Tim Watkin, from RNZ

Tim is Executive Editor, Audio, at Radio New Zealand.

RNZ's new 17-episode podcast Nark tells the extraordinary story of New Zealand's first prison murder at Mt Eden in 1985, where burglar Ross Appelgren was convicted twice—and had both convictions quashed—for killing fellow inmate Darcy Te Hira. Appelgren went to his grave in 2013 maintaining his innocence, even escaping prison once to plead his case on radio. Now, thirteen years after his death, his widow is taking the case back to court to clear his name. At the heart of this gripping investigation is a fundamental question: can you trust the testimony of convicted criminals, particularly "the Nark" who claimed to witness Appelgren commit the murder?

What makes this podcast groundbreaking is RNZ's innovative use of AI voice cloning to bring Appelgren's own words to life. With the blessing of his family and estate, the production team used ElevenLabs to recreate Appelgren's voice from rare radio interviews, combined with a New Zealand actor's performance to capture his intonation and Kiwi accent. Rather than simply having an actor read his memoirs, court transcripts, and affidavits, listeners hear what sounds remarkably like Appelgren himself pleading his case across hours of content—a deeply moving experience for his family and a powerful connection for audiences.

This marks RNZ's first use of AI in journalism, carefully considered through ethical working groups and justified by the principle of giving voice to the voiceless. Lead producer Mike Wesley Smith has spent two and a half years investigating this case, and the result spans 35 to 65 minutes per episode, rolling out three times weekly through early December. It's an ambitious true crime series that pushes the boundaries of audio storytelling whilst grappling with questions of justice, credibility, and how we remember those who can no longer speak for themselves.