"You Should Rather Return to Your First Job." The Self-efficacy Beliefs of Radio Personalities.

This article examines the self-efficacy beliefs of radio presenters at a community radio station in central South Africa and their influence on broadcasting performance. Drawing on Bandura's social cognitive theory, the study identifies four key sources shaping self-efficacy: performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences (role modeling), verbal persuasion (feedback), and physiological states (emotional and physical responses). Findings indicate that personal successes, goal setting, mentorship, and constructive managerial feedback enhance presenters' confidence and performance, while stressors such as technical issues, negative listener criticism, and challenging tasks like news reading can undermine self-efficacy. The study offers recommendations for station management to support presenters' psychological well-being and professional development, including empowering female broadcasters, providing mentorship, aligning show assignments with presenters' biological rhythms, and improving technical and training resources.