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The Panel

RNZ
Oasis
Democratic National Convention
Paralympic Games
Liquefied Natural Gas
Electricity Pricing
Right To Disconnect
New Zealand
Kamala Harris
Upper Hutt
Local Government
Wellington Bars
Lucid Dreaming
Blur
Auckland
Auckland's Olympic Pool
New Zealand Education System
The Quads
UB40
Language Development
Uber

The Panel features a range of panellists from across the opinion spectrum, together with an interesting mix of experts, leaders, and locals.

PublishesDailyEpisodes321Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for The Panel

Latest Episodes

In part two, there are daily traffic jams at a fast-growing Auckland school, thanks to a private developer lagging on building a desperately needed road. Scott Point School board chair Michelle Linthwaite explains. Then, there may be no one in New Ze... more

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Sarah Sparks and Jeremy Elwood. First up, is it crunch time for Christopher Luxon? Rumours of a coup are calling the Prime Minister's time in leadership into question. Former Labour Party... more

Wallace Chapman and producer Tessa Guest preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.

In part two, rumour is spreading among overseas operators that New Zealand's Cook Strait ferries are unreliable. What does that deteriorating reputation mean for surrounding regions? Tracey Green is the general manager of Destination Marlborough. The... more

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Recent Guests

Y Bjors
Student advocating for a park in Civic Square
Student (Civic Square advocacy)
Episode: The Panel with Mark Knoff-Thomas and Zoe George, Part 2
Ian Kerr
The Lettuce Man, local hydroponics farmer
Independent farmer
Episode: The Panel with Mark Knoff-Thomas and Zoe George, Part 2
Dr Tom Robinson
Senior Lecturer in Disaster Risk and Resilience
Canterbury University
Episode: The Panel with Mark Knoff-Thomas and Zoe George, Part 1
Craig Little
Mayor of Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay regional governance
Episode: The Pre-Panel for Monday 13 April 2026
Simon Mitchell
Professor, head of Anesthesiology at University of Auckland
University of Auckland
Episode: The Panel with Chris Finlayson and Niki Bezzant, Part 2
James Renwick
Professor of Climate Science
Victoria University of Wellington
Episode: The Panel with Chris Finlayson and Niki Bezzant, Part 1
Nicholas Ling
Associate Professor in Biodiversity
University of Waikato
Episode: The Panel with Chris Finlayson and Niki Bezzant, Part 1
Tessa Guest
Panel production team member
The Panel production team
Episode: The Pre-Panel for 10 April 2026
Anja Shortland
Professor at King's College London, governance of criminal markets
King's College London
Episode: The Panel Plus for 9 April 2026

Host

Wallace Chapman
Host of The Panel; appears across many episodes with frequent co-hosting and panel appearances; linked to RNZ and The Panel.

Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars from 98 ratings
  • Part 1 only?

    Is there a reason only part 1 of each show for 2024 is available?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Abbycaro
    Australia2 years ago
  • Complete waste of resources, airtime and oxygen

    The facilitator Chapman has a massive right-wing bias, and the invited panelists are also strongly biased to the right. At least part of the problem is that Chapman has the attention span of a concussed goldfish and like too many other RNZ presenters is obsessed with entertainment trivia. The apparent intention was to have witty people have discussions about topical issues, but it fails because a: Chapman is always flicking on to the next item on his list, and b: well, the participants may aspir... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ScrapMusic101
    New Zealand3 years ago
  • Frustrating

    Like the format of this show but am constantly frustrated by being unable to make out what Wallace says. He rushes his speech and is tripping over his words all the time. I don't have any hearing problem but I miss up to 50% of what Wallace says. Am also very disappointed and frustrated by the number of male guests who dominate, interrupt and talk over other guests, particularly female guests, when they've barely started speaking. It's rude and some of us want to hear what the other person was... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    SMz21
    New Zealand4 years ago
  • My favourite show!

    While it’s hard to pick a favourite segment from RNZ, this is one I love listening to right now, having recently moved to the U.S.

    Syreeta h

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    syreeta h
    United States4 years ago
  • A bit too politically obvious

    I do miss Jim Mora. Under the new management the show too often displays an obvious lean to the left whereas Jim always seemed to chart a more appropriately neutral course.

    Still worth a listen with that proviso.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Sawadi
    New Zealand5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are seen as insightful and the program offers a good mix of serious and entertaining moments.
Some listeners feel the host's delivery is hard to follow at times and would prefer clearer enunciation.
There is feedback about perceived bias and politics in guest selection and framing.
Listeners praise the show for fast-paced, smart panel discussions and broad topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Panel with Chris Finlayson and Niki Bezzant, Part 2
Q: Why is hydrogen considered for deep-water diving, and what are the risks?
Hydrogen is attractive because it is light and can have slight narcotic properties that help divers manage density and pressure at great depths, but it also brings hazards like gas delivery under high pressure and potential neurological effects; the expert explains the balance and safeguards.
The Panel with Chris Finlayson and Niki Bezzant, Part 2
Q: What is the basic public health advice versus why people reach for supplements?
The panel agrees that foundational health practices—regular physical activity, five servings of vegetables, adequate sleep, and moderate alcohol intake—are more evidence-based and cost-effective than relying on supplements.
The Panel Plus for 9 April 2026
Q: How do loss registers influence the market for stolen art?
Loss registers help track stolen pieces and create barriers to legitimate resale, often pushing thieves toward concealment or long-term storage rather than sale, which complicates justice and restitution.
The Panel Plus for 9 April 2026
Q: What makes stolen artworks hard to move once they're taken?
Provenance records and international registries make it difficult to buy or insure stolen works in good faith, which severely limits the ability to transfer clear ownership.
The Whip for 25 March 2026
Q: What impact do recent personal and political controversies around Chris Hipkins and Chris Luxon have on public trust?
The discussion suggests mixed public reactions: some see resilience and transparency, others worry about media coverage and mixed messaging affecting trust, with an emphasis on how leaders manage family considerations and public scrutiny during a crisis.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Panel

What is The Panel about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A fast-paced, opinion-driven discussion that blends current events with cultural and social commentary. Across recent episodes, topics range from politics and public policy to economic issues, community life, and lighthearted banter, often featuring guests who represent policy, activism, journalism, law, and public service. The show is known for quick debate, diverse viewpoints, and occasional lighter segments that humanize big topics—making it useful for listeners who want to understand multiple sides of a story and stay informed on happenings in New Zealand and beyond.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Panel?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Panel. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Panel and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Panel get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Panel, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Panel?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Panel, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Panel have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Panel has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Panel?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Panel:

1. Sunday Morning
2. Mediawatch
3. Saturday Morning
4. Gone By Lunchtime
5. Cross Party Lines

How many episodes of The Panel are there?

The Panel launched 12 years ago and published 321 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Panel?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Panel?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Panel from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Panel?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Panel. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Panel?

Recent guests on The Panel include:

1. Y Bjors
2. Ian Kerr
3. Dr Tom Robinson
4. Craig Little
5. Simon Mitchell
6. James Renwick
7. Nicholas Ling
8. Tessa Guest

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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