I have often heard some people say that they are in the media business driven by passion and not the desire to make money.
In the dubious garb of ‘community service’ and ‘incentives,’ they either undercut or offer free advertising, hoping to throw the long established companies out of the market.
They are wrong.
Over the past 16 years (since the establishment of Radio Tarana) I have seen a number of companies mushrooming in the broadcasting and print media. Their attempts to ‘take over the market’ has only resulted in creating unhealthy and immoral business practices.
Fortunately, advertisers, listeners and readers (in the case of Indian Newslink) are too intelligent and well informed to fall for such gimmicks. They stay with quality and help us to grow and serve them better.
A serious profession
None of us in Radio Tarana (and indeed in Indian Newslink) claims broadcasting or editing a newspaper to be a hobby. To us this is livelihood and a sacred profession. True, we are passionate about what we do but never at the expense of integrity, honesty and good commercial sense.
I also believe that organisations such as ours should face the challenges of the market, work in close relationship with advertisers and other stakeholders and make the best of the economy. When times are hard, the challenge would be to generate honest revenue, ensure continuous cash flow and maintain a clean balance sheet through available means. Throwing money obtained from other sources is no option at all; in fact it does not make commercial sense.
As we complete 16 years of our existence and move into another year of expectations and excitement, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our advertisers, sponsors and listeners for their continued patronage and support.
The latter always remain as ‘also-rans,’ for there is no place for opulent upstarts. This is people’s business and public support is paramount.
Harsh realities
Competition is the most important aspect of consumption, because it provides consumers with choice and enables them to exercise that choice to demand the best from those offering products and services. It encourages companies to innovate, diversify, improve the quality of products and services and offer them at affordable prices. A market with healthy business practices emerges for the benefit of everyone in the community and the country.
Unfortunately, reality is far removed from the theory of economics. Newcomers challenge the established organisations, not with matching quality of products and services, but with cutthroat razors, perpetrating price wars. That indeed is the status of the Indian media in New Zealand today.
People’s Station
Radio Tarana belongs to people – professionals who produce and present programmes, marketing and sales personnel who offer the advertising and sponsorship packages best suited to businesses and service them to optimise customer satisfaction, accountants who keep the Company afloat. It is team work that enables us to offer uncompromising quality products and services.
Sixteen years in the life of a young radio station is sufficient time to assess its strengths and weakness. I believe that our greatest strength is our people, including advertisers and staff, some of who have been with us since we began on June 15, 1995. That in itself would vindicate my belief that challenges do not deter those who function with commitment and determination.
Economic recovery, growing business confidence and increasing goodwill of the people are factors that will orchestrate the continued success of Radio Tarana.
Robert Khan is Managing Director of Radio Tarana. Read his article, Wellington at last gets a Capital Station in this Special Report.
