RNZ: Pop! Culture

We look at some new media trends that have sprung up recently, like Youtube influencers and VR, and think about where they might be taking us.

In this episode of Pop! Culture, Melody Thomas and Tony Stamp explore queer representation in television, film and pop music and where LGBTQIA+ audiences are hoping it will go from here.

This episode: the last few years have been hailed as a new era in mainstream onscreen inclusion, from Black Panther to Crazy Rich Asians. We look at the media's response, and explain what the term 'woke' actually means.

What do our 'tastes' say about us? And who gets to decide whether they're 'good' or 'bad'? In this episode of Pop! Culture, Melody Thomas and Tony Stamp examine the elusive notion of taste.

We look at how the rise in gaming culture has affected NZ - from people who get paid to stream themselves playing games online to a locally made game that helps young people deal with depression.

We explore themes and characters of popular culture, and what their popularity says about us. First up: Mermaids! (And Mermen. And Tritons. And Sirens. And... you get the gist.) Featuring author and mer expert Megan Dunn, poet Tayi Tibble, Mei Whaitiri aka the face of Napier's Pania of the Reef statue, Merman Jax, Triton Mahtilinnie and author Dr Jennifer Kokai.

Melody Thomas (Bang!) and Tony Stamp (Music101) explore the themes and iconic characters of popular culture.