Just reading through the press release on changes to NZ On Air funding. Replacing the grant system with funding for 200 songs and 200 music videos - and everyone only getting up to three grants a year - should see money spread a lot further. It’s still to be seen whether non-commercial radio friendly bands will get grants though. On that, these seem like key sentences:

•  Before applying for funding, artists must meet set criteria to prove they are committed and motivated and have developed an audience following.

•  About 60% of the grants (150 in the first year) will be for projects aimed at commercial radio, and 40% will be tracks aimed at alternative and online platforms.

Proving you’re committed and motivated and have developed an audience sounds different to the old scheme where the main test was whether you could get a single rotated on commercial radio. Having 40 per cent funding targeted at b-nets and online is also great. Though for a band like us, it would be really nice if Radio NZ was recognised.

These are just first spewed out thoughts. Got to see how this thing will work.