Podcasts about Radio New Zealand

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Saturday Morning", with Susie Ferguson presenting. A look-back at 2025, and look ahead to the New Year.

Could it be that the smartphone and social media brought us together only to make us completely intolerant? Research seems to be pointing that way - so what can we do? Also, fake receipts, fake voices and fake apologies - the more AI we use, the more we get faked out. Finally, 'mind captioning' - could bring a voice to those who can not use their own! Recorded live on Radio New Zealand's "Nine To Noon" show on Thursday 20 November 2025 - with big thanks to host Kathryn Ryan! The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim is Executive Editor, Audio, at Radio New Zealand.RNZ's new 17-episode podcast Nark tells the extraordinary story of New Zealand's first prison murder at Mt Eden in 1985, where burglar Ross Appelgren was convicted twice—and had both convictions quashed—for killing fellow inmate Darcy Te Hira. Appelgren went to his grave in 2013 maintaining his innocence, even escaping prison once to plead his case on radio. Now, thirteen years after his death, his widow is taking the case back to court to clear his name. At the heart of this gripping investigation is a fundamental question: can you trust the testimony of convicted criminals, particularly "the Nark" who claimed to witness Appelgren commit the murder?What makes this podcast groundbreaking is RNZ's innovative use of AI voice cloning to bring Appelgren's own words to life. With the blessing of his family and estate, the production team used ElevenLabs to recreate Appelgren's voice from rare radio interviews, combined with a New Zealand actor's performance to capture his intonation and Kiwi accent. Rather than simply having an actor read his memoirs, court transcripts, and affidavits, listeners hear what sounds remarkably like Appelgren himself pleading his case across hours of content—a deeply moving experience for his family and a powerful connection for audiences.This marks RNZ's first use of AI in journalism, carefully considered through ethical working groups and justified by the principle of giving voice to the voiceless. Lead producer Mike Wesley Smith has spent two and a half years investigating this case, and the result spans 35 to 65 minutes per episode, rolling out three times weekly through early December. It's an ambitious true crime series that pushes the boundaries of audio storytelling whilst grappling with questions of justice, credibility, and how we remember those who can no longer speak for themselves.

I'm trying to work out what the ratio would be. How much squeaky clean, beyond doubt, rock solid truth would the BBC need to deliver to offset the one gargantuan cock up that has seen the Director General and Head of News quit? Or in this day and age, where doubt and mistrust is so high, is it a futile exercise and the damage is permanent? Like all these stories you can dilute its seriousness – the Panorama programme wasn't actually made by the BBC, it was a contract company, so was the bias external not internal? Obviously I am clutching at straws. Does a resignation mean the organisation is no longer biased, or perceived as biased? I would have thought not. How do you prove inherent bias? Which is an ongoing charge not just at the BBC but a number of public broadcasters all over the world. I cited the Radio New Zealand example yesterday, out of the boot camp report, their headline read the conclusion was of a ‘rushed' exercise. That wasn't the conclusion. It was an observation, not a conclusion. But even if you argued the observation was a conclusion, that would mean there were many conclusions. Why pick that one when there were positive ones to choose from as well? And is that inherent bias or just a busy journo looking to publish a story? Are we the punter inherently biased and therefore whatever we see and we don't like must be biased? The BBC bit is of course indisputable. It's not about inference or emphasis, it is about making something seem real which factually wasn't – they made it up. Why would you do that unless you had an agenda? Why would the BBC not spot it? Too busy or too biased? The Culture Secretary said now more than ever the need for trusted news is essential to our cultural and democratic life. Which is what they say when they have carnage to deal with using taxpayers' money. The BBC were already booked in this week, ironically, for a parliamentary inquiry into their coverage of trans rights and Gaza, cementing in many people's minds what they already suspected. My summation is basically: it's over. The jury is in, the verdict is guilty, and the people are always right. Whatever the media might once have had by way of respect and trust is largely, if not completely, gone. And two resignations cemented any remaining doubt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon's live report for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Corin Dann presenting.

Should the clanging of prison gates replace the rigour of military detention for a soldier who tried to spy on New Zealand? That's the decision a panel of three judges will now grapple with after a day of appeals in Wellington. The Court Martial Appeals Court is deciding whether the sentence imposed on the soldier for attempted espionage is too light; whether he can be named; and if Radio New Zealand should be allowed to appeal against a further suppression ruling. Reporter Jimmy Ellingham spoke to Lisa Owen.

Produced for Radio New ZealandTiny, rare and under the radar…some streams in the South Island of NZ, are home to one of the country's rarest freshwater fish - the lowland longjaw galaxias aka Jaws. Featuring - Dean Nelson - Senior Biodiversity Ranger, Department of Conservation Martha Jolly - PhD Candidate, University of Canterbury Follow the Show Facebook : ⁠https://www.facebook.com/tuneintonature⁠ Instagram : ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tuneintonatureshow/⁠ Twitter : ⁠https://twitter.com/tunenatureshow⁠ Producer & Presenter:  ⁠http://instagram.com/karthiscool⁠ Website : https://www.karthicss.com/podcast This episode was first broadcast on Radio New Zealand - https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ourchangingworld/565617/our-changing-world-protecting-jaws

Massive increases in productivity lure businesses into adopting artificial intelligence. But what if pursuit of that elusive 'superprodctivity' produces exactly the opposite? A rebroadcast of Radio New Zealand's Nine To Noon from16 October 2025, host Kathryn Ryan and I ask whether any business advantage can be gained by the 'promiscuous' use of AI. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon's live update for Radio New Zealand's "Morning Report" with Corin Dann anchoring.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Questions to Ministers Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? TAMATHA PAUL to the Associate Minister of Housing: Why has homelessness increased greater than the rate of population growth, while the rejection rate for emergency housing has grown to eight times what was reported a year ago? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his reported statement that Totara Hospice received 84 percent of its funding from the Government; if so, why does his account differ from that of the chief executive, who says the correct figure is 56 percent? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister for Economic Growth: What recent announcements has she made? Hon KIERAN McANULTY to the Associate Minister of Housing: Does he stand by his statement, "we've been really focussed on making sure that those people with genuine need for housing are given some sort of support"? DANA KIRKPATRICK to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What recent reports has she seen on tourism in New Zealand? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by her statement that "We want to grow, promote and support the education workforce by backing and strengthening our educators"; if so, how does offering secondary teachers the pay offer of 1 percent each year for three years back and strengthen our educators? GREG FLEMING to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcements has he made about Gumboot Friday? CELIA WADE-BROWN to the Minister of Local Government: Does he agree with the comments of Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton that "There's some basic things that councils have to get involved in because central government isn't stepping up to fit the needs of local communities"; if not, why not? REUBEN DAVIDSON to the Minister for Media and Communications: Does he stand by the decision to cut funding to Radio New Zealand in Budget 2025; if so, why? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Associate Minister of Housing: How has the Government's declining of 28 percent more emergency housing applications in March 2025 compared to the year before contributed to the Auckland, Far North, and Whangarei territorial authorities reporting the highest number of homeless whanau in Aotearoa according to the Homelessness insights report June 2025? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has the Government made about making building in New Zealand more affordable?

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.

Latest news from Radio New Zealand's business team.