Liechtenstein's public broadcaster replaced by cheaper AI radio

Radio Vaterland in Liechtenstein has replaced its public broadcaster with a fully AI-driven radio station, using cloned voices and automated news scripts, operating at a fraction of the former cost. The station, launched after the public broadcaster shut down in 2024 following a privatization referendum, uses AI to write and read news from its parent newspaper, with music selection also automated. Founder Daniel Bargetze says the AI model is 10 to 20 times cheaper than the old broadcaster, though its market share is smaller. The technology originated on the German island of Helgoland and is now sold commercially. Critics like former public broadcaster employee Michel Erismann argue AI cannot replicate human emotion, while Dutch station TalkRadio has also adopted AI, but the NPO says it has no plans to follow suit.