Afternoons for Wednesday 19 October 2022

 

1:15 Last episode of 'Bad News' might be one the best in the series! 

This year comedian and writer Alice Snedden brought back her popular documentary series 'Bad News' for a final six-part season, which you can follow at The Spinoff.

Some of the issues she touched on this time around included the wealth gap, meat consumption, and obesity.

In the final episode, which premiered yesterday, she dives into the culture of silence surrounding rugby in Aotearoa.

Series producer Leon Wadham talks to Jesse about the final fascinating episode.

1:25 Dunedin teen, again,  wins the top prize in the Sargeson Secondary Schools short story competition

A Dunedin teenager has taken out the top spot of the Sargeson secondary schools short story competition - for the second year running.

Shima Jack's entry Fourth Wall beat 165 other entries and explores relationships and gender roles.

The Logan Park High School student gets a $500 prize as well as a week's summer writing residency in Waikato.

Jesse speaks to Shima.

1:35 NZ footwear retailers reluctant to be transparent about their products

Tearfund New Zealand has just completed a survey of 25 footwear companies that represent more than 90 shoe brands to track their transparency when it comes to human rights and environmental practices.

Among them are six Kiwi brands including Hannahs and Number 1 Shoes, who both scored 0/100.

Tearfund NZ education and advocacy specialist Morgan Theakston talks to Jesse about their survey.

1:45 How qualified will COVID affected law students be when they graduate?

If you were to hire a lawyer, would you have expected them to have attended lectures in person?

At Victoria University Wellington in-person class attendance has dropped to such low levels that it's now making it mandatory for students to show up.

During covid classes moved online and recordings were made available to students who needed to play catch up.

Grant Morris is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law he talks to Jesse about the issues they're up against.

2.12 Podcast Critic: Ximena Smith

Today Ximena talks to Jesse about The Prince, a podcast looking behind the scenes at the life and leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping. She's also been listening to Eliza: A Robot Story which is a new science fiction podcast about a humanoid robot.

2:25 Bookmarks with Ralph McCubbin Howell

For Bookmarks this week playwright and actor Ralph McCubbin Howell is our guest.

He found theatre company, Trick of the Light, with his partner Hannah Smith.

They've toured all over the world and staged over 750 performances.

Ralph talks to Jesse about what he likes to read, watch and listen to when he's not on the stage.

3:10 Why modern males are not doing well

The boys are not alright. As a scholar who focuses on equality and opportunity at the Brookings Institute, Richard Reeve  knew it. As the father of three boys he felt it when he saw his sons come up against obstacles to achieve in school. While girls test scores and participation in higher education is going up, the rates are going down for boys. But Reeves says that's not something society wants to hear. He says the problem with men is typically framed as a problem of men. He uses data to layout the issues  and solutions in his new book, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

This week, on Our Changing World, Alison Ballance puts a hydrophone under the Antarctic sea ice to capture a seal symphony and chats with a scientist about the remarkable Weddell seal songsters.

3:45 The Panel with Lana Searle and Ed Amon