Indian Newslink belongs to that club which believes in constant introspection and has a penchant to be different and objective.
Responsibility is what distinguishes us a member of the Fourth Estate.
From its inception, one objective was clear: there must be integrity, transparency and honesty in all operations and the publication should stand the test of market scrutiny. Those were in fact the principles that have guided us these past twelve years and encouraged us to launch the Indian Newslink Sir Anand Satyanand Lecture in July this year to honour the former Governor-General of New Zealand.
The first issue was an experiment, so was the second and the third. The market, including advertisers and readers was testing the veracity of the publication.
There were promises of support and they were delivered.
In a sense, every edition is a success story for every newspaper.
The challenges of course are many and continue to multiply by the day.
On the face of it, twelve years is no big deal for a newspaper. There are many in our own country that have turned 100 years or more.
Twelve years therefore is not even a blink on the vast canvas of time.
But when you consider the context and the environment in which a community newspaper like Indian Newslink operates, you would perhaps find a justification.
The current year has been one of the most challenging periods in recent memory, with a majority of businesses struggling to cope with the downturn in the economy, perpetrated by the global financial crisis.
Competition has not only become fierce but also cutthroat and unhealthy, creating inroads into commercial propriety and ethics. Business approach appears to be based more on ‘slaying the other’ rather than to compete on an even-playing field.
True, Indian Newslink cannot boast of a flash office in Auckland’s central business district; it still emerges out of a functional, if not obscure, precincts in East Auckland. But size and location are not issues to becoming a forceful member of the media world.
Today, this young publication steps into its teens, aware of its responsibility towards the community, the society and the country.
We know we are not perfect (show us a single person or entity that is, please) but we are willing to learn and adapt.
We are now a teenager seeing an opportunity in every challenge to grow and to serve you.
