Nights for Tuesday 27 January 2026

8:10 Two thirds of New Zealanders have seen extreme content online

The internet has long been seen as a wild west and a new report shows it might be even worse than previously thought.

A new survey from New Zealand's Classifications Office shows that two-thirds of New Zealanders have seen extreme or even illegal content online - and most people weren't looking for it when they found it.

To find out more about what's going on Mark Leishman speaks to Chief Censor Caroline Flora.

8:25 The House

Tonight on our Parliament show - The House - Louis Collins covers the first item on Parliament's agenda for 2026 - a motion acknowledging recent tragic weather events. 

8.30 Legs out, rain or shine: Just the Kiwi way?

New Zealanders are famous for many things, but apparently nothing makes us stand our more than wearing shorts in the freezing rain or snow while out in the wilderness.

While the rest of the world bundles up, we keep our legs gloriously, stubbornly free.

So why is that, well that's a question Talisker Scott Hunter set our to answer in an article he's written for The Spinoff and he speaks to Mark Leishman about what he he discovered. 

8:45 Shower Thought: Why are agapanthus everywhere?

Have you ever been standing in the shower, when suddenly the noise in your brain clears and, in its place, appears the perfect thought?

That's a Shower Thought. Each Tuesday, here on Nights, we're aiming to answer those unshakable questions lurking in the back of your mind.

Tonight, we're talking agapanthus, also known as Lily of the Nile, and how their admittedly lovely flowers came to be blooming everywhere across the country.

To help us unpack Nights speaks to Murray Dawson - a botanist at Manaaki Whenua  Landcare Research who has spent years breeding low‑fertility and sterile versions of agapanthus to try to keep their beauty without the weedy spread.

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 Humanity’s oldest known cave art

When we think of the world’s oldest art, Europe usually comes to mind  those famous cave paintings in France and Spain.

But new discoveries in Indonesia are shaking that idea up and rewriting the story of early human creativity.

Mark Leishman speaks to one of the researchers behind the discovery.

9:45 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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10:17 The Detail

On The Detail - Extreme weather may be the trigger for deadly and devastating slash, but the lines on who is responsible for prevention and clean-up are blurred

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10:45 The Reading

Tonight's reading is 'Kingdom Of The Sky' a story about Hartley Manners, a seventy five year old actor of the old school. In this episode Hartley finds himself working with an old enemy.

'Kingdom Of The Sky' is a Hartley Manners Story written Matthew O'Sullivan and told by Grant Tilly. 

11:07 Worlds of Music

On Worlds of Music Trevor Reekie hosts a weekly music programme celebrating an eclectic mix of trans global music, fusion and folk roots.