THE 37, the song guessing competition that kept Central South Africa in suspense for a month, came to a dramatic close when Nadia Jooste from Virginia in the Free State was announced the grand prize winner of R37 000 cash!

On 31 July 2023, OFM announced that as part of our 37th birthday celebrations, we would give listeners the chance to win R37 000 if they could correctly guess which songs were represented by 37 snippets mixed in a montage. The catch – contestants would only be allowed to submit one entry. At first, the montage was only played on air and later released for download online. Some listeners took a chance and entered as soon as they were confident they cracked it, others played it safe and waited.

After the final clue was released, a deluge of entries were received. Many were correct, but who was first?

On 30 August 2023, it was revealed on OFM’s Good Morning Breakfast show that Jooste, who celebrated her 30th birthday the day before, was the contestant who was first across the line with all 37 songs submitted in the correct order.

“Wow, it’s amazing – thank you!” an overjoyed Jooste, who works as a Drawing Office Coordinator at a mine proclaimed. She indicated that she will be spending her prize money on home improvements.

Jooste explains that she was very committed to THE 37 competition. After downloading the crib sheet and staying glued to OFM, she started making notes of what she thought the songs were and got to about 30. “I then listened to OFM on 9 August and my sister and I wrote down all the songs that played. We could then eliminate the songs we had marked as male singers.” Jooste then tuned in again when OFM played THE 37 montage clips unmixed but in reverse and picked up on some more songs. “I listened to the songs over and over on my phone until I was certain that the clips did come from them before I entered.”

Jooste’s perseverance paid off and her dedication saw her submit the first correct entry. 

“The OFM 37 campaign proves that everyone loves a challenge and with R37 000 in the balance, this was the perfect way to surprise and delight the OFM listener and celebrate OFM’s 37th birthday,” says OFM Programme Manager, Tim Thabethe. 

“THE 37 certainly lived up to OFM’s ‘Showtime’ theme for 2023. It demonstrated that there definitely still is an appetite for the ‘old school’ radio promotion with all the flair and drama but with some modern elements mixed in. It was an absolute pleasure to serve this up for our audience and to see the strategies employed by the contestants. Some reached out and traded answers on social media, while some worked together as groups. It’s really heartening to see how Central SA took up this challenge and had fun with it. Well done to Nadia – a worthy winner indeed!” says Content Manager, Elzette Boucher-Krüger.

For more information email marketing@ofm.co.za.

Luisteraar van Virginia wen THE 37

THE 37, die liedjieraaikompetisie wat Sentraal-Suid-Afrika vir 'n maand lank in spanning gehou het, het dramaties afgesluit toe Nadia Jooste van Virginia in die Vrystaat as die grootpryswenner van R37 000 kontant aangewys is!

Op 31 Julie 2023 het OFM aangekondig dat ons as deel van ons 37ste verjaardagvieringe luisteraars die kans sal gee om R37 000 te wen as hulle reg kan raai watter liedjies verteenwoordig word deur 37 klankgrepe wat in 'n montage gemeng is. Deelnemers was egter slegs toegelaat om een inskrywing in te dien. Aanvanklik is die montage eers net op die lug gespeel en later aanlyn vrygestel om af te laai. Sommige luisteraars het 'n kans gevat en ingeskryf sodra hulle vol vertroue was dat hulle al die liedjies reg geraai het terwyl ander dit veilig gespeel en gewag het.

Nadat die finale leidraad vrygestel is, is 'n stortvloed van inskrywings ontvang. Baie was korrek, maar wie was eerste?

Op 30 Augustus 2023, is dit op OFM se Good Morning Breakfast-program onthul dat Jooste, wat haar 30ste verjaardag die vorige dag gevier het, die deelnemer was wat eerste al die liedjies in die regte volgorde ingedien het.

"Wow, dit is ‘amazing’ - dankie!" het 'n verheugde Jooste uitgeroep, wat as tekenkantoorkoördineerder by ‘n myn werk. Sy het aangedui het dat sy haar prysgeld aan huisverbeterings gaan bestee.

Jooste verduidelik dat sy baie toegewyd was aan THE 37-kompetisie. Nadat sy die kripblad afgelaai het en vasgenael op OFM gebly het, het sy begin aantekeninge maak van wat sy dink die liedjies is en sy het by ongeveer 30 uitgekom. “Ek het toe op 9 Augustus na OFM geluister en ek en my suster het al die liedjies wat gespeel het, neergeskryf. Ons kon dan die liedjies wat ons as manlike sangers gemerk het, uitskakel.” Jooste het toe weer ingeskakel toe OFM THE 37 montage-snitte omgekeerd gespeel het en nog 'n paar liedjies geïdentifiseer. “Ek het oor en oor na die liedjies op my foon geluister totdat ek seker was dat die snitte wel van hulle af gekom het voordat ek ingeskryf het.”

Jooste se deursettingsvermoë het vrugte afgewerp en haar toewyding het haar gehelp om die eerste korrekte inskrywing in te stuur.

“THE 37 het beslis OFM se 'Showtime'-tema vir 2023 gestand gedoen. Dit het getoon dat daar beslis nog 'n aptyt is vir die 'ou skool' radio-promosie met al die ‘flair’ en drama, maar met 'n paar moderne elemente bygevoeg. Dit was 'n absolute plesier om dit vir ons gehoor aan te bied en om die strategieë wat deur die deelnemers aangewend word, te sien. Sommige het uitgereik en antwoorde op sosiale media uitgeruil, terwyl sommige as groepe saamgewerk het. Dit is regtig bemoedigend om te sien hoe Sentraal-SA hierdie uitdaging aangepak het en pret daarmee gehad het. Welgedaan aan Nadia – voorwaar 'n waardige wenner!” sê Inhoudbestuurder, Elzette Boucher-Krüger.

Vir meer inligting stuur ’n e-pos na marketing@ofm.co.za.

Why OFM

OFM, the Sound of Your Life, is Central South Africa’s premier commercial radio station, offering a mix of music, news, and entertainment. The station celebrated 35 years in the broadcasting industry in 2021. OFM is part of the Central Media Group, with its head office in Bloemfontein, and a satellite studio in Welkom.

The station serves the affluent SEM 7-10 economically active marketplace with a broadcast footprint across the Free State, Northern Cape, southern Gauteng and North West. OFM is synonymous with the people of Central South Africa, and includes a full spectrum of listeners, from urban working moms and dads to corporate professionals, as well as rural communities and agricultural producers.

The station has an incredibly loyal and supportive audience. OFM enjoys one of the highest occurrences of time spent listening to the radio in South Africa. This is achieved by the station’s great music offerings – such as playing listeners their favourite songs on the Request Network and counting down Central South Africa’s 30 biggest hits on the Central SA Top 30.

OFM offers several niche features – including a dedicated agricultural programme with three additional agricultural news updates a day, as well as a dedicated business programme with two additional economic news updates throughout the day.

Sport is close to OFM listeners’ hearts and is what brings much of Central South Africa together. The station is a proud partner, sponsor, and supporter of the Cheetahs, Griquas, and Leopards rugby teams as well as the Knights, Heat and Dragons cricket teams. OFM is committed to living the real good life, while at the same time helping Central South Africans to live their best lives.

Waarom OFM

OFM, die klank van jou lewe, is Sentraal-Suid-Afrika se voorste kommersiële radiostasie, wat ’n verskeidenheid musiek, nuus en vermaak bied. Die stasie het in 2021, 35 jaar in die uitsaaiwese gevier. OFM is deel van die Central Media Group, met sy hoofkantoor in Bloemfontein, en 'n satellietateljee in Welkom.

Die stasie bedien die welvarende SEM 7-10 ekonomies aktiewe mark met 'n uitsaaigebied wat die Vrystaat, Noord-Kaap, Suid-Gauteng en Noordwes insluit. OFM is sinoniem met die mense van Sentraal Suid-Afrika, en sluit 'n volle spektrum van luisteraars in, van stedelike werkende ouers, tot korporatiewe professionele persone, sowel as landelike gemeenskappe en landbouprodusente.

Die stasie het 'n ongelooflike lojale en ondersteunende gehoor. OFM se luisteraars spandeer van die meeste tyd wat luisteraars in Suid-Afrika spandeer om radio te luister. Dit word bereik deur die stasie se gepaste musiekaanbiedinge – luisteraars kan hul gunstelingliedjies op die Request Network versoek en op Saterdae kan hulle inskakel om saam Sentraal-Suid-Afrika se 30 grootste treffers op die Central SA Top 30 af te tel.

OFM bied verskeie nisprogramme aan – insluitend 'n toegewyde landbouprogram met drie bykomende landbounuusopdaterings per dag, sowel as 'n toegewyde besigheidsprogram met twee bykomende ekonomiese nuusopdaterings deur die loop van die dag.

Sport lê OFM-luisteraars na aan die hart en dit is wat baie Sentraal-Suid-Afrikaners bymekaar bring. Die stasie is 'n trotse vennoot, borg en ondersteuner van die Cheetahs-, Griekwas- en Luiperds-rugbyspanne, asook die Knights, Heat en Dragons krieketspanne. OFM is daartoe verbind om die regte goeie lewe te lei, en terselfdertyd Sentraal-Suid-Afrikaners te help om hul beste lewens te lei.