Afternoons

We're influenced by the stories we hear and see every day without even realizing it. And the stuff we see on social media is not content that inspires us to be better people says writer and sociologist Kathryn Jezer-Morton. She says social media has gone far beyond concerns about the impact it has on attention spans or mental health. Our lives aren't just experiences anymore, they're stories we package, share and measure by other people's reactions. Holidays become highlights, breakups become content, and everyday moments become something to show an audience. It's changing how we experience our relationships, our memories and our identities. Her new book is The Story of Your Life: How Social Media Shapes the Way We Experience Everything.

Our next guest loves skinks .. in fact he loves them so much he's known affectionately as Napier's local "skink guy." Joe Woolcott is the acting manager of the National Aquarium .. located on Marine Parade ... but he also takes care of the skink sanctuary you'll find just down the road. Joe is here to tell us why.

George Snook is one of New Zealand's top young kayakers. In 2025 he was crowned the Men's Extreme Kayak World Champion after winning the Devils Race in the Czech Republic. But recently those skills on the water landed him a pretty unusual side gig - working with the stunt team on Brad Pitt's new film Heart of the Beast. George is with us to tell us all about it.

The median age on the West Coast is just over 48 years old .. that's a full decade older than the national average. So, Development West Coast decided to do something to try and keep younger locals. Five years ago it launched a scholarship scheme - up to $32,500 of value - including a guaranteed job - to six graudates who commit to returning to the Coast after university. This year saw the scheme's first recipients return .. as well as a record number of applicants for the 2026 cohort. To discuss, Jesse is joined by Development West Coast Chief Executive Heath Milne and recipient of a 2025 scholarship Maddison Scanlon.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Group Chat on Afternoons is our chance to talk about the stories that are making the coffee queue or school pick up fly by. Jesse is joined by Kate Rodger, host of Saturday morning this week, Perlina Lau, host of Culture 101 and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson to share what's been filling up their group chats.

Wednesdays on Afternoons means Easy Eats - that's when Kelly Gibney joins me to share a recipe that is heavy on flavour but light on time.

It's time for Heading Off - our weekly travel segment here on Afternoons where we share your adventures without leaving our homes. If you have a trip that you'd like to chat about, please get in touch on 2101 or email Jesse at [email protected] Today we're heading off with Candra to the Camino de Santiago.

This week host Claire Concannon joins Jesse to discuss whether GLP1-RA weight loss drugs are worth the hype.

Have authors of children's picture books gone too far in trying to please parents? Our next guest thinks so. LA journalist Jacob Savage recently wrote a piece, How Grown-Ups Ruined Picture Books in which he says, increasingly adults are becoming the target audience for kids' books. To discuss whether we've lost sight of why we read to our kids in the first place Jacob Savage joins Jesse.