Nights

The pros and cons of single-sex state schools

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Education researcher Michael Johnston from the NZ Initiative joins Emile Donovan to discuss the decision not to  build any new single-sex state schoo...

Investigative journalist on quashing of David Tamihere's double-murder convictions 

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mike White is an investigative journalist who has been following this case through the years. He is a senior writer for Stuff, and he joins Emile Dono...

Sports with Richard Irvine

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Writer and sports fan Richard Irvine joins Emile Donovan to talk about what's been happening in the world of sport.

Willow shortage prompts change in cricket bat rules

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

New Zealand’s and possibly the world's premier bat maker, James Laver of Laver & Wood joins Emile Donovan.

Call for free public transport to ease fuel demand

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The University of Auckland's Dr Timothy F. Welch joins Emile Donovan, 

Clean Up Begins in Far North

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It has been a very tough few days for communities in the far north of the country, with some areas receiving around two and a half months' worth of ra...

The Weekend: Phyllis Symons grave visit at Karori Cemetery

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On June 26, 1931, 17-year-old Phyllis Symons was murdered and buried beneath the construction site of what would become Wellington’s Mt Victoria Tun...

The Secret Behind 30 Years of Theatre Success

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jacob Rajan is an actor, theatre maker and all-round creative force. He’s back at it again time returning to the stage in Balloon Dog, a deeply aff...

Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights’ resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, takes a look at horror films including Alexandra Heller-Nicholas’ book 1000 Women in Horror which h...

Out Lately with Finn Johansson

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

He's back, and no doubt ready to inform, educate and entertain us with an array of eclectic music. It's Finn Johansson

The book club for men

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Lucas Oakeley is one of the organisers of something called the boys book club - which provides reading ideas and community for men in the UK. On his o...

The mysterious broadcast which started after the first US and Israeli strikes on Iran

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

V32 is a station sending numbers in the Persian (aka Farsi) language which began broadcasting just hours after the first US and Israeli strikes on Ira...

Politics with Natalia Albert

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Political scientist and regular Nights' contributor Natalia Albert looks at what Labour needs to do to win the upcoming general election.

Meta and Google found liable in social media addiction trial

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this week a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375m US after it found the company misled consumers about the safety of its platforms and ena...

Far North weather update

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Emile gets an update on the weather from MetService meterologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane gets the latest from Far North Mayor Moko Tepania.

European correspondent Christian Smith

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Christian Smith dials in from London with news of a chasm between Hungary and the rest of the European Union.

Midweek Mediawatch

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Colin Peacock joins Emile Donovan to debrief the week in media news including the response to the Middle East conflict.

Will in-person exams put a stop to AI cheating?

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

University of Canterbury associate sociology professor Dr Mike Grimshaw discusses what problems this will solve.

After Oscar Success Is It Time We Took Horror Seriously

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest winners at this year's Academy Awards wasn't a rising star, or a veteran filmmaker finally getting their due . . . It was horror, t...

Why is American Butter White?

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Butter is a simple food. In New Zealand, by law, it must contain at least 80% milk fat, with the only other usual additions being water and salt. So w...

Shower Thoughts

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Time now for Shower Thoughts -- this is where we find an expert to answer your curious questions about the world and how it works. And tonight, we're ...

Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

British musician John Otway has played over five thousand gigs and has had two hit records. His lyrics were once voted the seventh greatest lyrics of ...

Are Drones the Future of Warfare? 

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Josh Wineera is a defence and industrial strategist and previously a Massey University lecturer on regular warfare. He speaks to Emile Donovan.

The Impact of Screen Time in Bed on Young Adults

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are phones really keeping our teens up late at night? That's a question keeping our next guest, Otago University Health Sciences Professor Rachael Tay...

Sports with Richard Irvine

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The latest sports news from here, including wins for The Warriors, Hurricanes and Phoenix, plus the Black Caps head to Australia for a four-test serie...

Small Histories with Emma Kay

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's a Monday night, which means it's time to dive into history with Nights' resident historian, Emma Kay. Emma runs Small Histories of New Zealand, d...

When House Plants Go Rogue

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Monstera is just the latest in a line of species - about 20 new ones every year - that escape and often wreak havoc on our fragile ecosystems.  

Can Treasury Hold its Nerve During the Oil Crisis?

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The ongoing Middle East conflict could be a long and costly economic problem - yet the Covid Inquiry warned about economic overstimulation in times of...

Were there two St Patricks?

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of people around the world celebrated St Patrick's Day earlier this week, but do we really know much about his life? Well some scholars, beli...

The slow death of the magazine

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today, an icon of the scene — Auckland’s Metro magazine — announced it is pausing its print edition and moving fully digital. So what does this...

The Weekend: Thames Vintage Bottle and Collector's Club

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every Friday Night we take a look around Aoteroa for some of the curious events happening around the country. And tonight were heading to Thames for ...

Out Lately with Finn Johansson

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

He's back, and no doubt ready to inform, educate and entertain us with an array of eclectic music. It's Finn Johansson

Inside Wellington's new library

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This past weekend, the brand new, revamped, Wellington Central Library - Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui - reopened to much public fanfare, with over eleven-...

The Museum of Broken Relationships 

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every few weeks Nights is putting a foot in the door of some of the weirdest and most wonderful museums the world has on offer. Tonight's museum explo...

Why are our young people so unhappy?

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The World Happiness Report just dropped for 2026 - it's an annual study that looks at wellbeing of people right around the globe. It found that while ...

Southland's New Data Centre 

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A new $3.5 billion data centre planned near Invercargill has certainly got people talking. It will be the second-largest power user in the country, bu...

Paul Bremer's Iraq Emails

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's been more than 20 years since the invasion of Iraq by the 'coalition of the willing', led by the United States. While the country is no longer at...

What are fauxpologies? 

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights' resident sociolinguist Julia de Bres joins Emile -- associate professor at Massey University. Tonight's chat is all about apologising ... when...

Is there a wrong way to cut a feijoa? 

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's March, so that means it's one of the greatest times in the kiwi calendar - Feijoa season. But, recent Feijoa-related post on the New Zealand Redd...

Do have too many regional airports?

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is a tough time to be running a regional airport in New Zealand. Just last week, Air New Zealand announced it was cancelling 1,100 flights due to r...

Inside the 'manosphere' 

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Any time young men go online or open a social media app, they're stepping into a minefield of competing messages about what it means to be a man. How ...

Shower Thoughts: Where can I ride my horse? 

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Time now for Shower Thoughts -- this is where we find an expert to answer your curious questions about the world and how it works. And tonight, with a...

The world's first cancer vaccine for dogs 

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How much do you love your dog? Well, our next story is about a Sydney man who's definitely in the running to be dog-dad of the year. Back in 2024, Pau...

The rise and fall of Buzzfeed 

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a millennial, or someone who spends a lot of time on the internet - there's a high chance you've heard of a company called Buzzfeed...and th...

The personal lives of politicians

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This afternoon, Labour leader Chris Hipkins held a media conference over allegations made by ex-wife, Jade Paul. The claims were first posted on Faceb...

Why we need less red-tape and more authority 

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It may be an odd time to argue for less rules and more authority ... but that's exactly what my next guest is doing. Professor Natasha Hamilton-Hart f...

Sports with Richard Irvine 

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Writer and sports fan Richard Irvine joins Emile Donovan to talk about what's been happening in the world of sport.

Small Histories with Emma Kay

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's a Monday night, which means it's time to dive into history with Nights' resident historian, Emma Kay. Emma runs Small Histories of New Zealand, d...

The International Festival of Historic Motoring 

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nelson is a vintage car lover's paradise this week, as hundreds of cars and thousands of enthusiasts gather for the International Festival of Historic...

Who will New Zealanders really vote for? 

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Winning elections used to be fairly straightforward in New Zealand. Roughly 40 percent voted Labour, 40 percent voted National, and campaigns were rea...

Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights’ resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews Cold Storage, a fun splatter movie about a space fungus; Secret Mall Apartment, about a group of...

Upper Hutt's Big Bad Bogan Wedding

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Forget my Big Fat Greek Wedding . . . for the first time, there's going to be a "Big Bad Bogan Wedding." Over fifty couples applied for the chance to...

From creation to compost: The Life of Flowers

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Melanie Cecilia Stapleton is widely regarded as one of New Zealand - and Australia's - top florists. She's the genius behind renowed studio, Cecilia F...

Out Lately with Finn Johansson

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

He's back, and no doubt ready to inform, educate and entertain us with an array of eclectic music. It's Finn Johansson!!

Niki Harré​: A year as a secular priest

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Compiling vows, offering priestly services, and embedding herself in church communities - she's documented her experience in a new book called The Ca...

Suzanne McFadden: Telling women's stories

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Suzanne compiles family documentaries, and 85 percent of her clientele are men. The accomplished women's sports journalist asks: why do women feel lik...

Political/Philosophy with Natalia Albert

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Political scientist Natalia Albert joins Emile to discuss a less-talked about 2026 coalition recipe: Labour and Opportunity.

What is CANZUK?

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

CANZUK advisory board member Noel Cox joins Emile in the Auckland studio to explain the thinking behind this proposed alliance, particularly when it c...

Karen Grylls CNZM: Once more, with feeling

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

One of Aotearoa's most respected choral conductors and educators Dr Karen Grylls is about to bring the curtain down on her illustrious career. She joi...

European correspondent Christian Smith

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Christian Smith brings us news from the other side of the world.

Reimagining of the moral world order

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As the US-Israeli conflict with Iran rages on, moral leadership from the Western world's biggest powers players, like the US, has been drawn into ques...

Dan Brumm: The brain behind Bluey's iconic sound

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The children's TV sow is acclaimed for tackling big topics, having great heart, and has won a suite of awards. What makes a beloved TV show sound good...

Shower Thoughts: How do you get your cat out of a tree?

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

To tell us how is director of Urban Tree Services in Wellington, Josh Micallef. 

The next generation of arts critics

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Brunt and Sebastian Taylor from Auckland Arts Festival's Young Critics Programme join Emile Donovan.

Could New Zealand really run out of oil?

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Official figures show we have more than the 90 days of oil stocks required under our international obligations. Dulani Jayasuriya from the Auckland U...

The real life story behind Winnie-the-Pooh

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Broadcaster and former politician Gyles Brandreth explores that complicated story in his new book Somewhere, A Boy and a Bear: A Biography of A. A. M...

Sports with Richard Irvine

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight: New Zealand is thrashed by India in the T20 World Cup final, Kiwi Ben Waine's FA Cup heroics, and Auckland's crazy sporting weekend. 

Small Histories with Emma Kay

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight she's taking a look at when our love of motor cars first appeared. 

David Lange: History on Tape

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Writer and journalist Greg Bruce is one of the people lucky enough to have access to the tapes of Prime Minister David Lange - he joins Emile Donovan ...

A minor party Prime Minister?

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Could New Zealand ever see a Prime Minister from a minor party? It's never happened before in this country's history, but there's no reason why it co...

Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights’ resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews the new Spanish road trip drama Sirāt, about a father searching for his missing daughter with...

Oldest student magazine sliced down to size

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Former Critic editor and current senior writer for The Spinoff Joel MacManus joins Emile Donovan to discuss.

This Weekend: Moana and the Tribe

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Moana Maniapoto joins Emile Donovan ahead of her Auckland Arts Festival performance this Sunday: ONO with Moana & the Tribe.

Why Wellington shouldn't despair

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Former Aucklander and journalist Brooke Harper isn't waving the white flag yet on her home city of choice, and says there are plenty of reasons to kee...

When volcanoes and comedy collide

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In 2023 Ben Miller became the first stand-up comedian to be an artist in residence at the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Nights at the Museum: Museum of Failure

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Founder Dr Samuel West is a licensed clinical psychologist with a PhD in organisational psychology, and joins Emile Donovan to share the museum's uniq...

New fund for keeping the sound sharp at Auckland venues

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Emile is joined by Managing Director of Live Nation, Mark Kneebone, and Tom Anderson from Whammy Bar, which was a recipient last year.

Just how self-sufficient is New Zealand in times of crisis?

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Boyd is an independent researcher in global catastrophic risk and one of the brains behind the Aotearoa New Zealand Catastrophe Resilience Projec...

European correspondent Christian Smith

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Christian Smith dials in from London with news from the other side of the world.

Julia de Bres on the use of 'you know' in conversation

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights' resident sociolinguist,Julia de Bres joins Emile Donovan to tackle one of RNZ listeners' biggest bugbears.

How do you find out what's happening in your community?

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Sutherland has been thinking about the paucity of information, and attention on local projects funded by ratepayers. 

Reconciling sport in wake of Middle East conflict

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rob Nichol is the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association and joins Emile Donovan.

 Iran and its effect on international sport 

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jacob Spoonley is General Manager of the New Zealand Professional Footballers' Association and joins Emile Donovan.

Cop It Write - a killer handbook for crime writers

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Retired police detective now author, Angus McLean joins Emile Donovan.

Shower Thoughts: Is it better to water your garden and plants in the morning or the evening?

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

To help us dig into this gardening conundrum,  journalist, author and all round gardening guru Lynda Hallinan joins Emile Donovan.

The art and history of whistling

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Doctor Wendy Hargreaves from the University of Southern Queensland is a music researcher, has been looking into the history of whistling.

Little Sisters of The Poor launches public appeal for expansion of elderly support

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mother Superior, Sister Maureen, joins Emile Donovan to explain the work they do, and their plan to provide even more accommodation..

Has New Zealand responded correctly to the conflict in Iran?

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The former MP and Foreign Minister Phi Goff joins Emile Donovan to discuss the response by our Government to the strikes on Iran.

'Bicycle face' and technological anxiety

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Kate MacKrill is a health psychologist and the University of Auckland.

Sports with Richard Irvine

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The writer and sports fan joins Emile Donovan to talk about what's been happening in the world of sport.

Small Histories with Emma Kay

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight she is sharing the origins of a local legend the Fiordland moose

Iranian-New Zealanders react to conflict in Iran

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Former MP and UN human rights lawyer Golriz Ghahraman, who left Iran as an asylum seeker in 1990, joins Emile Donovan.

Geopolitical analyst on US-Israeli strikes on Iran

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Geoffrey Miller joins Emile Donovan to discuss the situation.

Out Lately with Finn Johansson

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Finn joins Nights to share an array of eclectic music.

The 500 best movies of all time

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

RNZ Producer and film aficionado Sam Hollis joins Nights to talk about the LETTERBOXD TOP 500.

French-trained clown returns to NZ for Fringe Festival show 'Dune but Worse

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The show is part of the New Zealand Fringe Festival in Wellington and is performed by 'notorious Pōneke clown' Sean Burnett Dugdale-Martin.

Taranaki street art festival returns 

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Get Up Festival is back for its first run in eleven years.

Educating children on grief

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

John Adams led a campaign in the UK for grief education to be added to UK schools and he joins Emile Donova.

The case for lowering the threshold for interest on student loans

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Political Editor at the New Zealand Herald Thomas Coughlan joins Emile Donovan.

How useful are State of the Nation speeches?

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Political scientist Natalia Albert has been digesting them, and shares her thoughts with Emile Donovan.