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Rhema Media
Rhema Media (previously known as Rhema Broadcasting Group or RBG) is a Christian media organisation in New Zealand. It owns radio networks Rhema, Life FM and Sanctuary, and television station Shine TV. It also publishes Bob Gass's quarterly devotional publication The Word For Today, and a youth version called The Word For You Today. Rhema Media is based in Newton, Auckland and is the founding organisation of United Christian Broadcasters (UCB).
Rhema Media was set up in the 1960s by Christchurch evangelical Richard Berry, following the success of Ecuadorian Christian short-wave radio station HCJB. The company's flagship network Rhema (then New Zealand's Rhema) began full-time broadcasting on 11 November 1978. In 1997 the company launched the additional radio brands of Life FM and Star (then Southern Star). Shine TV was launched in 2002, and The Word radio network operated between 2007 and 2015.
Rhema Media began in the 1960s as Gospel Radio Fellowship, a small group of evangelical Christians who wanted to set up a radio station in Christchurch. The New Zealand Government legalised private radio, after illegal pirate broadcasts by Radio Hauraki in the Hauraki Gulf. The fellowship set up a radio studio and transmitter in an old church building and applied to the Broadcasting Authority for permission to broadcast in 1972. However, the authority was skeptical about the need for an evangelical radio station, and declined the station's application based on a lack of public interest, finance and professional staff.
Gospel Radio Fellowship changed its name to Radio Rhema in 1974, and raised enough money to employ twenty staff. It received a one-day license for Christchurch in November 1974, a one-day license for Petone in October 1975, and a 10-day Christmas license for Christchurch in 1976. The broadcasts had to be live, medium wave, no more than 100 watts, and only directed at supporters. The station published newsletters for its Christchurch and Wellington listeners, and launched a monthly publication, Frequency, in 1977.
Radio Rhema gained a permanent licence in 1978 after about 55,000 people pledged their support to the station. It was launched by prime minister Robert Muldoon, who said the station promoted "a faith that moves mountains", and made its first broadcast officially on 11 November 1978. The station was allowed to broadcast six hours a day on weekdays and 18 hours a day on weekends, making it the first permanent Christian station in the British Commonwealth and one of the first Christian broadcasters in the world.
In 1980 the station was allowed to broadcast 18 hours every day, and had thirty five full-time and ten part-time workers. In 1982 it gained a license in Wellington. and purchased a property in Auckland where it employed six staff. In 1986 it began broadcasting in Auckland and attracted a niche following. and in 1989 it received approval to begin broadcasting in Dunedin.
Radio Rhema was one of the largest private radio networks in the country by the late 1980s. According to radio reviews in the New Zealand Listener, its programming included evangelical programmes, Biblical teachings, and politically conservative talkback. Sociologists Sue Middleton and Allanah Ryan argued the expansion of Radio Rhema was evidence of the growth of the Christian right.
In 1987, vice-presidents Richard Berry, Hal Short and Frank Salisbury also set up a separate organisation, United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) to support similar stations in other countries. The organisation's Australian branch supported Christian radio stations, many called Radio Rhema, before it set up its own broadcaster, the Vision Radio Network. Other affiliates followed in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, Pacific countries and South America. The Dove was set up as an affiliate in Oregon, United States. Smaller broadcasters were also established in Madagascar, Brazil, the Philippines and Estonia. In 1994, UCB was granted the right to publish The Word For Today, a quarterly catalogue of daily Biblical teachings by American preacher Bob Gass, in the United Kingdom. After an initial trial, Gass granted UCB the rights to broadcast, publish and distribute the devotional anywhere outside the United States free of charge.
Rhema Media
Rhema Media (previously known as Rhema Broadcasting Group or RBG) is a Christian media organisation in New Zealand. It owns radio networks Rhema, Life FM and Sanctuary, and television station Shine TV. It also publishes Bob Gass's quarterly devotional publication The Word For Today, and a youth version called The Word For You Today. Rhema Media is based in Newton, Auckland and is the founding organisation of United Christian Broadcasters (UCB).
Rhema Media was set up in the 1960s by Christchurch evangelical Richard Berry, following the success of Ecuadorian Christian short-wave radio station HCJB. The company's flagship network Rhema (then New Zealand's Rhema) began full-time broadcasting on 11 November 1978. In 1997 the company launched the additional radio brands of Life FM and Star (then Southern Star). Shine TV was launched in 2002, and The Word radio network operated between 2007 and 2015.
Rhema Media began in the 1960s as Gospel Radio Fellowship, a small group of evangelical Christians who wanted to set up a radio station in Christchurch. The New Zealand Government legalised private radio, after illegal pirate broadcasts by Radio Hauraki in the Hauraki Gulf. The fellowship set up a radio studio and transmitter in an old church building and applied to the Broadcasting Authority for permission to broadcast in 1972. However, the authority was skeptical about the need for an evangelical radio station, and declined the station's application based on a lack of public interest, finance and professional staff.
Gospel Radio Fellowship changed its name to Radio Rhema in 1974, and raised enough money to employ twenty staff. It received a one-day license for Christchurch in November 1974, a one-day license for Petone in October 1975, and a 10-day Christmas license for Christchurch in 1976. The broadcasts had to be live, medium wave, no more than 100 watts, and only directed at supporters. The station published newsletters for its Christchurch and Wellington listeners, and launched a monthly publication, Frequency, in 1977.
Radio Rhema gained a permanent licence in 1978 after about 55,000 people pledged their support to the station. It was launched by prime minister Robert Muldoon, who said the station promoted "a faith that moves mountains", and made its first broadcast officially on 11 November 1978. The station was allowed to broadcast six hours a day on weekdays and 18 hours a day on weekends, making it the first permanent Christian station in the British Commonwealth and one of the first Christian broadcasters in the world.
In 1980 the station was allowed to broadcast 18 hours every day, and had thirty five full-time and ten part-time workers. In 1982 it gained a license in Wellington. and purchased a property in Auckland where it employed six staff. In 1986 it began broadcasting in Auckland and attracted a niche following. and in 1989 it received approval to begin broadcasting in Dunedin.
Radio Rhema was one of the largest private radio networks in the country by the late 1980s. According to radio reviews in the New Zealand Listener, its programming included evangelical programmes, Biblical teachings, and politically conservative talkback. Sociologists Sue Middleton and Allanah Ryan argued the expansion of Radio Rhema was evidence of the growth of the Christian right.
In 1987, vice-presidents Richard Berry, Hal Short and Frank Salisbury also set up a separate organisation, United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) to support similar stations in other countries. The organisation's Australian branch supported Christian radio stations, many called Radio Rhema, before it set up its own broadcaster, the Vision Radio Network. Other affiliates followed in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, Pacific countries and South America. The Dove was set up as an affiliate in Oregon, United States. Smaller broadcasters were also established in Madagascar, Brazil, the Philippines and Estonia. In 1994, UCB was granted the right to publish The Word For Today, a quarterly catalogue of daily Biblical teachings by American preacher Bob Gass, in the United Kingdom. After an initial trial, Gass granted UCB the rights to broadcast, publish and distribute the devotional anywhere outside the United States free of charge.