Mika Säppi
Head of Technology
Contact
FIN +358 40 412 8215 | UK +44 744 077 0746
Hi! I'm Mika.
I lead the technology unit for audio operations and solve problems that may not even exist yet.
My expertise lies in the ability to create predictable and reliable solutions, and to design different communication standards for crisis situations. I am passionate about innovations that are reliable and responsible. You won't get a solution from me that works, but no one has an idea how or why.
While many of the best ideas arise in unexpected places, the key to success is a community of professionals who identify and develop these ideas further.
We're doing this for ourselves.
It's important to remember that amidst all the technology, we work for people.
When the host of a radio show didn't know how to use the equipment, the situation could be dismissed by saying, "I'm doing this for myself." At the time, I worked for a Finnish media company, and the program was listened to by about half a million Finns. The most popular program on the same platform seems to be Linnan juhlat (a show where the president welcomes people to their castle, and then the people drink free drinks and eat little pieces of food), year after year .
What fascinates me most about technology and its utilization is why things are done, not so much how.
Technology shouldn’t dictate how things are done. It should act as an extension of your thoughts, like a trusted colleague who understands your needs without you having to say anything. Technology’s role is to support content, its creators, and its target audience. Ultimately, it’s about creating a connection between the content creator and the consumer.
During my tenure at this particular media house, I was also involved in designing, developing, and testing satellite communication systems intended for crisis communications between the state and the public. One of the primary objectives of these tests was to determine if an individual without technical expertise could successfully operate the equipment.
The equipment and communication stability were tested a few meters away from the Russian border at a Finnish-Russian border crossing station.
In the same promising environment for channel chancellors and mid-level managers, I conceived the idea of a fully autonomous radio automation platform. Initially, its core purpose was to demonstrate that seemingly impossible tasks could indeed be accomplished, even using open-source tools. The central concept evolved into the question, “Why hire people for jobs that can be performed by a computer, often more efficiently and quickly?” This idea gave rise to the core product, A26, which became a part of the AirCore product lineup. Thanks to A26, media organizations and content houses can focus on producing content rather than spending valuable time on manual, non-productive labor.
Once A26 was operational, I set my sights on another rather challenging issue: outdoor broadcast costs were excessively high and involved significant logistical complications. Ultimately, the audience’s perception of whether a show was pre-recorded or broadcast from a fictional location like the Hollow of the Tumbleweeds was not a major concern. Given that outdoor broadcasts will persist until the end of time, I decided to address the two primary concerns: financial and logistical challenges. From these fundamental thoughts emerged OB1, which was deployed the very next day after the audio-mixer virtual control panel was completed. The purpose of this device is to perform the functions of an audio outdoor broadcast van, but at a more affordable, efficient, and faster cost. Moreover, even the so-called talent is proficient in operating this device.
My special skills include the following: Liquidsoap, net- and broadcast automation and delivery platforms, Fraunhofer FDK AAC, Opus, IceCast, HLS, use of Starlink and other satellite-based systems in a crisis situation, Dante (Level 3 Certificate). The inventor of ABA.
I have studied courses at Berklee University, specializing in audio production, acoustics, and audio physics and mathematics. From time to time, I am on the more creative side of art, leading the Hevimessu special ensemble .
In addition to everything else that's great, I have a remarkably fine taste in coffee. Right now, I'm brewing Lehmus Roastery's Lauritsala coffee in my espresso machine. Get 15% off your order when you write ROCKNROLLNEVERDIES in the coupon.
Excerpt from my speech
All's gonna be just fine.
Memory
For me, a successful technical solution is not one where you spend a lot of money buying fancy equipment just because your neighbor has one (or of course, a slightly older model). For me, success is when you don't spend your working hours desperately trying to get things to work. Successful solutions are not necessarily even special. In this example, I recall a problem that existed in a media house , where double mono audio could be sent to the radio, where the phase difference between the channels was 180°. This was often followed by calls from the studio, where the panicked presenter thought everything had broken when the studio's off-air light came on.
Fortunately, it wasn't anything that serious, although of course for some unlucky people who were listening to the broadcast with a mono receiver, the broadcast could go silent for a few minutes. The studio's off-air light was also set to "listen" to the L+R sum, so of course, to the fool's logic, the phase error audio would appear completely mute.
After going through the motions of my life, I agonized over the situation and decided that there had to be a solution that didn't require me to be on call all the time. I ended up developing a simple JavaScript widget that ran in the browser that added up the sum of consecutive samples, and if the result was negative, it multiplied the other side by -1. (A later version used a slightly more advanced formula for measuring cross-correlation, because someone figured out how to start processing music with that crap.)
The code was like a marble on a hill: not a car at all, but every time it ended up at the bottom of the hill. That was enough. I no longer had to keep my finger on the ø button, and the phone no longer rang.
The success of innovations should be measured by the quality of the problem they solve, rather than by the way they are implemented. Someone has thought it necessary to develop a microwave oven that does not stop beeping until the item to be heated has been removed from the oven. Quite convenient, but I don't think there are very many people who forget to put food in the microwave. And if they do, they probably weren't very hungry at the time.
Näin minusta puhutaan
What sets them apart is their methodical approach to problem-solving. They consistently refuse to implement solutions without thoroughly understanding the underlying mechanisms - a crucial trait for maintaining reliable broadcast systems. Their ability to identify potential failure points before they become problems is remarkable.
A methodical broadcast system architect who combines skeptical analysis with deep system understanding, Refusing to implement solutions until their mechanisms are fully understood, making them an invaluable asset for mission-critical audio systems.
I have found them to be both technically demanding and collaborative - a combination that ensures high-quality outcomes while maintaining positive working relationships. They communicate clearly, think critically, and are not afraid to question assumptions until the right solution is found.
