Kinderling Kids Radio has announced it has partnered with ASX-listed company G8 Education to roll out its newest program, Play & Learn, to early education centres across Australia, in a move that could see the broadcaster double its market share.

A first within Australia’s DAB radio space, the initiative will see the Southern Cross Austereo-backed station run a program specifically dedicated to auditory learning activities for a 10-week trial period in 24 centres across Victoria, South Australia and NSW.

With the Play & Learn program designed to enhance children’s cognitive and emotional development through a mix of guided auditory exercises, results of the pilot could see the program introduced into all 450 G8 early education centres operating nationally.

Having won Best Digital Radio Format at the ACRAs last year and averaging a weekly listenership of 200,000, the uptake would see Kinderling’s average weekly audience double.

Joan Warner, CEO of Commercial Radio Australia, is an advocate of how Play & Learn is innovating digital radio.

“Kinderling is a wonderful example of how more diversity and choice can be offered using DAB+ broadcast technology and a leader in innovation within Australia’s digital radio space,” she said.

“We commend the development of this outstanding approach to the provision of engaging and educational audio for young Australians, showcasing what is possible with digital radio.”

Growing market share through a commitment to innovation has been a key focus of Kinderling’s 2017-18 business strategy, according to managing director Evan Kaldor.

“Research extolling the virtues of auditory learning is continuing to build, and so we recognised an opportunity to create a radio program that could fundamentally support children’s holistic development,” he said.

“Play & Learn is the result of that thinking and has been devised to directly complement some of the existing education models already in place. We’re confident that the results of the pilot will be extremely positive and look forward to continuing to work closely with G8.”

Built on insight from experts in musical education and fronted by top children’s entertainers Sam Moran (pictured above) as well as Lah-Lah and Buzz (from Lah-Lah’s Big Live Band), the Play & Learn program comprises a range of features designed to ignite children’s imaginations, nurture their emotional development and accelerate school readiness.

The Play & Learn pilot launched yesterday, with each 45-minute episode broadcast on Kinderling Kids Radio from 10am, Monday to Friday.

Audiences can listen live at www.kinderling.com.au, search for ‘Kids’ or ‘Kinderling’ on DAB+ radios or listen on demand via the mobile app, available from the iTunes Store or Google Play.