Radio Tarana retains the top spot

Radio Tarana 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 the 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 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.

Apart from listenership surveys, it provides contemporary custom research solutions for its clients around innovation, market strategy, health and service management issues.

The firm uses ‘personally placed and collected diary-based method’ to obtain the requisite information for its official radio audience measurement surveys.

“This methodology has been shown to be the best available, thus ensuring accurate measurement of radio audiences,” a communiqué said.

The communiqué said personal diaries are placed with a different sample of respondents each week during the survey.  

Respondents use the diaries to maintain an accurate record of their radio listening for seven consecutive days.

“By ‘listening’ we mean that respondents are able to hear the spoken announcements being broadcast, and identify the station broadcasting. The format of the diary used by Research International breaks down each day into quarter-hour slots. Respondents were asked to indicate their radio listening in any quarter hour period where they have listened for eight minutes or more of that quarter hour,” the communiqué said.

Radio Tarana Managing Director Robert Khan attributed the top rating to quality content and superior broadcasters of the radio station.

“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.

“This survey is the benchmark of any radio station’s position in the Auckland market and this result is a true and independent reflection of our position among all our competitors in the Indian and language broadcasting sector,” he said.

Mr Khan said the station had focused on building strong listenership in key demographics, considered vital by advertisers. 

“We are on the threshold of our 15th year of broadcasting. We are continuously devising new strategies to suit our core listeners.  From ground events to on-air broadcasting, we endeavour to excel in all areas, retaining our top position,” he said.

Advertisers and listeners say Radio Tarana has a market niche and is reputed for its professional programme hosts, “who are lively, friendly and flexible in their approach.”

“We get better value for the advertising dollar spent here than any other radio station in the country,” advertisers say.

Apart from the Greater Auckland region, the station has thousands of listeners tuning in from various parts of the country, Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Fiji round-the-clock.

“As well as entertainment and quality talkback, Tarana provides us with update news on the hour, including live-feed from BBC in London,” a listener said.

Most shoppers listen to Radio Tarana before visiting Indian supermarkets, grocery stores, car dealers and retailers to learn of specials, discounts and latest arrivals.

Mr Khan said while Hindi was the mainstay of the radio station, its specialist Punjabi and English language programmes were gaining increasing listenership in New Zealand and rest of the world.

“Our objective is to entertain, inform and educate Indian Communities of all ethnic and religious backgrounds, primarily in the Greater Auckland area. Radio Tarana programmes can also be heard on Sky TV, giving us a wider network of listeners,” he said.

Source: Research International, New Zealand