Over the past twenty years, working as a speech-language pathologist with journalists in one of Brazil’s leading national broadcast television networks has provided a unique opportunity to observe and support the development of professional communicators in high-performance environments. Journalists are professional voice users who face intense vocal and communicative demands, including live improvisation, off narration, oral text interpretation, assertiveness, and expressive body language.
This experience report reflects on clinical, pedagogical, and human insights gained through individualized and group vocal coaching sessions. The program includes weekly in-person and virtual sessions at the São Paulo headquarters and with affiliated stations across Brazil. Standardized assessment protocols and validated tools—such as the Voice-Related Quality of Life (QVV), Vocal Disability Index (IDV), and the GRBAS perceptual scale—are used to evaluate vocal quality, self-perception, and functional impact. Technological resources like VoxMetria software, video recordings for comparative analysis, and Power Breath devices for breath support complement the evaluation and training process.
Throughout this journey, several key learnings have emerged. Vocal emergencies are common in live media contexts and require immediate, adaptable interventions. Notably, the most technically refined voice is not always the one chosen for broadcast; communicative attitude, subject-matter expertise, and authenticity often outweigh vocal perfection. Some professionals benefit from brief, targeted guidance, while others require long-term development. These differences are frequently linked to factors such as self-awareness, prior communicative experiences, central auditory processing skills, and formal education.
Specialized training is provided for sports narrators and commentators, whose vocal load is significantly higher due to the intensity and duration of live narration. These professionals receive focused coaching in vocal endurance, breath control, and expressive modulation. A structured three-month preparatory program is also offered to journalism interns, fostering vocal technique, clarity, improvisation, and on-camera presence.
Over 2,500 professionals have participated in the program. Internal evaluations indicate a continuous improvement in vocal clarity and communicative performance, reinforcing the value of speech-language pathology in cultivating expressive, assertive, and resilient communicators in television journalism. This experience underscores the importance of personalized, interdisciplinary vocal coaching in promoting vocal health and developing engaging communication skills.