Press Kit

Press Release

Paper Fights Back Against Screentime: Radioposter Launches "Books with Soundtracks"

Midwest startup debuts "Paper-fi," a new storytelling medium using computer vision and other signals to sync audio scores with printed books—zero hardware in the books.

OMAHA, Neb. - As digital fatigue reaches critical mass and consumers increasingly return to physical media of the past like vinyl records and film cameras, an Omaha-based startup is giving the printed book a modern technical upgrade. Radioposter has officially launched its proprietary platform that synchronizes audio soundtracks with physical paper books, creating a new immersive medium designed to give users an intriguing offscreen content alternative.

Unlike traditional audiobooks which replace the act of reading with listening, Radioposter's system creates highly visual stories—akin to coffee table books—with a synchronized score. This includes music, narrative, ambience, and soundscapes that react in real-time as the reader turns the physical pages. The technology relies on a patent-pending computer vision system and audio commands accessible via smartphone or smart glasses, requiring no batteries, wires, or circuitry within the book itself.

The company describes the format as "Paper-fi"—a new category of media that merges the tactile permanence of paper books with real-time audio playback that follows as you turn the physical pages. 

"We aren't trying to give books pixels," says Casey Fictum, founder of Radioposter. "We are doing the opposite. We created an advanced system to make the screen disappear, allowing the reader to get lost in the physical artifact and audio. The goal is to give paper new superpowers so it can compete with the dopamine loops the screen-driven internet is so good at."

The "Digital-to-Analog" Shift

Radioposter's launch comes at a time when "dumbphones" and analog hobbies are trending among Gen Z and Millennials seeking relief from constant connectivity. While the publishing industry has seen a resurgence in print sales, the reading experience has largely remained unchanged. Radioposter bridges this gap by lending print the sonic power of streaming and social feed content.

The system works by placing a smartphone near the book. The device's camera or a reader’s audio command helps detect the specific page and triggers the corresponding audio score. The experience is designed to be ambient; once the session begins, the user does not need to touch or look at the phone.

Launch Title: Forest Bathing for Punks

To demonstrate the capabilities of the medium, Radioposter is releasing an original launch title, Forest Bathing for Punks. The book serves as a visual and audio field guide to the world's most resilient plant species and their unique defense systems. The book is paired with a dynamic punk rock and atmospheric soundtrack featuring a forgotten punk band of the 90s, along with a meditative narration. The audio shifts in intensity and mood based on the contents of the page spread. 

The company is planning to release many more titles in 2026, including collaborations with key artists and talented creators in the Substack, Youtube, Podcasting, and TikTok space.

Building the "Capital of Paper-fi" in the Midwest

Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Radioposter is positioning the Midwest, a region with a deep history in printing and industrial design, as the R&D hub for this new physical media.

"The internet gave us infinite content, but the Midwest can give us finite, paper audio stories worth holding onto," Fictum adds. "People talk about going analog like it means abandoning technology entirely and going to relics of the past. That is not what we are doing. The technology is ambient and there to give the physical artifact new superpowers and meaning."

Availability

Radioposter v1 is a web app that can be accessed on iOS and Android devices, as well as Android XR. The company is actively working on applications for smart/audio glasses, and future AI form factors. Forest Bathing for Punks and the accompanying app access are available now for purchase directly through the company's website.

About Radioposter

Radioposter is a media technology company based in Omaha, Nebraska, dedicated to merging physical publishing with synchronized audio. Founded by Casey Fictum, the company develops the software, publishes the physical books, and maintains the production workflow for the "Paper-fi" medium. Radioposter aims to reduce screen time by enhancing the capabilities of printed media.

Media Contact: Casey Fictum (Founder)

About Casey Fictum

Casey Fictum spent seven years trying to figure out how to pair physical books with real-time audio soundtracks. After cycling through years of clunky prototypes, he finally cracked the core production and user experience problems. His solution was to leave the hardware out of the book entirely and build a new type of narrative, asking the question: what happens when print and audio are designed together to move people through a story? 

At the same time, he found himself frustrated with the broader anti-screen movement. Whenever people look for analog alternatives, they immediately reach for relics of the past. But those older formats never seem to command enough attention to actually reduce screen time in any meaningful way for himself or his friends. Radioposter was created to fix that and give paper a fighting chance.

Prior to founding Radioposter, Casey was a first-generation college student that played the drums in amateur bands and worked in product and design at Google and Apple.