Radio Tarana will celebrate its 15th year with a real sense of pride.
The rapid diversification of media in the later years of the 20th century and in the first decade of the 21st century has created opportunities for organisations like Radio Tarana, inevitably bringing with it many challenges, as more and more media compete for a share of audience, readership and advertising income.
In such a media environment, a strong survival instinct is essential; but more important than that is a strong commitment to the values the media organisation shares with its audience.
If the audience trusts and enjoys a particular media organisation, then it is far more likely not just survive, but flourish.
All media must adapt to what is happening around them; even the BBC has had to do that; but to earn trust from its regular audience, a media organisation has to be consistent in a number of ways: (a) It must strive for accuracy and balance (b) It must have a genuine sense of its own community (c) It must uphold values that its audience relates to and (d) It must champion freedom of expression even when a particular issue might be unpopular.
Radio Tarana is clearly succeeding on all four levels to get to the stage of celebrating its 15th Year. Its audience feel a sense of affection as a station based on trust, shared values and shared community.
As media diversifies more and more, the qualities of trust and values become the real treasure that sets media with genuine stature, apart from media that is here today and gone tomorrow.
There are, in fact, a mind-boggling amount of media outlets, from the so-called social media through to traditional media organs available today, but the outlet that can be believed and trusted is still the one most likely to endure.
While it is vital for the health of our society that even the most outrageous of bloggers can have their say, I know whose information or views I trust; and it is not someone or something whose background I do not know about, or whose values are not transparent.
There is one other important aspect of the role of Radio Tarana. It represents an ethnic community, and this makes it is even more essential that it is able to function successfully and in an environment where freedom of expression is fostered.
The Indian community must feel empowered to have a media outlet like Radio Tarana that promotes shared values, and that, quite simply, is there for them.
Congratulations to Radio Tarana for reaching this important milestone.
I have had many dealings with this station over the years, and I have always felt confident that my views and comments will be treated fairly and ethically.
You cannot ask more of any media outlet than to do just that. I congratulate Radio Tarana on its achievements.
Phil Goff is Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand and an elected Member of Parliament from the Mt Roskill Constituency in Auckland.
