Implementing text-to-speech tools for community radio in remote regions of Romania

Abstract

The use of text-to-speech (TTS) technology to generate radio content is largely unexplored, despite the importance of radio, in particular in remote parts of the world where TTS offers a robust means of transforming existing data into media for low-literate audiences and those without regular internet access. Is synthetic speech able to meet the expectations of radio listeners and add value to community radio stations in remote areas? We present a preliminary analysis of the design and use of TTS applications in the context of two emerging community radio stations in rural Romania. We find that while the applications developed so far are generally perceived as useful for the running of the station, future work should focus on identifying additional use cases that add value beyond that of 'filling time' or simply replacing the need for a human voice.