Features

The Beatles 'White Album' is 50 years old and there's a new 6-disc edition to mark the occasion. Nick Bollinger takes a deep dive. Audio

Pauline Hanson's political career has been so riveting to watch, and has so influenced the rest of the world's perception of Australia, that journalist Kerry-Anne Walsh "simply couldn't leave it alone". Audio

New Zealand pop singer Kimbra performs an acoustic version of ‘Everybody Knows’ from her latest album Primal Heart, live at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios.

Bella Hristova and Michael Houstoun bring their shared love of Beethoven to the concert platform in the first of three concerts of the complete sonatas for violin and piano.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Principal Contrabassoon player David Angus demonstrates the contraforte, a new radical redesign of the 250-year old instrument. David's very happy. But some others ... not so much.

Crossword puzzles are a workout for the brain using both creativity and logic - and we're only just learning the mechanics of how they help maintain mental fitness, puzzle designer David Astle says. Audio

A big selection of classics from the Australian New Wave of the '70s and '80s is Dan Slevin’s highlight of this week’s new-to-streaming feature films.

Much of Kim Pieters' art work is inspired by philosophy, or poetry, or abstract concepts of language and knowledge. Charlotte Wilson visits her studio in the middle of the working port of Dunedin. Audio, Gallery

Wellington musician Luke Buda talks to Yadana Saw about 'Children Don’t Belong in Jail' – a song he wrote with "storyteller songwriter” Don McGlashan about refugee children detained on the island of Nauru. Video, Audio

Jesse Mulligan asked people to tell him their favourite TV theme, and was INUNDATED with suggestions. We've managed to narrow them down and counting down the top 15. Video, Audio

Opinion - If I get to see the best women's rugby team in the world play I would be the happiest girl ever. When I am old enough I hope I can be a Black Fern rugby player and represent New Zealand, writes 12-year-old Sarah Jones.

Veronica Turner is one of the 54,000 South Africans living in New Zealand. She says life here is not without challenges as many Kiwis view the South African character as arrogant and 'pushy'. Audio

It’s 30 years since Brian Priestley last lashed the media on Fourth Estate, the TVNZ show that made him a household name. But he still had a lot to say about the media after that. Colin Peacock reflects on his legacy. Audio

Wellington hip-hop pioneers Upper Hutt Posse were inducted into the Hall of Fame on Thursday at the Vodafone NZ Music Awards. Members Darryl Thomson aka, DLT and Bennett Pomana, aka MC B-Ware, joined Alex Behan to select songs and tell stories for the RNZ Music Mixtape. Video, Audio

Once your baby's on the move, the easiest way to identify potential hazards around the house is to do a video tour with your phone held at knee height, says Nicola Woollaston, author of the new book Nurturing Your Baby’s Potential. Audio, Gallery

German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott plays Schumann's romantic cello concerto with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Feddeck.

Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) has changed what our government looks like and what it does, say politics experts Fiona Barker and Jack Vowles. Video, Audio

NZ composer Martin Lodge's new CD links composers from four continents in a joint musical statement on the Taoist theme of ‘flow’. Audio

Mimi (Aimee Belton) first met Rivers (Chris Baigent) during the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The duo plays folky tunes with pop melodies and strong harmonies. Audio

Bob Dylan's Blood On The Tracks is one of the most celebrated albums in popular music. An exhaustive new 6-disc set lets us eavesdrop on its construction. Nick Bollinger discusses the set, and his own long relationship with its contents. Audio

Mediawatch - Hosts and journalists at NZME's flagship news brands calling each other out over Auckland cycleways reporting is not a great look for a company aiming to monetise its content, Colin Peacock writes.  Audio

Trees with red trunks and apples that are red right the way through and flower all year round: is it time to back NZ scientists' GM products? Charlie Dreaver reports. Audio

Farmer Glenn Gamble says the fleece from his 400 Angora goats sells for a much higher price than the wool from his crossbred sheep. Audio

To celebrate Movember, the RNZ Music team is counting down our favourite local music mo’s... and a couple of beards.