Fuse Media localises for Mexican FAST with AI synthetic dubbing
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John Moulding
| 27 November 2023
2 Fuse Media localises for Mexican FAST with AI synthetic dubbing

Papercup is shaking up the world of content localisation with its ability to create expressive synthetic voices for video dubbing, and the latest company to use its technology is Fuse Media. The content owner has dubbed 200+ hours so it can distribute into Mexico.

Fuse Media is taking a LatAm Spanish version of its Backstage FAST channel to audiences in Mexico on Samsung TV Plus as a fully dubbed channel.

“Interest in our FAST channels from platforms around the world has been substantial. By partnering with Papercup, we’ve opened up even more opportunities to expand distribution of our brand,” explains Patrick Courtney, Head of Streaming & Business Development at Fuse Media.

Fuse Media calls itself a global leader in creating and distributing inclusive, purpose-driven content for culturally diverse young adults. “Featuring inspirational stories from creative visionaries who thrive in the spotlight, including Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, and Snoop Dogg, Backstage has grown for 13 straight quarters – based on total minutes watched -- posting double-digit year-to-year gains in Q3 2023,” the company reports.

Papercup offers an AI and machine learning-based system that localises videos into other languages using a text-to-speech system that creates synthetic voices with real emotional depth. The company has a library of AI voices and claims the warmth, intonation and expressive power of real speech. A key point is that this is achieved cost-effectively.

AI dubbed videos produced by Papercup have already reached over one billion people in non-English speaking territories. The company lists Fremantle, Bloomberg, Sky News, Cineverse, Insider and Jamie Oliver as other customers.

“Our technology generates engaging translated content that outperforms subtitled offerings and can be delivered at a scale and price that traditional dubbing struggles to match,” Papercup declares.

Customers share their original content with Papercup, which returns a new version, complete with a human-like synthetic voiceover. Each voiceover has been verified for both translation accuracy and vocal performance by a team of professional translators.

According to Jesse Shemen, CEO of Papercup, “Our partnership with Fuse Media encapsulates everything the Papercup product sets out to do. It opens up a world of content to global audiences with premium AI dubbing. It gives those audiences access to the inclusive stories they crave.”

Papercup is a London-based startup. It has raised over $30.5 million in funding to date, with backers including Sky. VC backers include Octopus Ventures, LocalGlobe and Sands Capital.