African Media Entertainment’s newly launched LiSTN app breaks new ground in the South African media landscape by aggregating content across multiple brands such as Moneyweb and radio stations Algoa FM and OFM, based in the Eastern Cape and Free State, respectively.
“We analysed digital audio trends across the world, and we saw an opportunity in SA to be the first to market where you can listen and consume the latest news simultaneously,” adds Tiltmann. The LiSTN app was created by Digital Platforms, part of the Central Media Group in Bloemfontein and a subsidiary of AME.There are a number of global aggregators targeting a wider audience, but research has shown a strong appetite for local news and stories, and LiSTN is designed to cater to this growing audience, feeding the demand for local content.
A 2022 study by The Infinite Dial shows a massive appetite for online audio listening, with 61% of those surveyed listening to audio online , against 39% in 2019. The Covid lockdown appears to have had an impact on listening habits, with audiences consuming more than six hours of content per week, according to The Infinite Dial.The Wonder of podcasting