Internet killed the music video star: The legacy of Ready to Roll

For an entire generation of music lovers, Ready to Roll was appointment viewing. In this piece, first published by Audioculture, Fiona Rae looks at the impact the show had on New Zealand and our appreciation of homegrown music. TVNZ’s news hour at 6pm has always rated big, but from the late 1970s it had a … Read more

Talia Cooper was diagnosed with breast cancer at 30. Here’s why she feels lucky

Young, healthy and pregnant, Talia Cooper’s world was flipped on its head when she discovered a lump on her breast. She spoke to Fiona Rae about becoming a mum and going through cancer treatment at the same time.  If there’s one message that Talia Cooper has for young women it’s this: know what’s normal for … Read more

So long to Ashley TV: How a nation got hooked on the daily Covid show

Over lockdown, the daily Covid-19 update became appointment viewing. As the country returns to normality, Fiona Rae looks back on how the 1pm briefing became a nationwide ritual. It was a low-budget show that screened every day at lunchtime. There were only two starring roles and about the same number of camera angles. The scripts … Read more