Prime Minister John Key referred to Radio Tarana as a ‘Station that is balanced, providing equal opportunity to all parties to express their views’ in his recent speech.
Addressing an audience of more than 2000 people at the ASB Theatre at the Aotea Centre on August 15 to commemorate India’s 63rd Independence Day organised by the Bhartiya Samaj Charitable Trust, he said the Indian ethnic media had an important role to play in New Zealand and praised the quality and unbiased reporting of Indian Newslink and Radio Tarana.
The Station’s Managing Director Robert Khan attributed such accolades to the strategic partnership of the two organisations to serve the communities involved.
“We will continue to work together, pooling our resources to promote commercial and social organisations, community groups and individuals and ensure that quality of product and delivery of service are never compromised,” he said.
The ensuring festive season will see Radio Tarana playing a more active role in enabling people to celebrate such occasions as Eid Al Fitr (marking the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan), Navaratri or Dassera (Ten nights of music, prayer and dance) and Diwali (Festival of Lights).
Mr Khan said that the radio station would broadcast special programmes for Eid Al Fitr, which is likely to be celebrated on or about September 12 (see our Special Report in this issue).
“Our plans for Diwali this year are aimed at making the events with which we are involved bigger, better and more interesting to all ethnic groups. Hundreds of thousands of people visit these events, and it is important to provide quality festive atmosphere. The anxiety is to offer something different every year,” he said.
Radio Tarana’s involvement with this major festival would cover all areas of the Auckland Region, including Manukau (October 16), Waitakere (October 24) and Auckland City (October 30 and 31).
While the radio station will announce updates of these events from time to time, Indian Newslink will carry extensive reports.
Mr Khan said sports was another area in which the station had a competitive edge.
“Our listeners have varied interest in sports, including Cricket, Rugby, Rugby League and Soccer and we have reporters and experts to provide the best possible coverage to satisfy all of them,” he said.
Meanwhile, as reported in our May 15, 2010 issue, the radio station has retained its Number One position among Indian radio stations as the top language broadcaster in the Greater Auckland region.
An independent Radio survey found an increase in the listenership of the radio station during April 2010.
According to the Survey, Radio Tarana had 3.3% of the commercial radio market share and achieved the No 1 Status for the highest time spent listening to the Auckland station (10 hours 26 minutes weekly).
“With over 42,000 listeners weekly in Auckland, the station also retains its No 1 spot as the premier Language Broadcaster in the country,” it said.
The Radio Industry Research Committee manages the annual Survey for Research International Australia and New Zealand to determine the major players in the commercial radiobroadcasting sector.
Research International Australia and New Zealand is a part of an international group with more than 70 years of experience in the region.
“The key to our success as the No 1 Indian Station in New Zealand and the No 1 Language Broadcaster in the country is our programming and the high caliber of quality announcers,” he said.
Photo : Robert Khan
