Nights for Wednesday 10 September 2025

8:10 What's behind cancellation of WOMAD in 2026? 

Another iconic and long-running New Zealand festival is going on hiatus as it faces rising costs and shifting conditions that are affecting the industry.

Organisers of WOMAD announced today that they will be taking a "purposeful rest" in 2026 to protect the long-term future of the festival.

Already this year organisers of SPLORE, Juicy Fest and Bay Dreams have cancelled their events for this year.

Running parallel to this is a dearth of international artists bypassing these shores.

So what is going on with our concert and music festival industry and is there any hope that things are going to improve.

Music writer Chris Schulz joins Emile Donovan. 

8:20 The House

Tonight our report from Parliament, Louis Collins runs us through the budget process which Parliament is still in the midst of, even 110 days after Budget Day. 

8:25 Why are our attention spans dropping?

Based on Microsoft data, the estimated average attention span for Gen Z is just eight seconds, while for millennials, it is 12 seconds.  

And the data shows that attention spans are continuing to decline. 

So how does attention really work? How can we improve it? And why are our attention spans dropping?

Barbara J Sahakian is Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, and she joins Emile Donovan.

8:30 Midweek Mediawatch

Colin Peacock joins Emile Donovan to debrief the week in media news.

Tonight, the media's handling of the Tom Philips shooting, and news that a documentary is being produced about the case, plus more interesting decisions from the BSA.

9:05 Nights Riddle

For something completely different: listen into the show from 8:00pm to get clues for tonight's riddle. First correct guesser wins.

Text 2101 or email nights@rnz.co.nz

9:15 Science with Ezzy Pearson

Ezzy Pearson is an expert in science, with more than a decade of experience in science journalism, including as Features Editor of BBC’s Sky at Night magazine.

She’s also the author of Robots in Space: The Secret Lives of Our Planetary Explorers and holds a PhD in Astrophysics from Cardiff University. 

9:25 Poet and scrabble champion Nick Ascroft on his new book of poetry

Nick Ascroft is releasing his sixth book of poetry: called "It's What He Would've Wanted", it's out on shelves tomorrow.

His last collection was described as the best New Zealand book of poems of 2022, and he has edited the 2024 Best New Zealand Poems anthology.

Nick is also a scrabble afficionado and is President of Scrabble Wellington

He joins Emile Donovan.

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

Tonight on The Detail - The Detail talks to reporter Tony Wall, who's covered the saga of the fugitive father and his children for nearly four years

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10:45 The Reading: 'The Devil and the Corner Grocer'

This week, our story is a salute to the renowned story-teller Margaret Mahy, who passed away in 2012

It's 'The Devil and the Corner Grocer' dramatised for radio by Margaret Burnett.

In tonight's episode the traveller seems to be having trouble advancing his plans.

11:07 Family Affair

Popular music is filled with singing siblings and performing parents, all making music together.

In the second of four programmes Nick Bollinger conducts an informal survey of musical families, and features a few of his favourites.