Jamie Dupree Will Not Be Silenced
• You probably know the name Jamie Dupree, who has been a Washington Correspondent for Cox Media Group for more than 30 years. In 2016, Dupree lost the most important tool of a radio reporter — his voice — when he was diagnosed with tongue protrusion dystonia, a rare neurological condition with no known cure. Since then, Dupree’s challenging journey has been recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association and Atlanta Press Club, earning WSB/Atlanta and Cox Media Group an Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Innovation and News Innovation Award.
“During his ordeal, Jamie never took a day off,” says Pete Spriggs, Director of Branding and Programming for WSB (News 95.5 and AM750)/Atlanta. “Instead, he found new ways to continue his decades of reporting with his blog and through social media. His spirit and determination inspire us all.” Dupree’s incredible story of perseverance and triumph has been captured in a new documentary, Voice of Reason, which was directed by WSB Radio Videographer Jesse Brooks, produced by Cox Media Group Digital Content Manager Zac Morgan and is posted at wsbradio.com.
In 2018, Cox Media Group identified a new, pioneering approach to return Dupree’s voice to radio. Working with Scotland-based technology company, CereProc, Dupree and WSB Radio sent hours of his archived radio reports to CereProc, where engineers and audio specialists digitized and recreated Dupree’s voice. Now when Dupree writes a script for a report the text is converted into an audio file that sounds nearly identical to his natural speaking voice. WSB Radio and CMG refer to this computer-synthesized version as “Jamie Dupree 2.0.”
“Our support for Jamie is unwavering,” says Marian Pittman, EVP of Content, Digital Strategy, Research & Technology for Cox Media Group. “As we wait for a cure, CMG was delighted to partner with CereProc to return Jamie to radio with Jamie Dupree 2.0.” Dupree said, “My health is fine, but my voice is not — and I honestly don’t know if I will ever speak normally again. I’ll be forever grateful to my WSB and CMG family for getting me back on the air with Jamie Dupree 2.0.”
