NZ On Air backing local music all the way

Media Release
17 October 2014

NZ On Air backing local music all the way

NZ On Air congratulates the huge line up of NZ On Air funded artists in the finalist list for the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards this year.

As NZ On Air celebrates 25 years of funding local content for television, radio and online audiences the organisation has boosted its commitment to NZ music this year.

In addition to being the Platinum sponsor of the Music Awards, NZ On Air is funding the live broadcast of the event on FOUR on November 20th, has picked up the naming sponsorship of the Critics Choice Awards, and has supported more than 80% of the artists that are finalists for the premiere awards this year.

In total in the past year NZ On Air has invested $4.8 million into local music, through the Making Tracks funding scheme, sponsorships such as the NZ Music Awards, Waiata Māori Music Awards, Pacific Music Awards and the Taite Music Prize, and funding the live broadcast of the awards ceremony.

“The pay-back for that strategic investment is seeing NZ music rise from just 2% of the playlist on radio back in the 1990s to now around 20% of the playlist. Local and international audiences have more New Zealand music than ever before to enjoy,” said NZ On Air Music Manager Brendan Smyth.

Mr Smyth also congratulated Supergroove on getting the Legacy Award. “NZ On Air got behind Supergroove from the start and funded all nine of their music videos over the band’s time in the spotlight.”

The full list of finalists is on the NZ Music Awards website.

ENDS

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