Daniel Wilks
What’s your current occupation / what currently occupies your time?
I’m currently the owner of an IT company and have been for the last 16 years. What occupies my time is that and my family life with seven kids. /p>
Why is Rhema Media important?
It’s a great platform on a number of levels: for kids to be able to tune in to a station that has the word, great faith-based music, great presenters, and a great digital platform to see visual media via Shine. It’s important for all generations to be able to tune in from anywhere at any time and drink from that.
How has Rhema Media impacted you personally?
Its great to be able to tap into a source that has faith-based music and presenters any time and essentially anywhere. I get fed through Rhema Media and get words of encouragement through its different sources. I love that I’ve been able to raise a family and provide a source they too can tap into.
Why do you want to be on the Rhema Media Board?
I want to be able to add value to Rhema Media. I bring expertise from my years in business and in the IT field, as well as that of being a husband and father of seven, and a listener for about 20 years.
What skills and experience will you bring to the Board?
I’ve been part of the building committee at church and in the monthly inner working meetings there for the last couple of years. A number of changes at our church have come out of my ideas. I was a volunteer at Festival One for about 10 years, working with the team there to a high level. And, my experience in the IT field, being a long-time listener and family man means I’m able to provide a different view on things and bring fresh thinking.
What’s your involvement in your local church & community?
My wife and I are actively involved at Equippers Taupo. We run the marriage course there. But between the business and family life, we don’t like to commit to too much as it’s important to say ‘No’ to some things to allow us to be present in the ‘Yes’ things to the level we need to be.
What other interests and hobbies do you have?
There are quite a few: rock fishing, badminton, snowboarding, hunting, Lego Technics big builds and collector, mountain biking.
What do you believe are the key opportunities and challenges for Rhema Media at this time? How would your skills and experience contribute to enhancing Rhema Media’s impact in these areas?
Key opportunities: the reach Rhema Media has to speak into people’s lives wherever they are, when life with the social media push is pressing more people into isolation. I feel more effort needs to go into the visual media side of things. I love how there are now different strands with Sanctuary, Life FM, Rhema etc. That’s been a good move.
Key challenges: staying relevant and capturing and keeping attention. I wonder if there is a way in Shine, like has been done with the radio stations, to split the stream or to create your own content to appeal to a wider audience, like what’s been done with the radio stations catering for different needs.
I feel I’ll contribute many ideas and perspectives on these opportunities and challenges to the Board, through my life experiences, years of listening, working at Festival One and being in business for a long period of time in New Zealand.