Vision Christian Media is a testament to God’s faithfulness. Established in 1988 at the initiative of United Christian Broadcasters International, from day one we have been committed to broadcasting the message of Jesus Christ through a variety of media. Although Vision is independent, we retain a close alliance and working relationship with other similar groups worldwide, through UCB International.
From the Chairman’s address to the first meeting of Directors in 1988
For most of our history we have been known as UCB Australia but, in 2015, we changed our name to Vision Christian Media.
The only viable opportunity for Christian radio in the early years was through ‘Community’ licences.
This meant much of our work in the early years involved lots of travelling, meetings, and phone calls — resulting in the establishment of over 30 independent Christian radio groups across Australia, most of whom successfully attained licenses. For many years we supported these stations with programming, management, technical assistance, fundraising and a whole lot more. It was during this time that we started publishing The Word for Today.
Then, in the late 1990s, we became a broadcaster in our own right, launching Vision FM (now known as Vision Christian Radio). Over time, our role as a support group to the other stations diminished as they began to mature and also as our own radio network began to grow.
The term ‘broadcast’ is actually an agricultural word meaning to ‘broadly cast seed’. That’s what we do every single day through a range of media ministry products, including:
Vision Christian Radio, heard nationally on FM, AM, websites, apps and satellite
Vision180 radio (our youth station). With just one FM outlet in St George QLD, it’s a radio baby compared to its big brother — but is also available via our website and free app
The hugely popular daily devotionals, The Word for Today and WORD4TODAY (our youth devotional, published as part of Vision180 Magazine)
Our resources arm, Vision Christian Store, which provides quality teaching in books, CDs and DVDs
Our confidential prayer request service, Vision Christian Prayer
Tours to Israel through Vision Christian Tours
Vision National News, a Christian worldview news service, heard on our own stations plus around 20 other radio stations around Australia
Vision‘s history reveals a wonderful journey of faith and growth. Read our story in more detail below.
From humble beginnings
Dick Berry, the founder and first president of Radio Rhema in New Zealand – where we find our roots
In 1961, New Zealander Dick Berry (pictured) was installing an antenna to receive HCJB short wave radio from the other side of the world, when he hurt his back. During his recovery, he cried out to God: ‘Why can’t we have Christian radio here?’ The short answer to that question was: ‘I want you to do it.’ That was the beginning of an amazing story of faith against all the odds, which has resulted in the establishment of Christian media ministries worldwide, including ours.
After 17 long years of fighting red tape and discouragement, Richard and his small team finally managed to get a Christian radio station on air in Christchurch in 1978. From these humble beginnings Radio Rhema (now Rhema Media) began to grow. Today it encompasses more than 60 stations across four networks and is one of New Zealand’s largest radio groups. By the way, ‘Rhema’ means ‘the inspired word from God’.
In the 1980s the Radio Rhema team started to field questions from others around the British Commonwealth seeking advice on establishing similar Christian radio stations in their countries. Excited by this new opportunity to communicate the Gospel using radio in new places, they established a separate body to focus on the task of taking Christian Radio to the world — that group being United Christian Broadcasters International.
In 1988, at the initiative of these visionary Kiwis along with some passionate Aussies, United Christian Broadcasters Australia was born (that’s us!)
The early years
Vision Christian Media was originally called UCB Australia and was founded in 1988 in Chatswood, Sydney, by New Zealander Philip Churchill. At the time ‘Community’ Licenses were the only real option for Christian Radio. These had to be obtained by hearings before the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal and were granted almost exclusively to groups represented by the smartest and best-briefed barristers. From the Government’s point of view, change was urgent and overdue.
Those first few years were hard going. Philip returned to New Zealand after two years, as the timing was not yet right.
But the early pioneers would not have to wait long for change to come in the form of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. In preparing for possible future opportunity, United Christian Broadcasters Australia Ltd was registered as a charitable company in 1991 and in the following year operations began, activated by four visionary men — Warren Rout, Hal Short, Dudley Scantlebury and Frank Salisbury.
This new Broadcast Act allowed greater use of ‘Temporary Community Broadcast Licenses’ that meant Christians could hear first-hand what Christian Radio might be like, with broadcasts up to 3 months long, resulting in the development of a support base to make local stations self-sufficient.
Our role as a mentor and leader was crucial in providing various groups around Australia with broadcast training, infrastructure, guidance and the momentum to get up and running.
The first of many stations to be established was Rhema FM Newcastle, in one of Australia’s largest provincial centres, about 100 km north of Sydney. The founders, husband and wife team Russell and Betty Aicheson had visited Radio Rhema in New Zealand in 1984, spending time with Richard Berry. Their visit inspired them to establish the Newcastle station, initially on a temporary license. After a long battle, Newcastle finally obtained its permanent licence to broadcast full-time in 2000.
Rhema FM Canberra was the second ‘cab off the rank’. Founded by Warren Rout (who passed away in December 2010) and his wife Suzanne in 1991, Canberra Christian Radio Limited obtained its permanent license in 1999. The Community licences were very hard to get, particularly where other groups were also vying for a licence.
UCB Australia (now Vision) was a driving force in the establishment of almost 30 community radio stations, each one being autonomous, locally run and financed by their own communities. After the launch, we assisted with support, guidance and representation, often for many years. Here is a list of the stations we helped establish, that are still on air today:
NSW
Bathurst — Rhema FM 100.1 (now Life FM)
Dubbo — Rhema FM 94.3
Central Coast — Rhema FM 94.9
Grafton — Rhema FM 103.1 (now Life FM)
Newcastle — Rhema FM 99.7
Orange — Rhema FM 103.5
Port Macquarie — Rhema FM 99.9
Tamworth — Rhema FM 89.7
Taree — Rhema FM 106.5
Wagga Wagga — Rhema FM 101.9 (now Life FM)ACT
Canberra — Rhema FM 91.9 (now 1WAY FM)VIC
Geelong — Rhema FM 96.3 (now 96three)
QLD
Gladstone — Rhema FM 91.9 (now Fresh FM)
Gold Coast — Rhema FM 107.3 (now Juice 107.3)
Gympie — Cooloola Christian Radio FM 91.5
Mareeba — 4TVR FM 92.3
Mt Isa — Rhema FM 105.7
Sunshine Coast — Rhema FM 106.5 (now SALT 106.5 FM)
Toowoomba — Rhema FM 92.9 (now Voice FM)
Townsville — Rhema FM 99.9 (now Live FM)
Wide Bay — Rhema FM 105.1
SA
Victor Harbor — Spirit FM 96.5 FM
Mt Gambier — Rhema FM 104.9 (now Lime FM)
WA
Geraldton — Soncity 97.3FM
NT
Darwin — Rhema FM 97.7 (now Darwin’s 97seven)
That’s quite a few (there were also other groups that were not successful in obtaining a licence, or have since sadly folded — for example, 2IAM FM Coffs Harbour).
In the latter half of the 1990s, the opportunity for new ‘Community’ licences had all but dried up, but a new ‘Narrowcast’ class of licence had become available. The team saw a new opportunity for a Christian radio network across the country! On 1 February 1999 we became a broadcaster in our own right, with the launch of Vision FM.
For a time, we sought to continue to support the affiliated community stations. However in reality it was very difficult to keep a twin focus: to be both a broadcaster and a representative body. So, after much discussion, in early 2005, we officially recommended to affiliate stations the Association of Christian Broadcasters was best positioned to act as the peak body for Christian broadcasters. UCB Australia‘s season as the umbrella organisation/peak body in Australian Christian radio was over. As part of the process, we strongly encouraged its historical affiliates to participate actively as members in the Association. Today this Association is known as Christian Media Australia and has been a force for unity and collaboration amongst Christian media ministries with Vision playing an active role.
Vision Christian Radio takes to the air
Phil Edwards and Mandy Worby presenting during a Visionathon appeal on Vision
Vision‘s history on air began in 1999, broadcasting from humble studios in Springwood, Brisbane on 1 February that year. Two-and-a-half years later we moved into larger premises in nearby Underwood to enable us to better provide 24/7 broadcast coverage to a growing number of relay stations across the nation, plus listeners on the internet as well as those tuning in direct-from-satellite.
In the twelve months following March 2001 a rapid expansion began, seeing the number of relay stations triple to around 90. Also in April 2001, Vision Christian Media (then UCB Australia) took the bold step of introducing Australia’s first nationwide Christian worldview news service — UCB News — which is heard on Vision as well as around 20 other stations.
During 2003, UCB had opportunity to secure its first high powered open narrowcast licences, which were soon put on air.
The network quickly reached 150 relay stations by the end of 2003, and in the following year its first foray into AM radio followed with sites in Shepparton, Bunbury and Kalgoorlie. Just prior to Christmas 2004, a further 17 high-powered licences were secured to be on-air the following year.
Over the years, the programme content has also continued to mature and develop, with a team of dedicated professional broadcast staff coming from many walks of life and media backgrounds.
On 20 July 2015, UCB became Vision Christian Media in order to unify the names of its diverse ministry arms under one simplified umbrella.
Why is Vision different to other Christian community broadcasters?
There are essential differences between the independent community stations and the Vision Christian Radio network.
Transmission tower
The community stations have autonomous Boards and individual negotiations with Broadcasting Authorities. They represent local interests and news; they set their own music and talk mix appropriate to their local listening audience. Formats vary across the different stations depending on their target audience and desired ministry outcomes.
Vision, on the other hand, holds Open Narrowcast licences, so each broadcast site is essentially a repeater of the programme beamed by satellite from our studios in Brisbane. Vision is Australia’s fastest growing radio network. From one relay station in 1999, there are now over 660 on air in regional and metropolitan Australia, most of which are low powered FM stations. This growth has been fuelled by public demand with communities generally contributing most of the funds required to establish their new service.
Outside our network coverage area, many people also listen direct-from-satellite or via the internet or by downloading our free app. The network covers many regional Australian communities, although Vision is also heard in many of the major centres including Adelaide, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Rockhampton, Sydney and Townsville.
Through positive music and talk, we aim to deliver a stimulating and compelling programme mix that encourages everyday Aussies to live a life of real faith in God. We want Vision to be a trusted friend, aiming to ultimately introduce listeners to our trusted friend — Jesus Christ!
In Australia, the majority of supporters also subscribe to the quarterly devotional The Word for Today written by Bob and Debby Gass. In 2009, UCB launched a youth edition, word4U2day, now Vision180 magazine. Around 150 000 copies of the two devotionals are distributed each quarter in Australia alone. Through our international affiliates, over 6 million copies are distributed worldwide.