Nights

Amendment to remove Trump ‘a long shot’ 

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Maria Armoudian is an associate professor in politics and international relations, at University of Auckland and joins Emile Donovan.

How do you absolutely, positively kill a well-resourced capital city?

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Danyl McLauchlan says it is not a sudden collapse, but the result of decades of decisions

Can a fuel crisis accelerate electrification?

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Casey, chief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa and a leading advocate for electrification, joins Emile to discuss. 

Shower Thoughts: How does radio actually work?

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

RNZ’s Transmission Manager Steve White joins Emile Donovan to explain.

What would happen if you threw a coin off the Sky Tower?

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Easther, professor of physics at the University of Auckland joins Emile Donovan.

History is made at the Sydney Royal Easter Show dog competition

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A standard poodle named Anton made history as the first ever back-to-back winner of the competition.

Are we becoming a nation of strangers?

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rob Campbell chats to Emile Donovan about why we are becoming socially isolated.

Are we heading towards a new kind of 'Space Race?'

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Priyanka Dhopade is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Auckland and joins Emile Donovan. 

Sports with Richard Irvine

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We talk sport with regular correspondent Richard Irvine.

How long should a bath towel last?

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When do you know when it's time to say goodbye to your favourite towels, and how long can we realistically expect our bath towels to last for?

Small Histories with Emma Kay

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight, we’re turning back to April Fools and the pranks that once fooled a nation.

Could private finance help solve our flood protection challenges?

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Newsroom Pro managing editor Jonathan Milne has been looking into this issue and joins Emile Donovan.

Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights' resident screen critic joins Emile Donovan with his picks for the weekend.

This Weekend: Only Fools and Horses 

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We find out about a hoof/foot race in the Maniototo.

The joy of older technologies 

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Music journalist and writer Simon Sweetman joins Emile Donovan to explain why turning off the algorithm every once in a while, can be good for us all,...

Civil Defence on staying safe as Cyclone Vaianu approaches

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

John Price is the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management at NEMA and joins Emile Donovan.

Latest from MetService ahead of Cyclone Vaianu 

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

MetService Meteorologist John Law joins Emile Donovan.

Hollywood blockbuster highlights the wahine Māori behind famous waiata 

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We find out about the life and work of Erima Maewa Kaihau.

Historian on new evidence in the notorious Bill Sutch spy case

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Gaitanos has written about this new material in a piece on the RNZ website and joins Emile Donovan.

Politics with Natalia Albert

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The political scientist and regular Nights' contributor joins Emile Donovan.

New Zealand's least reliable cars revealed 

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Author of the Consumer NZ report, Bryan Wall joins Emile Donnovan.

How to forecast a cyclone 

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Philip Duncan is Head Weather Analyst and owner of WeatherWatch.co.nz and he joins Emile Donovan to explain.

Could this be the cheapest bus route to travel in New Zealand?

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We find out about the Number 1 bus, which travels the 55-plus kilometres between Dunedin and Palmerston.

Sociolinguist Julia de Bres on cool German words

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights' resident sociolinguist, associate professor at Massey University Julia de Bres joins Emile Donovan.

European correspondent Christian Smith

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

News from the other side of the world.

The mathematical model explaining why the car you passed always returns

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Conor Boland, a researcher from Dublin City University joins Emile Donovan to explain.

Al Gillespie on Trump's Madman Theory with Iran

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Waikato University’s Professor of International Law, Al Gillespie joins Emile Donovan.

Why All the President’s Men is as relevant as it was 50 years ago

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, Alexander Howard says half a century later, the film still holds up.

Shower Thoughts: What happens when my phone call is recorded for training purposes? 

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sylvie Thrush Marsh is head of HR of MyHR and joins Emile Donovan to explain.

'Distinctly Australian' audio added to film and sound archive

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Meagan Loader, chief curator at the Film and Sound Archive joins Emile Donovan.

What's behind the bizarre AI fruit drama trend? 

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss the viral social media series featuring anthropomorphic fruit characters.

The world and New Zealand's place in it

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist and editor and China expert Anna Fifield joins Emile Donovan to discuss her latest post on Substack, Between Giants.

Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nights' resident screen critic joins us for some long Easter Weekend recommendations, 

This Weekend: The famous carnival at the Easter Show

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Emile Donovan talks to John Mahon about what it takes to run a successful carnival business.

The significance of the Artemis moon mission

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Astronomer and rocket fan Professor Richard Easther from Auckland University's Department of Physics joins Emile Donovan.

 National Youth Drama School celebrates 35 years

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Artistic Director Ben Fagan joins Emile Donovan. 

The case against the IOC rule change over transgender athletes

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Professor of Sociology of Sport, Physical Culture and Gender at the University of Waikato, Holly Thorpe joins Emile Donovan.

European correspondent Christian Smith

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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

Midweek Mediawatch

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight broadcasting legend Phil Vine fills in for Mediawatch host Colin Peacock to debrief the week in media news.

What will a ban on greyhound racing mean for the gambling industry?

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Max Rashbrooke is a senior research fellow in the School of Government at Victoria University of Wellington and joins Emile Donovan. 

Former Olympian and NZ Chef de Mission speaks out on new gender rules 

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Emeritus Professor Dave Gerrard joins Emile Donovan to discuss the decision by the International Olympic Committee.

Shower Thoughts: How do you review an album?

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

RNZ music journalist and producer Tony Stamp joins Emile Donovan to explain.

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...