Ideas challenged in youth podcast

Two young broadcasters are challenging stereotypes about age, culture and social norms through a new radio show and podcast on OAR FM.

Betty Pagulayan, 17, and Malak Tamimi, 16, host Unboxed Identities as part of the station’s afterschool Youth Zone initiative.

Both presenters are members of Generation Hope, Save the Children NZ’s youth leadership programme, and are involved in several community initiatives aimed at elevating the voices of young people.

Earlier this month, Malak received both the Tohu Manukura i te Reo — Māori Language Commission Award for te Reo Māori and the Tohu Eke Panuku — Human Rights Commission Award for Impact at the Race Unity Speech Awards 2026, held in Auckland.

Betty said that Unboxed Identities was a platform to showcase the ethnic and cultural diversity of Dunedin and to "fill the gap in the media" for young people.

"The box our show title refers to is the labels and assumptions that people put on rangatahi.

"Representation in the media makes our experiences more grounded and it gives people less room to stereotype us."

Unboxed Identities is broadcast every second Wednesday at 4pm on 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz and other major platforms.

A full schedule of OAR FM programmes can be found at oar.org.nz