BE IT PRINT, DIGITAL, SOCIAL, AUDIO, or VIDEO, our media is so dominated by "news" that long running shows like Hearts of Space—now in our 41st year of national Public Radio broadcasting and 23rd year of online streaming—get little or no press. We're just not "new." Why bother?
So I was pleasantly surprised to receive two interview requests in the last six months, one from DANIEL BROMFIELD, a music journalist who also writes features for the local Marin Independent Journal newspaper, and another from TOM PARISH, a podcaster who covers AI from Austin, Texas.
Dan first contacted me in January for comment on the passing of New Age composer IASOS. He had thoughtful questions, and I must have had thoughtful answers, because he got back in touch in April asking for a full length interview for a Sunday feature on Hearts of Space. The article was published in August and titled "Plenty to Contemplate."
The interview with Dan was done on Zoom and was completely normal. Dan transcribed it, did some minor editing, done. The interview with Tom Parish of "AI for Lifelong Learners" began with a routine email request and turned out to be anything but normal.
Why would a podcast focused on AI be interested in Hearts of Space? It turned out that Tom was a long time listener to the radio program and a subscriber to the online streaming service—a Space Fan. He's a lovely guy who's been patiently building an audience for AI-related content via a podcast and a Substack newsletter. If you have any interest in AI, his show is excellent. He thought his audience had a better-than-average chance of enjoying Hearts of Space, so...let's talk.
In the last ten years, podcasts have become the natural medium for long-form, in-depth interviews and documentary audio content. Unlike radio, podcasts are available on demand, can address esoteric, niche, and special interest subject matter, and can be any length. Therein lies one of the differences between interviews for print vs. audio: podcast interviews typically run an hour or more.
Tom was mystified when I told him I didn't think I'd be able to speak for an hour. He was familiar with the program voiceovers. They sounded OK. What was the problem? (Note: Ironically, the interview turned out to be only about 30 minutes.)
I explained that I'd been dealing with the slow deterioration of my voice for almost ten years. Originally I attributed it to age, but in 2016 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's, a common neurological disease that also affects voice quality. The story of this and what I've done about it became the main subject of the interview.
It's a situation I've resisted going public about for eight years due to the risk of being misunderstood. At this point it's overdue for transparency, and the podcast format allowed me the time I needed to tell the full story. There's also a second, more positive story about how I used AI "voice cloning" to solve my voiceover problem. I haven't gone public about that either, until now, and it became a fascinating part of the interview.
My deep and sincere thanks to Tom Parish for his extraordinary patience and understanding—a true collaborator.
LISTEN FREE AT THE LINKS BELOW:
"Slow Music, Fast Tech" episode page on Substack.com (most information here)
I will never, ever take Hearts of Space for granted. Thank you for giving us this insight into this excellent program.
Posted by: Karyl Shaffer | 23 October 2024 at 05:46 PM
Stephen, as a longtime admirer of Hearts of Space, I wanted to thank you for the tranquility and introspection your show has brought into my life over the years. Your voice has become a cherished part of so many journeys. I’m moved by your decision to embrace AI as a means to continue narrating Hearts of Space. As someone who works with TTS technology and AI, I’m in awe of how ElevenLabs has allowed your voice to be preserved with such clarity and fidelity, capturing the essence of your unique tone and rhythm.
Posted by: Sufian | 27 October 2024 at 10:46 AM
Thank you, Sufian. ElevenLabs is a great company. They are really pushing forward to make text to speech and other AI models work beautifully.
Safe journey :: SH
Posted by: Stephen Hill | 31 October 2024 at 12:52 PM
Hello Stephen. I just discovered this News part of the HOS web app. I have been wanting for a long time to tell you how much I appreciate all the shows you have produced. I began listening to HoS back in 1985 on WXXI, regularly (when Anna Turner co-hosted). I often would make a cassette recording of the Sunday broadcast to enjoy during the week. (I still have those cassettes.) Subscribing to HoS for some years now... your programs have exposed me to many interesting artists. Not to diminish the programs you create. The blend of artists for a theme are equally valued. As a long long time listener and follower of you (essentially), I have wondered how you are doing, aging along with me, as I contemplate late "retirement". You seem timeless to me and I have feared HoS ending. Many many thanks for providing this unique program. Walter.
Posted by: Walter B | 06 November 2024 at 08:06 PM