Media Releases
Monthly highlights: September
Released at 11:40 am on 20 August 2024
Radio news
Saturday Morning with Susie Ferguson and Mihingarangi Forbes
RNZ National’s refreshed Saturday Morning programme will launch on Saturday 31 August, with Mihingarangi Forbes joining Susie Ferguson as co-host live from the central library Tūranga in Christchurch.
The show will kick off at the earlier time of 7am with a new hour-long segment discussing the major news stories of the week with journalists, correspondents and newsmakers, followed by the long-form interviews across a broad range of topics that Saturday Morning is known for from 8am. The two-host format will allow for more interaction and for the programme to try a few new things, while retaining the key focus on curious, thoughtful and fun content from Aotearoa and around the globe.
The refreshed Saturday Morning programme aims to create both an outstanding radio programme for listeners and digital content for new online audiences. The interviews from Saturday Morning will also be shown across RNZ's digital channels, meaning the show will reach a greater range of New Zealanders.
As a result of the extended Saturday Morning timeslot, rural New Zealand mainstay Country Life will move forward one hour to 6am. Other timings for Country Life remain the same – a new episode will be released every Friday on podcast apps, with the first radio play on Fridays at 7pm.
Saturday Morning with Susie Ferguson and Mihingarangi Forbes
From 31 August
7am-Midday on RNZ National
Digital content on rnz.co.nz and RNZ’s social media channels
Events
RNZ at The Pacific Music Awards
The Pacific Music Awards celebrates 20 years on 29 August at Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau with 27 finalists across 13 categories, celebrating a broad range of genres and Pacific talent. Expect highlights from the red carpet, interviews with winners and event coverage across RNZ’s rangatahi platform TAHI (support sponsor), RNZ’s social media team and RNZ Pacific.
New Content in September
Day One Shorts (formerly Someday Stories)
Short films | Wednesday 4 September
Variety of genres
Day One Shorts (formerly Someday Stories) is an immersive talent development program offering workshops, mentoring and funding for filmmakers, providing a pathway for young voices to break into the screen industry and forge sustainable careers. Funding eight short films, Day One Shorts holds space for diverse creatives to get a foot in the door by restricting the initiative to new and emerging directors who haven’t received film or series production funding in the past. Previous films have covered many topics including, culture and society, health, gender identity, human rights, mental health, the environment and many more.
RNZ is excited to showcase all eight short films on rnz.co.nz, from Wednesday 4 September.
Made with the support of NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho.
It's Personal with Anika Moa S2
Podcast & video | Friday 13 September
Society & Culture
After a successful first season, beloved musician and broadcaster Anika Moa is back for season two of her podcast It’s Personal with Anika Moa. Across 10 episodes she speaks to notable New Zealanders about life’s tough lessons and how they’ve coped with big challenges. It’s entertaining, it’s emotional, and above all – it’s personal. The podcast which sees Anika chatting with guests on topics and issues close to her heart is back with a brilliant line up. From Morgana O’Reilly dishing on White Lotus season three, Kiritapu Allen lifting the lid on her life in and out of politics and Ramon Wake illustrating the importance of telling transgender stories. It’s Personal with Anika Moa season two promises some brilliant guests.
Available weekly from Friday 13 September as video and audio at rnz.co.nz/anika, and on podcast platforms. Played on RNZ National weekly from Monday 16 September, 7.30pm.
Hi-Vis
Video series | Monday 23 September
Rangatahi, Comedy
Hi-Vis is a new 8-part documentary video series that trails a crew of witty traffic management workers from Kia Tupato, a Whangārei based company with the responsibilities of managing traffic in and around the Waitangi Treaty Grounds during the Waitangi Day 2024 Celebrations. The series gives an insider’s look at the realities Kia Tupato are faced with in the lead up to and during one of the biggest Waitangi Day celebrations in history. Across each episode, the team tackles turning mundane tasks into hilarious adventures, from traffic scheduling, preparing traffic management plans and general traffic management. Hi-Vis showcases youthful resilience and friendship in regional Aotearoa. It's an entertaining journey, reminding us that life's twists and turns are best faced with a hearty smile.
Released weekly on TAHI Facebook, Instagram & YouTube channels from Monday 23 September.
Hi-Vis is produced by Tai Huri Films and made with the support of Te Māngai Pāho.
Daniella Loves to FIght
Podcast | Wednesday 25 September
Sports, Society & Culture
Daniella Loves to Fight is a new five-part podcast about Daniella Smith – the most famous New Zealand sportswoman – you’ve probably never heard of. Daniella's a single mum from Kaikohe who rose to become IBF welterweight boxing champion of the world at the age of 38. She tells her own story of pure grit, where fighting in the ring was only part of the struggle. Daniella also had to overcome isolation and discrimination, poverty and disdain to make this implausible dream come true. Legends Monty Beatham, Shane Cameron and Mea Motu join her in the ring to tell this tale – about the liberation of women’s boxing - by a woman who loves to fight.
Available weekly from Wednesday 25 September on rnz.co.nz and on podcast platforms. Played on RNZ National weekly from Sunday 29 September, 7am.
Rich
Video series | Coming in September
Investigative, Business
What does it mean to be wealthy in New Zealand in 2024? RNZ’s Corin Dann and investigative journalist Anusha Bradley will speak with a diverse range of New Zealand's rich and powerful about attitudes to wealth in new video led series, Rich. It'll feature ideas for making us a richer country and what to do with money when you have plenty of it. Rich also examines some of the big policy questions about wealth through interviews with our political leaders.
Rich will run as a series of short videos, feature articles online and on social media, as well as on RNZ National. The project is supported by RNZ’s In Depth team and will be launching soon in September.
30' with Guyon Espiner S2
Podcast & video series | Coming in September
In-depth
30’ with Guyon Espiner is back for season two. The current affairs interview programme is fronted by award-winning journalist and presenter Guyon Espiner – each episode is un-scripted, un-edited with interesting people sharing interesting ideas.
Watch season one here or listen on podcast platforms. Season two coming soon.
Featured Content
Gone Fishing - Bonus Episode
Podcast | Out now
True Crime
A new bonus episode for the popular Stuff and RNZ podcast from 2018, Gone Fishing is out now. The episode brings new revelations in the case against Gail Maney which saw her jailed for 15 years for being involved in the disappearance of Deane Fuller-Sandys.
After years of fighting to prove her innocence, Gail Maney’s case has just been through a Court of Appeal hearing. And the only witness who specifically accused Gail of murder, her childhood friend, Tania Wilson, is dead. Because of this, and many other issues to do with Tania’s accusation, Gail and her co-accused may be about to walk free. Hosts Amy Maas and Adam Dudding bring you up to date with this latest installment of the Gone Fishing podcast.
Listen to previous episodes here as well as the new bonus episode on rnz.co.nz/fishing or on podcast platforms.
Desert Hikoi
Video series | Out now
Music, Documentary
Desert Hikoi is a new four-part video series following multi-award-winning Māori musician and actor, Troy Kingi, as he makes the journey from Kerikeri to one of the most iconic music studios in the world, Rancho de La Luna in Joshua Tree – with the hopes of sourcing some much-needed inspiration for his upcoming Desert Rock album (a first love genre for him) as he aims to record 10 albums, in 10 genres, in 10 years. Desert Hikoi isn’t just a music documentary – it’s the journey of a group of artists finding their richest vein of creativity, whilst going deep within and learning about themselves. With the ambitious schedule of writing and recording an entire album in just ten days, across each episode, Troy and his band need to dig deep.
Watch now on rnz.co.nz/desert, Desert Hikoi is the story behind Kingi’s new album Leatherman & the Mojave Green, which was released on Friday 16 August.
Made with the support of NZ On Air.
Thrift S2
Podcast | Out now
Money, Society & Culture
Thrift is back for season two! In season one, presenter Katy Gosset explored practical ways to get the most out of your money from experts as well as everyday people. In this season Katy discusses wise ways to trim your costs, learning some great tips and offering listeners the chance to share their own. Across each episode, Gosset will explore a different theme from socialising and having a good time on the cheap, permaculture and community gardens, bringing back the ‘old ways’ of preserving and pickling – and lots more. With 'out and about' audio, lively discussions and hands-on hints, Thrift is on a mission to meet people who are saving money and to help build a community that can do the same.
Listen to season two now on rnz.co.nz/thrift, and on podcast platforms.
