100 Years of ZB: The power of talkback
WARNING: This article discusses suicide and may be distressing to some readers.
Talkback is one of the key elements that make up Newstalk ZB —it's quite literally in the name— and it's played a huge role in its success.
The connection that's formed between the listeners, the hosts, and even those who work behind the scenes, is incredibly valuable, providing fresh perspectives, new ideas, and even breaking news.
But there's a few talkback moments in particular that have caught us by surprise and got national headlines.
Back in 2007, Leighton Smith was doing his regular morning show when Clare called through just before 10am. Clare was in tears, and in the middle of a mental health crisis, but Leighton kept her on the line and managed to get enough details that she could be found.
Many listeners took these details and rushed to her aid, including one called Melissa, who was one of the first to find Clare's car. Leighton ended his show with an update – Clare was safe, recovering in hospital.
Eight years later, in 2025, she stopped by the studio for an emotional catch up with Leighton.
In 2024 there was another example of the power talkback holds, as a couple of weeks after Kerre Woodham discussed the rising rates of bowel cancer in young people, she received a call from someone named Nate.
It was after listening to her show and experiencing a few symptoms, he went and got checked, and was diagnosed with bowel cancer at only 34 years old.
And although talkback certainly has the power to change people's lives, not every moment will do so. Sometimes it's a bit more irreverent, or even downright silly.
In 2019 our talkback caught the attention of both the national and international media when Marcus Lush got into a heated debate over pronunciation.
Two women argued it was their right to mispronounce the Māori names of the places they'd been born in, sticking to their guns even after being told the correct pronunciation. The clip of the exchange went viral on social media, garnering more than 72,000 views and 3000 shares in less than 24 hours.
And despite how we like to make it seem, things aren't always smooth sailing behind the scenes. Things can go a bit haywire, like the time, also in 2019, that Marcus locked himself out of the studio. The door swung shut behind him when he stepped out to get a cup of coffee, trapping the host outside with only a landline to connect him to the audience.
He did eventually get back into the studio —without breaking the glass— and learned a valuable lesson about not letting that door shut.
Funnily enough, Marcus had another key-related issue only a few years later, when he brought the wrong set to the Invercargill office. Ever the professional, instead of letting the air go dead, Marcus decided to broadcast his search for the keys, and the subsequent journey back to Invercargill live on air.
These are just a few of the moments that illustrate both the power and the heart that talkback has, and the connection we continue to foster between Newstalk ZB and the listeners we serve.
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