Each year NZ On Air awards those radio stations that exceeded the voluntary commercial radio music code by including 20% or more local music airplay in the previous year.

In 2024 it was Media Bay of Plenty that brightly led the way with three of the consortium’s radio stations making it into the 20% club – Whakatane-based 1XX for the first time joining two other Media Bay of Plenty stations, Bayrock and Q97, which regularly achieve or exceed that 20% Kiwi music content goal.

Coromandel-based CFM and two national networks, Radio Hauraki and NiuFM, also received awards at a NZ On Air Music Showcase held at Big Fan in Auckland on February 27. Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Hon. Paul Goldsmith, was on hand to present the awards and enjoy the showcase performances from four emerging acts –  A.R.T, Coast Arcade, Ruby Coley and No Cigar.  

After a positive three-year patch over the Covid period, 2024 was the second year running that Aotearoa’s commercial radio stations collectively failed to meet that industry threshold, meaning fewer than one in every five songs heard on commercial radio last year were from Kiwi artists.

• NiuFM played the highest percentage of local music in 2024, a remarkable 50.2% (up from 49.7% in 2023).
• BayrockFM (Whakatane) – 37.20% (up from 36.8% in 2023)
• CFM (Coromandel) – 21.8% (down from 22.4% in 2023) 
• Q97 (Whakatane) – 25.6% (up from 22% in 2023)
• Radio Hauraki – 22.4% (up from 21.6% in 2023)
• 1XX (Whakatane) – 20.4%

Pictured L to R: Brent Harbour, John & Lynda Grant – CFM; Susana Guttenbeil – NiuFM; Greg Prebble – Hauraki; Min. Paul Goldsmith; Andy Galbraith, Sarah Galbraith and Rebecca Young – Media Bay of Plenty.