MakingTracks Backs 318 Diverse New Music Projects

Media Release from NZ On Air

Thursday 8th November, 2012

MakingTracks Backs 318 Diverse New Music Projects

NZ On Air is pleased to announce the results of a review of the first year of its MakingTracks music funding scheme.

MakingTracks was launched in July 2011, moving from a funding focus on infiltrating commercial radio to connecting a more diverse range of songs with audiences on radio, television and online.

The funding scheme supports recording songs and making music videos to back up the release of those songs.

The year has seen 148 grants of $10,000 for the funding of both a recording and video, and 170 grants of $6,000 for shooting a video when a song has already been recorded.

Strong interest in the scheme meant that 1,216 applications were received in total.

MakingTracks has resulted in an impressive:
• 10,134,141 streams on YouTube
• 105,587 spins on radio and music television
• 511,986 hours of airtime
• 220 different artists funded, 40% of which were first-timers
• 59 broadcast and music experts involved on selection panels

53% songs funded were aimed at mainstream audiences and 47% songs for alternative media audiences. In total NZ On Air committed $2,500,000 to new music.

“MakingTracks has allowed us to support a wide range of talented artists: pop, rock, folk, country, te reo, roots and reggae, heavy metal, urban and hip hop” says NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson. “40 per cent of the artists we supported were new and had never received funding from NZ On Air before – and would have unlikely been supported under the previous model.”

The most-played MakingTracks-funded song on radio was The Babysitters Circus’ Everything’s Gonna Be Alright. The most-played music video on television and online was Good Intent by Kimbra, which was also the song that garnered the biggest audience.

While celebrating the results of the first year of MakingTracks, NZ On Air also undertook an operations review to ensure the new scheme is the best it can be. Fine tuning now being implemented includes changes to the eligibility criteria and improvements to the online application process. Changes will be completed in time for the first application round in 2013.

The NZ On Air music strategy continues to be based on finding and funding great New Zealand songs, increasing diversity and exposure of new New Zealand music and maximising the audience for new New Zealand music.

Details of the MakingTracks review can be seen here.

ENDS

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