Nights

8:15 Pacific Waves

A daily current affairs programme that delves deeper into the major stories of the week, through a Pacific lens, and shines a light on issues affecting Pacific people wherever they are in the world. Hosted by Susana Suisuiki.

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8:30 Gen AI image used for cover of Wellington's Yellow Pages

The cover of the new Wellington Yellow Pages features a stunning image of a mountain biker on a hill trail, surrounded by lush bush, overlooking a modern city by the ocean.

The only problem: the image is labelled as Makara Peak - very much a real place - but the place depicted on the cover doesn't exist because it was created using AI.

Thryv, which owns Yellow, has acknowledged the cover picture is AI-generated, and says the image which can be licenced for $150, was used by mistake.

Emile Donovan speaks to professional photographer Jason Blair about his thoughts on the AI generated "photo" and the future of his profession.

8:45 The Reading: Civilisation - Twenty Places on the Edge of the World

Tonight's reading comes from Civilisation - twenty places on the edge of the world by Steve Braunias.

In today's reading Steve looks past the spy station and discovers drama lurking below the surface in the coastal Manawatu settlement of Tangimoana

9:05 Nights Quiz

Do you know your stuff? Come on the air and be grilled by Emile Donovan as he dons his quizmaster hat.

If you get an answer right, you move on to the next question. If you get it wrong, your time in the chair is up, and the next caller will be put through. The person with the most correct answers at the end of the run goes in the draw for a weekly prize.

9:25 Whakataukī of the Week with Professor Deidre Brown

Every Monday to start our week off on here Nights, we invite a guest on the show to share a whakataukī - a Māori proverb - that's meaningful to them.

Tonight we're talking to art historian and architectural academic Professor Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) from the University of Auckland whose work focuses on Māori and Pacific design, housing and architecture.

She's also the director at the Centre for Māori and Pacific Housing Research and In 2023 was awarded Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal the first Māori wahine to be given the organisation's highest honour.

Deidre also has a new book out with Ngarino Ellis, Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Maori Art which is longlisted for the Ockhams in the Illustrated Nonfiction category.

9:35 How the brain experiences dementia 

Dementia is a complex disease - an umbrella term that covers dozens of different conditions - that affects a person's ability to think, reason, and remember, getting worse over time.

It affects over seventy thousand living New Zealanders today, not to mention those who love and care for them.

To explore what physically happens in the brain with dementia Emile Donovan speaks to Professor Lynette Tippett, a professor of psychology at the University of Auckland and the National Director of the Dementia Prevention Research Clinics.

10:17 What actually is a tariff and how does it work? 

US President Donald Trump has introduced 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and a 10 percent tariff on China - delivering on one of his key election promises.

A day after signing the order President Trump acknowledged Americans may find themselves paying the costs of his new measure.

But what actually how do tariffs work and why are they so controversial? 

Emile Donovan speaks to former diplomat and Executive Director of the New Zealand International Business Forum Stephen Jacobi.

10:30 Sports with Richard Irvine 

Our sports correspondent tonight is sports writer, and author of the weekly newsletter Sport Review, Richard Irvine.

Tonight Richard is chatting about the Super Smash cricket finals, Chris Woods scoring more goals, Auckland FC winning - again and the NBA mega trade which left people dazed and confused.

10:45 BBC World Lookahead with Rob Hugh-Jones

Tonight we're speaking to Rob Hugh-Jones about a row engulfing German politics ahead of the federal elections later this month, Donald Trump's new Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads off on his first overseas trip and the number of foreign workers in Japan has reached a record high.

11:07 Nashville Babylon

Every week on Nashville Babylon Mark Rogers presents the very best in country, soul and rock 'n' roll.

On this week's show there's classic blues from Jimmy Reed, Etta James covers Bob Dylan, a preview of M Ward's forthcoming tour dates plus a birthday tune for Graham Nash.