Afternoons for Tuesday 18 June 2019

1:10 First song

1:15 What is productivity in New Zealand? 

The term 'productivity' is bandied around in politics a lot, and here in New Zealand it's often because our low productivity growth is seen as a big challenge for the economy. 

So what does it mean and why do we need to be better? Kiwi economist Paul Conway has been invited by the World Bank to talk in Turkey next week about New Zealand's productivity. He explains the issue. 

1:25 Centenarian promotes her local library

When Hamilton City Libraries decided they wanted to do a video about the people who use their services, they knew they had to include Doris. 

Doris is a centenarian and spends many of her days at her local library. We talk to content manager Stephen Pennruscoe about the video series.

1:35 Herbs: the band, the movie

It's been 40 years since the formation of one of our most iconic bands. 

HERBS: Songs of Freedom is a new film, looking at the creation and success of the pioneering pacific reggae band, that had its roots in the social activism of the time. 

The film is directed by Tearepa Kahi and he's in the studio to tell us more about it. You can check out the trailer here. 

1:40 Great album

2:10 Book critic: Claire Mabey

Claire explores the themes of awkwardness and anxiety as she reviews novels by two New Zealand authors: Rufus Marigold by Ross Murray and A Mistake by Karl Shuker

2:20 Nocturnes: Music and the night

Music is a vital social lubricant and what is private and in headphones from phones during the day, becomes a shared experience at night on an energising dance-floor, a sweaty live gig, or a drunken late-night karaoke session. Nocturnes: Popular Music and the Night is a new book looking at how culture changes at night.

It can be romantic, but also be a place of terror and of excitement. Nocturnes moves from Berlin to Birmingham, Montreal to Melbourne, London to Lisbon, and takes in different kinds of music. Geoff Stahl, one of its co-editors, a senior lecturer at Victoria University talks Jesse Mulligan through it.

3:10 Harriet Shawcross: the Power of Silence

Silence is powerful. But it's often lost in the white noise of emails and texts and constant connection. Too much noise is deafening but silence can be dangerous too.One day, when journalist Harriet Shawcross was a teenager. she stopped talking to anyone other than her family. At school, she was silent  for nearly a year, except to answer direct questions. She just felt lost for words. 

In the age of oversharing, Shawcross explores the power of silence in her new book, Unspeakable: The Things We Cannot Say. 

3:30 BBC Witness

Back to the 1970's and a gay wedding in the United States which took place long before same sex marriage became legal in the USA. Claire Bowes of the BBC World Service history programme 'Witness' recalls that it happened when a gay couple from Minnesota were issued a marriage licence and found a Christian minister willing to hold a wedding ceremony for them.

3:45 The Pre-Panel Story of the Day and One Quick Question

4:05 The Panel with Mai Chen and Andrew Hoggard