“Access is the medium”

“Access is the medium” describes the shift from physical ownership of media (books, CDs, DVDs, etc.) to a digital world where the primary way to consume content is through access, typically via subscriptions or paywalls. Instead of purchasing individual pieces of media, users now gain temporary access to vast libraries of content, often behind paywalls or through streaming services. In this paradigm, access itself becomes the medium through which content is delivered and consumed, emphasizing convenience and immediacy over ownership.

TWiRT 712 – Fun with AI Inspires Broadcast Engineers – Matt Aaron & Anthony Kuzub

The rise of AI-generated lyrics and music is giving engineers something to chuckle about. But could this “easy creativity” inspire other engineering solutions? Kirk drew a comparison with photographer Jeremy Cowart and his use of an LED wall to produce 60 different portraits in 60 seconds. Anthony Kuzub, an engineer at CBC in Canada, pointed out the AI that’s involved with lighting a new studio, matching accent lights to the video monitor feeds. Matt Aaron is programming a fully-AI streaming station that’s playing “Broadcast Engineers Gangster Rap”. Are these just passing curiosities? Or are they signals of technologies and techniques to come for broadcasting and content creation?

Show notes: “The Legend of Chris Tarr” from suno.com https://suno.com/song/ecb43422-a9a0-4…

And another version of “The Legend of Chris Tarr” https://suno.com/song/9f924c42-c5b7-4… Matt Aaron’s AI-music streaming station https://broadcastengineeringgangsters…

And if Kirk had a radio station, KIRK, this could be the theme song https://suno.com/song/7e61f354-34e0-4…

Anthony mentioned ElevenLabs for text-to-speech and AI voice generation https://elevenlabs.io/

Anthony noted the Roland VC-1-DMX video lighting converter https://proav.roland.com/global/produ…

 

The last meter

“The last meter” refers to the final connection between an audio device, such as a microphone, headphones, or speakers, and the larger sound system or network. Just as “the last mile” in telecommunications represents the crucial final stretch that delivers service to the end user, “the last meter” in audio engineering highlights the importance of the final cable or wire, which directly impacts the quality and reliability of the sound being transmitted. Despite its short length, this connection is critical for ensuring the integrity of the overall sound system.

Live from the CCBE in Toronto, Canada – TWiRT Ep. 710

The CCBE conference encompasses two days of professional broadcast engineering career development. This includes carefully-chosen paper presentations, an expo hall, and an awards dinner and ceremony honoring leaders in the broadcast engineering profession. We got to meet with and converse with leaders in the Central Canadian Broadcast Engineers group, plus Canadian engineers and leading equipment manufacturers.