Nights for Monday 16 February 2026

8:10 Latest on severe weather 

Wild weather has been causing damage and disruption across many parts of the country today.

RNZ reporter Krystal Gibbens joins us with the latest information.

8:15 Are we ready for AI this election year?

It's not quite election season yet, but you'd be forgiven for thinking it is as the attack ads start to emerge.

And something very 2026 is happening: we're seeing ads made using generative AI.

Marcus Ganley is a public law specialist with firm Franks Ogilvie but was previously a ministerial adviser to the Clark government and held senior roles in Australian federal politics.

He's been looking into AI regulation in elections overseas and joins Emile Donovan.

8:30 Why car indicators seem out of synch?

Tonight we're getting to the bottom of a curious question.

Have you ever been in a queue of traffic, in a turning lane and everyone's indicators are out of sync? Some fast, some slow.

Why is this? Why do different cars' indicators go at different speeds?

Friend of the show, and AA Principal Policy Adviser Terry Collins joins Emile Donovan to explain.

8:35 Small Histories with Emma Kay

Nights' resident historian Emma Kay joins Emile Donovan.

Emma runs Small Histories of New Zealand, where she digs up curious stories, funny articles, and lost treasures from our past and shares them on social media.

And tonight, she has love on her mind.

8:40 Sports with Richard Irvine

Writer and sports fan Richard Irvine joins Emile Donovan to talk about what's been happening in the world of sport.

Tonight, New Zealand's medal chances at the Winter Olympics, the Black foils crash in Sail GP and State of Origin announced at Eden Park 2027.

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.

For each question answered correctly, a quizzee gets their name put in the draw for the weekly prize: the coveted Nights mug.

9:25 Outrageous backstage riders with promoter Brent Eccles

The demand from US rock band Van Halen that M&M's be among items in their backstage dressing room - minus the brown ones, is the stuff of rock n roll legends.

However there's been many other unusual backstage concert riders over the years.

Britney Spears apparently requested that a framed photo of Princess Diana be hung in her dressing room, while a Bob Hope impersonator was among Iggy Pop's backstage requests. 

For pop diva Maraiah Carey, it was 20 white kittens and 100 doves.

Brent Eccles is one of the country's top promoters and has no doubt seen his fair share of performer riders over his more than fifty years in the music industry. 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

Today on The Detail - New dietary guidelines from the US stir the pot, It is not so much what's in the recommendations as how they were put together that's concerning some in the medical and nutrition worlds

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10:45 The Reading

Nick Bollinger takes us back to the seventies as he finds himself lured deeper into the world of rock'n'roll music in today's episode from Goneville.

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 Mark celebrates Valentine's Day with a selection of his favourite songs of love. Expect soul from Al Green and Aretha Franklin, reggae courtesy of George Faith plus classics from John Prine, Leonard Cohen, Emmylou Harris and the Cure.