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Oct 14, 2026 46 min

Why We Watch & Why We Play

from The Reality Machine Hosted by RNZ

We’re unpacking why so many Kiwis love, and sometimes love to hate, unscripted TV. We look at the disconnection in calling the genre "junk food television" while also tuning in by the hundreds of thousands. And looking at how these series do far more than just generate ad revenue; they actively shape our cultural conversations, push representation forward, and mirror who we are as a nation. Comedian Chris Parker tells us how winning Celebrity Treasure Island transformed his career, while writer Alex Casey muses about the ways that reality taps straight into New Zealand's collective psyche. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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This episode is 46 minutes long.

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This episode was published on October 14, 2026.

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