Case Study: How Eastern Shore Radio Uses SpotOn AI Voices to Scale Content Fast

The Challenge: Small Market, Big Expectations

Running a radio station in a rural Virginia town means wearing many hats. Will Russell, Program Director and Account Executive at Eastern Shore Radio, Inc., oversees everything from programming to production, and like many broadcasters, he’s stretched for time and talent.

Voice variety was a major pain point. Will often found himself voicing too many spots himself or relying on an informal barter network of other small stations. While helpful, it wasn’t consistent or fast.

And when advertisers wanted something more imaginative, like a Dracula-themed promo or a jingle with personality, the station had limited options.

The Solution: SpotOn Unlocks Creative Agility

Will Russell doesn’t consider himself a voice actor. But when a local advertiser asked for a radio spot featuring two squirrels talking about tree removal services, he didn’t flinch. SpotOn gave Will exactly what he needed: a fast, flexible way to produce professional-grade audio without relying on external voice talent or expensive production tools.

“I probably could’ve rigged something up using audio editing software. But SpotOn made it easy—and fun.” – Will Russell

With just a few clicks, he used Futuri’s SpotOn AI voice technology to create not one, but two distinct voices: a high-pitched squirrel and a friendly narrator. 

With its rich library of AI voices, he could finally bring ideas to life that once seemed out of reach. Will tapped into SpotOn’s voice bank to find characters that matched his script. 

“We’re in a quirky market, and people love off-the-wall stuff,” he said. 

From squirrels to Santa Claus, SpotOn’s voices gave Will a new creative toolkit.

SpotOn’s voice-to-voice feature helped Will overcome the common pain point of AI pronunciation errors. Broadcasting in a region filled with uniquely pronounced names—many with Native American roots—meant that traditional text-to-speech often fell flat. With SpotOn, Will could simply record himself and let the AI do the rest.

“Instead of trying to spell things phonetically, I just record it myself and SpotOn nails it.” Will Russell

And he’s not shy about how it all works. In fact, Will proudly shares his AI-powered process with his community. At a recent client presentation, he walked attendees through how SpotOn could transform a simple URL into a polished, radio-ready spot in seconds. The reaction? A mix of surprise, fascination, and appreciation for the possibilities. Will’s openness helped spark excitement about the future of radio.

The Result: More Voices, Less Work, Better Radio

SpotOn helped Will produce more, better, and in a voice (or voices) that his audience—and advertisers now love to hear.

“We now can basically do anything our clients want us to do. SpotOn gives us those creative options we just couldn’t afford before.” – Will Russell

Thanks to SpotOn, Eastern Shore Radio is:

• Producing faster – What used to take days can now be done in minutes. 
• Sounding bigger – With a variety of voices, the station no longer depends on a single sound. 
• Serving clients better – Advertisers who don’t like hearing their own voices love that SpotOn can speak for them. 
• Leaning into AI, without losing the local touch – Will’s creativity, backed by SpotOn, helps the station stay relevant in an increasingly on-demand world.

The company uses SpotOn to expand its creative capacity, deliver faster turnaround for clients, and reimagine what local radio sounds like.

Why It Matters

SpotOn doesn’t just save time. It helps local stations like WESR punch above their weight. Will has embraced AI as a practical tool, not a gimmick—and it’s changed how he thinks about production.

“Futuri is figuring out the future of radio so I don’t have to.” – Will Russell

For Will, SpotOn is more than software. It’s a strategic partner in delivering better content, faster—without compromising the authenticity that local radio listeners value.

Ready to expand your creative bandwidth? Hear what SpotOn could do for your station.