We’re celebrating a milestone that confirms OAR FM as a leading provider of podcast services in New Zealand. OAR FM has topped the half-million Dunedin-Made podcast mark!
Our station was highest contributor to overall results for the AIR (Access Internet Radio) podcasting project, crossing the half-million mark with Dunedin-produced content streamed or downloaded 541,000 times in the year to 30 June.
This represents an 88% increase in demand for the station’s online content on the previous 12 months.
Ten of the twelve New Zealand CAMA [Community Access Media Alliance] stations collaborate in the AIR project, which delivers over 8,500 episodes of hundreds of radio shows/podcasts to niche communities reflecting the Access sector’s key priorities – women, children and youth, migrant and refugee communities, health and disability issues, religious and ethical issues and any interests not catered for by the mainstream media.
It has just been announced that AIR partner stations achieved over 1.8 million podcast hits in the July to June project year, an increase of 77% over the 2017/18 year. The project’s growth was projected to reach 2 million podcast hits in 2019/20.
OAR FM General Manager Lesley Paris says the result reflects audiences’ growing appetite for “diverse, relevant and engaging local stories”.
“This result demonstrates that audiences are connecting with niche programming beyond the mainstream, and that listeners value having many ways to listen – on FM and AM, live-streaming and podcasts.”
The most popular podcast on OAR FM for the period was AA Live, presented by the Dunedin branch of Alcoholics Anonymous. The series was accessed online on more than 73,400 occasions.
Lesley says she is “really proud” of the achievements of all the station’s volunteer broadcasters.
“Their programmes and podcasts are incredibly wide-ranging, from the experiences of our migrant communities to a variety of health, wellbeing, sustainability and specialist music shows.
“It’s fantastic to know that the voices and viewpoints of our communities are being heard.”
The Access Internet Radio Project provides streaming and podcasting services for Community Access media organisations, and is supported by NZ On Air.