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RNZ National broadcasts 24 hours a day, featuring the best in news, current affairs, Māori programming, series, readings and music – plus podcasts, a live audio feed and on-demand programmes.
Writers Write, Actors Read
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Writers Write, Actors Read
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Nights
8:00pm - 12:00am (midnight)
Featured stories
Summer encore: Bodies of Water - Don McGlashan
Watch / Listen / Read: New Zealand music icon Don McGlashan (The Mutton Birds, The Front Lawn, Blam Blam Blam) talks about how rivers, lakes, inlets, and seas have shaped him and his career as an artist in this charming Lilburn Lecture. Video, Audio
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The story behind ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’
1 Jan 2026One of the most recognizable lullabies, ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ has been adapted and performed by parents and professional musicians including Nicki Minaj, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, The Supremes and Louis Armstrong.
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Summer encore: The Big Sing Finale
29 Dec 2025One of the highlights of 2025, the Big Sing Finale brought together 24 top secondary school choirs, with nearly 1000 young singers gathering in Dunedin to sing their hearts out. Catch up on the performances here.
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Christmas Day Church Service
25 Dec 2025Celebrate Christmas Day with an ecumenical service of readings, reflections and prayers brought to you by representatives of some of Wellington's central city churches, and carols sung by Porirua choir Pacific Connection. Video, Audio
Programmes
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The Mixtape
Our guest compiles a C60 and talk us through their music selections.
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Country Life
Country Life takes you down country roads to meet ordinary people achieving their dreams. We live in a beautiful country and we'd love to show it. Have you got a great photo? Drop us…
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Checkpoint
Checkpoint with Lisa Owen is RNZ’s weekday drive-time news programme, Our people, stories and breaking news and interviews from 4-6pm.
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Birdwatching with This Way Up
Finding out about New Zealand's birds with birdwatcher Hugh Robertson
Presenters
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Susie Ferguson
Station: National
Programme: Saturday Morning
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Perlina Lau
Station: National
Programme: Culture 101
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Emile Donovan
Station: National
Programme: Nights
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Kara Rickard
Station: National
Programme: Music 101
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Louise Pagonis
Station: National
Programme: News
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Nicola Wright
Station: National
Programme: News
Today’s Schedule
12:00 AM. All Night Programme
A selection of the best RNZ National interviews and features.
6:10 AM. BBC Witness History
Witness History takes you back to moments which have shaped our world.
6:20 AM. The Best of the Detail a selection of the best Detail episodes from 2025
7:00 AM. Morning Report Summer Edition
Presented by Melissa Chan Green and Lauren Crimp
9:06 AM. Summer Times with Anna Thomas
Noon On the Air
Maggie Tweedie and Mark Williams (MC Slave) host and afternoon of Music
5:00 PM. The Lodge
In a world obsessed with wellbeing - would you put your health in the hands of a cult?
6:00 PM. Feature Programming
BBC's The Conversation
7:10 PM. The Best of the Detail
A selection of the best Detail episodes from 2025
8:15 PM. Writers Write, Actors Read
10:00 PM. News at Ten
A roundup of today's news and sport