OFM celebrates its 40th year in broadcast in 2026. Over this time, the brand has remained true to its audience needs for music, news, and information.
Access to the BrandMapp data research gives OFM a deeper understanding of its target audience and how well the brand is accomplishing its objectives. OFM targets an audience over the age of 25, with an SEM rating of 7+.
BRC 2024 last mapped OFM at an audience of 214,000, while BrandMapp 2025 counted OFM at 306,000. These are by no means the cumulative numbers seen in other commercial radio spaces, but they reflect a solid representation of OFM’s intended target audience.
Focussing on the BrandMapp 2025 results...
78% of the OFM audience are aged 25-64, with 81% above SEM-7. In other words, within its listenership, the brand dominates the SEM super groups 4 and 5.
Geographically, OFM broadcasts fully into the Free State, partially into the North West (up to Potchefstroom and Lichtenburg), partially into the Northern Cape (as far as Prieska in the south, and Upington/Kuruman to the north), and into the Vaal Triangle (Southern Gauteng). This broadcast area is often compared to the landmass of the United Kingdom or New Zealand.
This vast and rural broadcast area is often referred to as Central South Africa. It is populated by cities such as Kimberley, Bethlehem, Vereeniging, Welkom, Upington, Potchefstroom, and Klerksdorp.
OFM also reaches many towns such as Prieska, Douglas, Vanderbijlpark, Kroonstad, Vryburg, Hartswater, Kathu, Warden, Ficksburg, Reitz, Sasolburg, Trompsburg, Rouxville, Clarens, Colesberg, Harrismith, and others. Bloemfontein remains the only metro-classified city across the three provinces, served by Bram Fischer International Airport and home to the Supreme Court of Appeal, with the title of the country’s judicial capital.
It is also worth noting that of the 15 national roads in South Africa, nine criss-cross OFM’s broadcast footprint, making it one of the most sampled radio brands terrestrially and throughout the year.
After mining, agriculture is a mainstay of this region’s economic activity and a priority industry for OFM. This is illustrated by the brand’s longstanding media partnership with Grain SA’s NAMPO Harvest Day, one of the largest agricultural exhibitions under private ownership in the southern hemisphere, as well as OFM’s commitment to the industry by dedicating a weekday program to the industry, called the Agri Hour.
The audience that falls under the OFM umbrella reflects a culture of diversity and community.
BrandMapp 2025 tells us that most are family-oriented and love dogs, take pride in themselves and their health, and are surrounded by the people they care about. Most chase music, sport, food, and lifestyle events, are familiar with airport lounges, and collectively agree that life is too short for bad coffee. 10% of the audience are Coloured, 41% Black, and 48% White. Of these,
- 77% continue to educate themselves;
- 66% are previously qualified;
- 55% are employed executives;
- 61% are financially independent;
- 68% own property; and
- 76% are financially invested.
The OFM audience is charismatic and optimistic. Above all, they show compassion. In 2025, the OFM audience raised R295,000 through OFM’s winter blanket drive called The Big Cover-Up. In 2024, the OFM audience raised R1,018,000 in aid of the Cancer Association of South Africa, through OFM’s annual Pinktober campaign.
OFM remains the radio station of choice for the SEM 7-10 market in this region. The brand reflects and amplifies the lifestyle of its audience through good music, trusted news content, and peer presenters.
Over this vast landmass, a sense of community is felt, with a regional culture quite different from that of Gauteng or the Western Cape. An audience that can be accessed through the focused efforts of one media brand, positioned at the heart of this vibrant region, and bound by a singular statement – “The Sound of Your Life”. This is OFM. And local is our superpower.
For more info, contact az.oc.mfo@gnitekram.
