KIWIRADIO.NZ: Independent Radio. Independent Music.

KIWIRADIO.NZ is an independently owned New Zealand online radio station built around one simple idea: great Kiwi music deserves to be heard.

We aren't backed by a corporation, a major media network or a large commercial operation. We select our music ourselves, support emerging artists, and build our audience independently.

Independence costs money.

So if you advertise, sponsor, listen, contribute or simply tell someone about us — you're helping keep an independent piece of New Zealand broadcasting alive.

WHAT DOES YOUR REACH ACTUALLY BUY?

KIWIRADIO.NZ currently connects through six radio distribution networks, helping listeners discover us through online radio directories, smart speakers, connected devices and even some in-car dashboards.

But distribution is only the beginning.

Like traditional radio, people stay because they like what they hear.

Our music is personally selected. We don't simply throw a playlist online and walk away. We actively look for New Zealand music worth sharing - particularly artists and sounds that can easily get overlooked elsewhere.

OUR MAY 2026 SNAPSHOT

89,127
people discovered KIWIRADIO across our distribution network during NZ Music Month.

18,302
became regular listeners, based on more than one hour of listening during the month.

503
actively engaged through the official KIWIRADIO.NZ website rather than simply encountering us through a third-party directory.

19
artists became paying promotional clients during the period.

That's the difference between being heard and being discovered.

WHY PARTNER WITH KIWIRADIO?

There are no giant corporate packages or complicated long-term commitments.

We'd rather work with independent artists, creatives, organisations and businesses that fit our community.

What we offer:

Promotional opportunities designed around music discovery.

No minimum advertising commitment.

Exposure across our radio and digital ecosystem.

A direct connection with a predominantly New Zealand creative audience.

A platform built specifically outside mainstream commercial radio.

We naturally prioritise New Zealand music and locally relevant partnerships. Some advertising categories may not be appropriate for our audience or values.

WHO IS LISTENING?

Our current audience snapshot:

90% New Zealand-based
75% under 27
25% over 27
70% male
30% female

Saturday is currently our busiest listening day.

And importantly, a significant part of our audience is made up of local musicians and creatives themselves.

That means your message isn't simply reaching listeners.

It's reaching people who make things.


 

WHY IS SOME OF KIWIRADIO BEHIND A PAYWALL?

Because remaining independent isn't free.

We maintain our own infrastructure and pay for the things required to keep an online radio operation running, including servers, bandwidth, hosting, domains, technology and music licensing.

Our members-only BACKSTAGE tier helps us keep some additional material available while contributing directly toward those operating costs.

The public-facing KIWIRADIO experience remains our priority.

If you'd like deeper reports, additional material and behind-the-scenes access, that's where BACKSTAGE comes in.


 

DO WE PROFIT FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S CREATIVE WORK?

No.

KIWIRADIO exists because independent voices deserve space to be heard.

We operate as a community-focused platform and have often continued at a loss because supporting independent creativity matters more to us than maximising margins.

The music we share comes from artists and creators who choose to put their work forward.

We're not trying to become another corporate gatekeeper.

We're trying to create another door.


 

A LITTLE HONESTY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE

KIWIRADIO began in 2021.

In May 2026, we attempted to turn it into a full-time venture.

For one month, we gave it everything.

It wasn't financially sustainable.

So we're continuing part-time - often, and whenever we can.

That doesn't mean we're giving up.

It means we're adapting.

Every advertisement, sponsorship, membership and listener contribution helps us keep the lights on, keep the music playing and keep building something independent.

You don't have to contribute $1,000.

Sometimes sharing KIWIRADIO with one person is just as valuable.

Sometimes listening is enough.

Sometimes becoming a paying supporter makes the difference.

 

FULL TRANSPARENCY

For members, we make our financial reporting available through BACKSTAGE, including full profit-and-loss information.

We believe that if we're asking our community to support independent broadcasting, you deserve to know where we're at.

 

DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE KIWI ARTIST.

New Zealand music lives here.

Listen. Discover. Share. Support independent radio.