The Finnish media company is extending its trial of AI weather reports to full hosting on its Loop station.
Sanoma Media, a prominent Finnish multi-platform media company, has partnered with Radio.Cloud to launch a virtual host known as Anni for the afternoon drive program on Loop, one of its radio stations.
Anni, developed by Voicetrack.ai, is an AI-based virtual host that brings a new dimension to Loop’s programming, which previously aired without a host. The AI voice behind Anni is modelled after Satu Kotonen, the programme director for HitMix, Loop’s sister station.
Kotonen emphasised the importance of authenticity, clarity, and presence in creating an effective radio voice, stating that the voice material for Anni derives from real broadcasts Kotonen has performed on HitMix, ensuring it embodies genuine situations and energy.
Radio.Cloud CEO Christian Brenner highlighted the significance of this development, noting that the use of Voicetrack.ai’s platform to support a national FM station’s prime-time programme marks a considerable milestone. This advancement underscores the growing capabilities and adoption of AI-driven solutions in global radio broadcasting.
This is not Sanoma Media’s first venture into the utilisation of AI. In September, the company initiated trials featuring AI-assembled local weather forecasts, which are narrated by AI voices, on its HitMix and Aito Iskelmä stations. Sanoma Media has also been testing AI-delivered local news in Turku, a testament to the company’s commitment to enhancing its offerings through technology.
Sami Virtanen, Content Insight Strategist at Nelonen Media, the business unit responsible for Sanoma Media’s broadcast operations, said that ongoing product developments aim to provide listeners with superior and more engaging content. Virtanen stated that artificial intelligence and machine-generated voice facilitate rapid and efficient production, especially in applications like local weather reporting.
=Virtanen affirmed that AI does not aim to replace human radio professionals but rather enriches the broadcast experience in areas where conventional services might not be feasible. The company’s ethical principles, established in June 2024, ensure that listeners are informed whenever AI-generated content is on-air, and all AI-produced text is subject to human review before broadcasting.
Sanoma Media’s ethical guidelines consist of six principles designed to safeguard the fair and responsible deployment of AI: using AI for positive impact, ensuring human responsibility, promoting explainability and transparency, assessing risks and impacts, and implementing continuous monitoring and review. These principles are put in place to foster trust and accountability in AI applications.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://play.ht/text-to-speech/finnish/ – This link supports the use of AI-driven text-to-speech technology in content creation, similar to how Sanoma Media is using AI in radio broadcasting.
- https://www.rask.ai/voicecloning/finnish-voice-cloning – This link corroborates the advanced AI voice cloning technology used to generate natural-sounding voices, which is relevant to the development of AI hosts like Anni.
- https://easy-peasy.ai/text-to-speech/finnish – This link highlights the capability of AI to generate voiceovers in various languages, including Finnish, and the use of AI voices in different media applications.
- https://elevenlabs.io/text-to-speech/finnish – This link supports the creation of realistic and culturally resonant Finnish text-to-speech voices, which aligns with the need for authentic voices in radio broadcasting.
- https://murf.ai/text-to-speech/finnish – This link demonstrates the use of AI to generate high-quality, natural-sounding Finnish voices, which is similar to the AI-driven approach by Sanoma Media.
- https://play.ht/text-to-speech/finnish/ – This link explains the integration of AI voices into various applications, including radio and multimedia content, which is relevant to Sanoma Media’s initiatives.
- https://www.rask.ai/voicecloning/finnish-voice-cloning – This link discusses the ethical considerations of AI voice cloning, which aligns with Sanoma Media’s commitment to ethical standards in AI use.
- https://elevenlabs.io/text-to-speech/finnish – This link highlights the importance of contextual awareness and natural pauses in AI-generated speech, ensuring the content is relevant and appropriate.
- https://murf.ai/text-to-speech/finnish – This link supports the customization and control over AI voices, such as adjusting pitch, emphasis, and speed, which can be applied to enhance radio broadcasting.
- https://play.ht/text-to-speech/finnish/ – This link explains the use of AI voices in educational and marketing content, which is part of Sanoma Media’s broader strategy to enhance content through AI.
- https://easy-peasy.ai/text-to-speech/finnish – This link demonstrates the versatility of AI voices in different languages and applications, reflecting the innovative use of AI in media companies like Sanoma Media.
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