Brief
OFM Radio explains its playlist strategy amid flood of new tracks
The station outlines its use of listener requests, demographic profiling and rotation limits to shape its music policy.
By Felo News Desk · Published
OFM Radio, a central South African broadcaster, outlined how it builds playlists that resonate with its audience, citing listener‑driven requests, a target persona called “Odette” and strict rotation limits despite the daily upload of over 106,000 new tracks to streaming platforms.
What happened
According to a Bizcommunity feature published on 8 October 2026, OFM’s music policy draws on four decades of broadcasting history. The station identifies “golden oldies” from the 1980s as core staples and supplements them with songs that have remained popular for up to three years. OFM can play roughly 350 songs a day – about 2,500 a week or 10,000 a month – which forces a careful selection process.
What the reports add
The article notes that OFM uses “soft research methods” such as its request programming to track which tracks receive repetitive listener requests. It cites specific favourites that repeatedly surface, including Tina Turner’s “The Best” and Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” The piece also highlights the challenge of integrating new music, given the sheer volume of daily uploads and the emergence of AI‑generated songs.
What was said
The outlet quotes the station’s internal rationale: “a sound that makes for easy listening – to recall an old, or create a new, memory.” No external spokesperson is named in the source.
How it came about
OFM’s approach builds on its 40‑year legacy, mapping the teenage years of its median listener – the “Odette” persona – when musical preferences become linked to personal milestones such as first parties, dances and relationships. By anchoring its rotation to songs that shaped those formative years, the station aims to maintain social cohesion among its central South African audience.
Key facts
- OFM can play approximately 350 songs per day, equating to about 10,000 songs a month. (bizcommunity.com)
- The station uses listener request data to identify repeat‑request songs such as Tina Turner’s "The Best" and Tracy Chapman’s "Fast Car". (bizcommunity.com)
- OFM’s target persona, called "Odette," represents listeners whose musical tastes were shaped from age 13. (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “It’s not just music - OFM Radio”
