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March 21, 2023 7:55 pm  #1


Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

Last month, I posted about RadioGPT, a rather alarming AI computer program that allows a radio station to be completely "staffed" by a machine, including all the announcers and voiceovers. The company even set up a sample station to demonstrate what it sounds like. 

Rogers was one of the first to buy into the concept, but didn't say if or when it ever planned to use it. But according to the website Axios, that on-air demo may come as soon as next month. After recapping what the utility is and what it can do, the site offers this at the end of the story:

"The technology will debut at actual radio stations in mid-April, including Portland-based Alpha Media, which owns and operates more than 200 stations in the U.S., and Rogers Sports & Media, which owns 55 across Canada."

It doesn't say how or in what capacity Big Red intends to use it, but it's a terrible omen for future employment prospects at their radio stations across the country. Although the company CEO insists that's not their intention.

"Our research shows that seven out of 10 air shifts around the world are already unmanned with generic production or voice tracking," [Daniel] Anstandig says. "What we're looking to do is augment a station's ability to fill its programming with more live and local content."

But the fallacy of that statement, of course, is that it wouldn't be "live" at all.

The story concludes by saying this thing could spread like COVID - and could be in use by "hundreds" of radio stations across North America before the end of the year.

Does Rogers Intend To Launch RadioGPT On Some of Its Stations In April?

 

March 21, 2023 9:07 pm  #2


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

I listened to the sample station for about an hour; it would not take long for a savvy listener to conclude this was not a real person behind the microphone. A casual listener might not notice. However, the software will undoubtedly improve. I think the first stations that will employee (sorry for the irony) this will be the full time music ones; small and mid-size markets first.

I rarely tune into these stations and was surprised to find Virgin 97.5 London and CFCA 105.3 Kitchener essentially simulcasting on weekday afternoons. One had about a 2 minute delay compared to the other. Can this be next? You won't need a studio, save some rent and move all the equipment to the transmitter site.
Anyone care to speculate what stations will be the first.
 

 

March 21, 2023 9:43 pm  #3


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

Just to try to reassure those working for Rogers, the article says it will be rolled out in April, but nothing is confirmed. And I'm guessing like many here that the first uses will be something like a weekend overnight on a station that's already automated and just playing music, liners and commercials. So by adding a "phony host" it won't really change anything. 

It's what happens if this thing becomes even better in terms of improvement that it gets really scary. But it may not be ready for primetime just yet. We'll see/hear what happens in April. 

I also wonder how the audience will react if it gets out that they're listening to a machine, especially if they aren't told about it and find out later. I know I would feel hoodwinked and lied to - not the best way to keep people tuned in. Rogers should be honest and smart about doing this and perhaps by telling the world this is an experiment, the audience might tune in out of curiosity if nothing else.

But trying to sneak this by them? That, to me, is a recipe for a PR nightmare. But maybe that's just how I would feel. Others may not care as much.

     Thread Starter
 

March 22, 2023 5:56 pm  #4


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

RadioActive wrote:

Just to try to reassure those working for Rogers, the article says it will be rolled out in April, but nothing is confirmed. And I'm guessing like many here that the first uses will be something like a weekend overnight on a station that's already automated and just playing music, liners and commercials. So by adding a "phony host" it won't really change anything. 

It's what happens if this thing becomes even better in terms of improvement that it gets really scary. But it may not be ready for primetime just yet. We'll see/hear what happens in April. 

I also wonder how the audience will react if it gets out that they're listening to a machine, especially if they aren't told about it and find out later. I know I would feel hoodwinked and lied to - not the best way to keep people tuned in. Rogers should be honest and smart about doing this and perhaps by telling the world this is an experiment, the audience might tune in out of curiosity if nothing else.

But trying to sneak this by them? That, to me, is a recipe for a PR nightmare. But maybe that's just how I would feel. Others may not care as much.

This kind f sneaking is but a mere walk from how stations have been using out-of-town recorded voices for a couple decades and most listeners still believe what they hear is live. It will be the same approach - as long as they don't know, why tell them?
 

 

March 22, 2023 6:51 pm  #5


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

RadioActive wrote:

I wonder how the audience will react if it gets out that they're listening to a machine, especially if they aren't told about it and find out later. I know I would feel hoodwinked and lied to - not the best way to keep people tuned in. Rogers should be honest and smart about doing this and perhaps by telling the world this is an experiment, the audience might tune in out of curiosity if nothing else.

But trying to sneak this by them? That, to me, is a recipe for a PR nightmare. But maybe that's just how I would feel. Others may not care as much.

I suspect most people's reaction would be something along the lines of "Oh, really? Interesting...", and then they go about their daily business. Most people who listen to music formats on terrestrial radio don't listen that attentively and generally have it on as background noise anyway. The only time I could see it being a PR nightmare is when a station needs someone to go out and do a remote or some type of similar event, and they've cleaned most of the live bodies out of the station. (What do you do then? Send a hologram?)

With a few exceptions (morning shows, etc.), most listeners probably won't pay that much attention to the voices in between the songs. Radio has been on a blandness kick for the past few decades and as a result, the general listening public stopped caring a long time ago. 


PJ
 


ClassicHitsOnline.com...If you enjoy hearing the same 200 songs over and over again...listen to the other guys!
 

March 22, 2023 6:57 pm  #6


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

 

March 23, 2023 9:08 am  #7


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

Most music radio is just basic, milquetoast, safe crap...'personalities' are continuously being gagged and slowly dying in terms of what a live host can actually discuss or talk about anymore...just shut up, say your liner, make a lame joke about something you found on the internet, play the tune, hit the post, go to commercial...basic AI tech can do this now and listeners conditioned to this new normal won't give 2 flying shyts about it as long as they can hear the same 300 songs over and over again each day...

 

March 23, 2023 9:36 am  #8


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwyU6tIUcF4
gpt will be  improvement over 680 stumbling cottage roads reporter

 

March 23, 2023 11:38 am  #9


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

The challenge becomes IF all the people that write the news and information are let go... where does the AI get the news to steal, rewrite, voice and insert?

On the flip side -

AI will never complain, spill coffee in the cruiser or hit on the promo team.

 

March 23, 2023 11:41 am  #10


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

And it will be happy to work overnight weekends. 

     Thread Starter
 

March 25, 2023 9:31 am  #11


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

Hmmm...don't they already use this technology in the Toronto subway system? 
If not, it's not a bad idea for updates explaining delays etc..


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

March 30, 2023 7:20 am  #12


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

Longtime Toronto radio great Dave Charles weighs in on RadioGPT and whether he thinks it's the future of the medium.  

"For me, ChatGPT doesn’t context things properly.  The responses are stiff and lack creativity."

But that doesn't mean he believes it won't be a big influence on the medium going forward.

AI Radio Is Here. Dave Charles Discusses RadioGPT's Potential
 

     Thread Starter
 

March 30, 2023 8:22 am  #13


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

A new entrant has emerged in the "AI Radio" arena. It's from a group called Super HiFi/11ElevenLabs. And yep, there's an online live stream sample if you want to have a listen for yourself. This one seems more about liners than DJ prattle, but the frightening part for most of us is it sounds like a real radio station - and still requires almost no human intervention. 
 
“AI Radio” Demonstrates AI Partnership
 

     Thread Starter
 

April 3, 2023 7:39 pm  #14


Re: Rogers Could Debut "RadioGPT" In Canada As Soon As Next Month

One big star was hoist by his own AI petard. And the audience wasn't happy.

Somehow this makes me feel a whole lot better.

Drew Carey’s Warning For Radio After A.I. Goes Awry

     Thread Starter