Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Castor Chacko, Oto Sequeira, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
Last week, Warner Brothers Discovery announced a major downsizing of its operations in New Zealand, including a proposed closure of all platforms of the newsroom at Newshub at the end of June this year.
The closure would result in the loss of approximately 300 jobs across the company.
Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures, a think tank at the University of Auckland, is expediting the production of a media policy position paper which will set out factors to address to ensure the survival of journalism in Aotearoa.
Producer, Sofia Roger Williams, spoke to the leader of the project, honorary research fellow, Dr Gavin Ellis, about the impending proposed closure, concerns about the future of journalism in Aotearoa, and how he thinks we can ensure its survival.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, also spoke to Head of Journalism at Massey University, Associate Professor James Hollings about the closure of Newshub.
MethaneSAT, a global initiative to track and reduce methane emissions, is launching today.
Although primarily funded by the US Environmental Defence Fund, the satellite is the first government funded space mission in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The US side of the project will focus on measuring and identifying methane leaks from oil and gas production, while scientists in New Zealand will use the satellite to study global emissions from agriculture.
Producer, Sofia Roger Williams, spoke to Spacecraft Mission Operations Director at Te Pūnaha Ātea, the Space Institute at the University of Auckland, Chris Jackson, about the launch, New Zealand’s role, and how the data gathered can help us make global and local recommendations to reduce methane emissions.
In our weekly interview with National’s James Meager, Wire host Castor began with last week’s announcement of the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora.
Te Aka Whai Ora, or the Māori Health Authority, was established to address several Māori health issues, including overrepresentation in the health system and underrepresentation in the workforce. Castor asked James about why it was disestablished and the replacements that the National party might offer.
Castor and James also talked about the smokefree legislation repeal, which was also introduced in the last few weeks. The repeal has been met with backlash from opposition parties and public protests, with many arguing it follows arguments from within the tobacco industry. The two discussed the repeal and these possible links, as well as National’s continual commitment to Smokefree 2025.
Yesterday Salient Magazine, the University of Victoria’s student magazine, released a statement discussing the revocation of Salient’s parliamentary press pass. Salient had held the press pass on behalf of the Aotearoa Student Press Association, or ASPA.
As such, revoking this pass for Salient affects student magazines across the country, including the University of Auckland’s Craccum magazine.
Wire host Castor spoke to one of Salient’s news co-editors, Ethan Rogacion, about the revocation and what it means for student journalism.
For Dear Science, Wire host Castor chatted with Dr Cushla McGoverin about tortoise migration in the Galápagos.
Then, for our weekly catch-up with National’s James Meager, he asked about the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora and the repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation.
He also spoke to the director of the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), Greg Durkin, about qualification rates among Pasifika tradies.
Finally, Castor spoke to news co-editor from the University of Victoria’s Salient magazine, Ethan Rogacion, about their recently revoked parliamentary press pass.
Producer Sofia spoke to honorary research fellow, Dr Gavin Ellis, from the University of Auckland’s think tank, Koi Tū, about the impending proposed closure of Newshub. News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins also spoke to Head of Journalism at Massey University, Associate Professor James Hollings, about this.
She also spoke to Spacecraft Mission Operations Director at the University of Auckland, Chris Jackson, about the launch of the satellite, MethaneSAT.
BCITO, or the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation, is calling for more Pasifika learners to start apprenticeships due to low qualification rates in the industry. The organisation is aiming to increase these rates through offering apprenticeships, and therefore create new opportunities further down the line.
Wire host Castor spoke to BCITO director Greg Durkin about the campaign and the benefits it offers to Pasifika tradies.
The government’s proposed gang patch bill has drawn significant attention as it progresses through the legislative process. If passed, the contentious policy would ban gang patches in public spaces and provide police with more powers to disperse the congregation of gang members.
Producer Ezra chatted to Associate Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Carrie Leonetti, about the legality and enforceability of this bill and potential discriminatory implications.
For our regular catch-up with ACT’s Simon Court, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, discussed the government making weapons including semi-automatic rifles more widely available, and designating Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.
She also spoke to Justice for Palestine Co-Convenor, Samira Zaiton, and Co-Founder of Alternative Jewish Voices, Marilyn Garson, about the government’s stance on Hamas and how the media has covered Israel’s war in Gaza.
Producer Ezra interviwed Associate Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Carrie Leonetti, about the government’s proposed gang patch ban.
University of Auckland Doctoral Candidate, Cristal Salatas, is developing a geographic information system map and dataset aimed at reducing the prevalence of premature birth in Aotearoa.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, started off the interview by asking Salatas about her research.
Caeden spoke to Labour Deputy Leader, Carmel Sepuloni, about the government increasing benefit sanctions and scrapping Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority.
Producer Jasmine reported on the reaction to the government passing legislation under urgency to dis-establish the Māori Health Authority.
News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Head of Journalism at AUT Greg Treadwell about the closure of NewHub.
And she spoke to Doctoral Candidate, Cristal Salatas, about her research aimed at reducing the prevalence of premature birth in Aotearoa.
The Healthcare exec Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked assailant last week.
The crime has gained significant controversy and attention online, with many using it to restart the debate on the inequities of the United States healthcare system.
And this week Yale University was the latest college to commit to divesting from weapons manufacturing after a student vote.
For State of the States this week Wire Host Caeden speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about both of these topics.
The government as announced their plan for the Cook Strait ferry a year after they scrapped Labour’s plan, including cancelling the ferries the Labour government had ordered.
And a new report from the Ministry of Social Development has revealed nearly a quarter of beneficiaries are not receiving their correct entitlements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
For City Counselling this week, producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about proposed time-of-use charging to solve congestion problems in Tāmaki and Council selling their remaining Auckland Airport shares last week.
The Green party recently released He Ara Anamata - the Green party’s emissions reduction plan.
The document covers more than 10 areas of the economy and energy Sector that a Greens-led government would be looking to adapt to minimise carbon emissions and protect the natural landscapes of Aotearoa.
It also comes 5 months after the government released their own draft emissions plan. Numerous experts pointed out that the government is behind on their own plan’s targets to meet the crucial emissions budget for 2031-2035.
For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the party’s new emissions reduction plan and how they would address climate and the economy in a greens-led government.
Last election, one of the National Party’s main campaign promises was to be ‘tough on crime’, promising to increase police coverage and penalties for crimes. A target was set to increase the number of police officers by 500 by November 2025, however some police leaders today say this goal is unrealistic.
The government also announced this week some shakeups to insulation standards, which they say should make houses more affordable.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor spoke to him about police staffing targets and new insulation standards.
This week on Dear Science, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about what latrines teach us about people, climate variation affecting Chinese dynasties, and invasive species becoming threatened.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
Last week it was revealed that two of the ten participants in the government's pilot bootcamp programme were on the run.
The youth were two months into the community rehabilitation phase of the programme, following the three month youth justice residence phase. Both teens were found in the weekend, but had allegedly reoffended, and are now set to come before the court.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, who have been heavily advocating for this programme, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about this incident.
She also talks to him about proposed changes to employment law which would give employers the power to dismiss workers earning over $180,000 without the employee refuting the decision.
And finally, she talks to him about David Seymour’s incumbent run as Deputy Prime Minister, which is set to begin in May of next year.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about changes to Auckland Transport’s responsibilities, nationwide bus and train fare hikes, and concerns over the opening of the City Rail Link.
For State of the States this week, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Andre Fa'aoso from the Yale Daily News about President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, who was due to be sentenced next week for three felony charges.
They also discuss Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, who is the latest in a long list of unorthodox picks for government positions from Trump
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