very close. Sometimes it feels like someone is whispering or telling stories beside me. So I think what I believe in is actually the sense of companionship that makes me feel.
Me:
This sense of companionship is valuable.
But on the platform, this can also become commercial value.
In addition to directly selling content, audio platforms are also selling a sense of comfort, a daily habit, a sense of focus, like a feeling of ‘you are guided’. A voice can become your teacher and also your intimate friend in life. It can also gradually become a habit for you to open it every day.
Once this habit is formed, features such as recommendation systems, subscriptions, VIP memberships, and paid albums can continue to keep listeners in the same platform system.
Do you feel that the audience is passive or easily deceived at this moment? No no no, What I mean is that our ‘listening’ itself has already been influenced by platform design.
(Transition sound: quiet room background noise, gentle flipping of pages)
Me：
There is another question here.
When we read an article, do we notice some links, sources, author names, and publishing information? But when we listen to audio, we often do things while listening, which means we are more influenced by factors such as the tone, expression, and confidence of those voices.
In fact, a smooth voice is often easier to understand information. It’ll also make the information sound more persuasive than its original content.
I also asked the interviewee this question.
Interviewee：
Of course! I think a confident voice is really valuable and directly affects my feelings. If a person speaks clearly and steadily, I will feel more relaxed and can easily understand the information without having to struggle to judge it. But sometimes I feel a bit dangerous because a smooth voice can make the content sound more professional, but the truth is I don’t know if it’s really professional. So I will be more careful now, especially when listening to paid knowledge content.
Me：
This is the contradiction inside.
A good audio platform can indeed make knowledge easier to access. It can support creators and bring stories, learning content, and more into our daily lives.
But the same platform may also simplify “authority”: when professionalism becomes a label, trust becomes a design effect. Listening becomes a ‘product’.
So the question is not whether we should trust the audio or not. We will definitely believe some voices, and there is reason to believe.
And the more important question is: why does this voice make us feel trustworthy?
Is it because the speaker is truly professional?
Is it because it was placed in a certain category?
Is it because the sound sounds very smooth?
Or is it because the platform has already guessed in advance what we want to hear?
(Short pause)
Me：
So next time, if an online audio sounds gentle, professional, and certain, you can continue listening.
But this requires a bit of platform awareness, because trust doesn’t just exist in the voice.
Sometimes, the sound is already set up by the platform before it truly begins.
(Sound effect: Phone lock screen sound)
(Sound effect: Place the headphones on the table)
Me：
This is China Listener, I’m Chuyi Lu. This episode is the accompanying audio for my feature essay on Chinese audio platforms, sound, and trust.
China Listener 