Media Releases
RNZ premieres new multi-media current affairs interview programme: 30 with Guyon Espiner
Released at 8:02 am on 12 April 2024
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly / Jayne Joyce
RNZ launches a brand new, video-led current affairs interview programme fronted by award-winning journalist and presenter Guyon Espiner on Wednesday 17 April. Each episode focuses on just one guest and the show is unedited.
30 with Guyon Espiner will premiere as a video across 10 weekly episodes, be released the next day as a podcast, and broadcast on RNZ National on Sundays at 5:10pm. It has been made for on-demand TV viewers at the Whaakata Māori studios and will feature on TVNZ+, YouTube, rnz.co.nz and social media platforms.
The programme was conceived by Espiner and RNZ’s In Depth team, created by the former executive producer of The Project, Ali Ventura, and is fully funded by RNZ.
In episode one, Espiner explores a range of topics in a thought-provoking and revealing discussion with community leader Dave Letele. Known for his BBM Motivation programme, Letele details darker aspects of his personal and family history, holds forth on the big social and political issues Aotearoa faces – and reveals a surprising update on his dealings with the coalition government.
Other confirmed guests include AI expert Nina Schick, globalist Peter Zeihan, film director Roseanne Liang, Taxpayers' Union Executive Director Jordan Williams and political leaders from across the spectrum.
30 with Guyon Espiner will meet the well-established local audience demand for long form interviews with interesting people sharing interesting ideas. It launches at an important moment for current affairs in New Zealand, and represents RNZ’s commitment to innovation in the format.
“This is a truly multi-platform programme, standing on its own merit as a high-quality video, podcast and radio show,” says RNZ Executive Editor (In Depth) John Hartevelt.
“It delivers to audiences on all platforms in a format that meets their expectations,” Hartevelt said.
“It fills a ‘richness’ gap New Zealand feels now more than ever, with highly crafted, well-researched interviews generating a compelling 30 minutes of content. It will surprise, inform, challenge and make people laugh.”
For Espiner, the hook for the new project is the unedited format – what you see is what you get.
“At the start of each interview the 30-minute countdown clock begins we’ll broadcast the full conversation unedited. I think that’s a real plus at a time when trust in media continues to decline – we’re publishing the whole interview so audiences can see and hear everything the guest said.
“Having one guest on for the full show will let us go beyond a few quick questions and answers into in-depth storytelling, which I think will be fascinating. We’re going for a broad range of guests – politics, science, the arts – so there should be something for everyone.”
30 with Guyon Espiner is available weekly to watch on rnz.co.nz/guyon, TVNZ+ and YouTube on Wednesdays, as audio on podcast platforms on Thursdays and every Sunday on RNZ National.