Rhema Media

What Rhema Media does

Rhema Media Inc. is a New Zealand-based non-profit Christian media organisation founded in 1978 and headquartered in Auckland, structured as an incorporated society. It operates as New Zealand's largest independent broadcasting group, running multiple radio stations (Rhema, Life FM, Star, and the newer Sanctuary), the nationwide Shine TV Christian television network, two daily devotional publications (The Word For Today and Word For You Today), mobile applications on iOS and Android, podcast distribution via Omny, and web streaming. The organisation reaches over 342,000 New Zealanders weekly and serves a defined audience of Christians seeking spiritual content as well as advertisers seeking access to that niche audience.

Name

Rhema Media

Legal name

Rhema Media Inc.

Website

https://rhemamedia.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Broadcasting

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Periodical Publishers (513120), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Christian Broadcasting (TV & Radio) (MPABALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks (MPABABAC), Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI), Faith & Religious Live Streaming Platforms (MPACACAK), Faith-Based Media, Publishing & Broadcasting (Radio, TV, Digital, Press) (BPAGAJAI)

Keywords

• Christian broadcasting
• Religious media services
• Devotional publications
• Radio broadcasting
• Television broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: Rhema Media operates as a charitable Christian media ministry funded primarily through voluntary donations from individuals. Donors can contribute via credit card, direct bank deposit, direct debit, Pushpay mobile app, phone donations, or payroll giving schemes. The organization offers regular support options (weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, biannually, annually) and one-time donations.
2. Membership Fees: Organizational membership requiring a minimum annual donation of $84 per year. Members receive quarterly Frequency magazine, complimentary Word For Today publication, and communiqués from the CEO. Members gain voting rights at Annual General Meetings and for Board elections.
3. Advertising Revenue: Sale of advertising placements across radio (Rhema, Star, Life FM), television (Shine TV), and print publications. The organization markets to businesses seeking to reach its 342K+ faith-based audience nationwide with production included in packages.
4. Legacy Bequests: Gifts received through wills and bequests from supporters. These gifts are invested to provide capital for ministry needs including radio frequency license renewals. The organization partners with Safewill for online will writing services with 50% discount for supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rhema Media operates a multi-platform Christian media ministry in New Zealand broadcasting Christian radio stations (Rhema, Life FM, Sanctuary), a nationwide television network (Shine TV), daily devotional publications (The Word for Today, Word for You Today), and complementary mobile applications. The organization distributes faith-based content 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across radio frequencies, television broadcast, print, and digital streaming channels, supported primarily by donations, membership fees, and advertising sales.

Product overview

Rhema Media operates as a multi-platform Christian media organization offering a portfolio of interconnected brands across Radio, TV, Print, and Digital media. The core product suite includes Rhema (Christian radio), Life FM (contemporary Christian music radio), Sanctuary (worship radio), and Shine TV (national Christian television), alongside two daily devotional publications—The Word for Today and Word for You Today—all unified by the mission to draw New Zealanders into a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. The organization also provides mobile applications for its radio stations and devotional content, reaching hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders weekly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Life FM: A Christian radio network featuring pop, rock and urban music from New Zealand and around the globe, talking about real-life issues in a way that points people back to Jesus.
• Rhema
• Sanctuary
• Shine TV
• The Word for Today
• Word For You Today

Products and services

• Rhema Radio Christian radio station featuring the latest Christian music, entertaining and inspiring talk, and world-class teaching — family-centred radio that reflects a Christian worldview and highlights issues of the day, broadcast 24/7 to New Zealand audiences.
• Life FM Radio Christian radio network featuring a mix of pop, rock, and urban music from New Zealand and around the globe, addressing real-life issues affecting listeners in a way that points them back to Jesus, with energy, authenticity, and humour.
• Sanctuary Radio A radio offering positioned as a place of peace, faith, and connection in a noisy world — providing a space to pause, reflect, and be uplifted through inspiring conversations, encouraging messages, and worship music.
• Shine TV New Zealand's first nationwide Christian television network, offering uplifting local and international content including movies, documentaries, teaching programmes, and music to inspire and encourage a relationship with Jesus.
• The Word for Today Daily devotional written by Bob and Debby Gass, offering insights from scripture and applied Biblical principles; delivered as printed copies (110,000 quarterly) and via a mobile application, providing daily messages of encouragement that resonate with readers' current circumstances.
• Word for You Today Devotional writings by Bob and Debby Gass adapted for teens and young adults, meeting them with language and life examples they can relate to and inspiring them to lead a life centred around Jesus.
• Rhema Media Mobile App Native mobile application available on iOS App Store and Google Play, allowing users to listen live, access on-demand content, podcasts, and devotionals for the Rhema Media brand portfolio.
• The Word for Today App Mobile application for daily devotional content, developed using the Subsplash App Platform and available on iOS, Android, and Amazon Appstore; features include daily readings, audio messages, topic search, favorites, social sharing, Bible verse lookup, and an integrated Bible reading plan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 342K+ weekly reach across all platforms with faith-based audience nationwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SafewillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Safewill online will writing service offering 50% discount ($80 instead of $160) to Rhema Media supporters interested in leaving legacy gifts to the ministry. Safewill is an online estate planning platform backed by lawyers with fixed fees and secure encryption.
• PushpaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPushpay mobile application integration allowing Rhema Media supporters to make quick and easy donations from smartphones and tablets. Registered payment platform for convenient charitable giving.
• SubsplashcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Word For Today mobile application developed using Subsplash App Platform. Available on iOS, Android, and Amazon Appstore with features including daily readings, audio, search, favorites, sharing, and Bible verse lookup.
• Omny ContentcoreTechnology or IntegrationPodcast hosting and content distribution platform (Omny) used for hosting Rhema shows including The Brightside, Thoughts & Comments, and teaching programmes with on-demand audio streaming capabilities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Australian Christian Channel: Faith-based television broadcaster in Australia offering Christian content similar to Shine TV. Comparable as a regional Christian TV network with faith-driven programming and donor-supported operations.
• Hope Media: Australian Christian media organization operating radio networks (Hope 103.2, Vision FM) with donation and advertising revenue. Closely comparable mission, multi-station radio model, and faith-based audience monetization.
• UCB Pacific (United Christian Broadcasters): Faith-based Christian broadcaster operating radio networks across New Zealand and the Pacific. Directly comparable as a Christian media ministry with multi-station radio footprint and donation-driven revenue model in the same geography.
• Focus on the Family (New Zealand): Christian content and media organization operating in New Zealand with donation-supported content distribution. Comparable as a faith-based content producer reaching NZ Christian families through similar channels.

Broad incumbents

• K-LOVE: Major US Christian radio network with hundreds of stations and digital streaming, supported by listener donations. Comparable as a large multi-station Christian music and teaching radio network with the same donation-plus-advertising revenue structure.
• TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network): Global Christian television network with multi-channel distribution and donor-supported operations. Comparable as a large-scale faith-based TV broadcaster with similar programming mix of teaching, music, and family content.
• CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network): US-based multi-platform Christian broadcaster operating television, radio, and digital properties with donation-supported revenue. Comparable as a large-scale faith-based broadcaster with similar content mix of teaching, music, and devotionals.
• EWTN Global Catholic Network: Largest Catholic media network in the world, broadcasting TV, radio, and digital content globally. Comparable as a multi-platform faith-based broadcaster with donor-supported model, though serving a different (Catholic) denomination at much larger scale.
• NZME (New Zealand Media and Entertainment): Largest commercial radio broadcaster in New Zealand operating multiple radio brands and digital platforms. Comparable as a multi-station NZ radio broadcaster competing for the same local advertising dollars, though mainstream rather than faith-based.
• Discovery NZ (formerly MediaWorks): Major New Zealand broadcaster operating radio and digital properties. Comparable as a large NZ broadcaster with multi-platform reach competing for advertising revenue in the same market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nzrhema
• Instagraminstagram.com/thoughtsandcommentsnz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rhema Media