Under Cover

RMIT Journalism Students

Under Cover is not just a podcast. It's a phone call, a voice message left for those who are lonely, confused or just need someone to talk to them at this time of isolation. It's a warm and friendly midnight radio for the world. It is a good friend who is informative, trustworthy and is there for you - with stories, songs and sounds to make you feel connected. With yourself, with your friends, with your world. read less
Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Episodes

Season 3 Episode 5: Women in Sport, Climate Change and Mental Health, Dungeons and Dragons, AFLW and Heat Island Effect in Melbourne
May 20 2022
Season 3 Episode 5: Women in Sport, Climate Change and Mental Health, Dungeons and Dragons, AFLW and Heat Island Effect in Melbourne
Story One:Australia takes pride in their sport and with some of our biggest athletes starting from the age they can hold a ball. But according to a recently published report by Women In Sport, more and more young girls are choosing to drop out of sports and other physical activities around their teenage years. So why teenage girls are becoming more dis-engaged with sports and what we can do to help?  Story Two:A new study has shown how climate change influenced disasters and environmental losses are taking an emotional toll on us. In recent times coral bleaching and flooding have severely impacted our great barrier reef. We explore what all of these recent events and findings mean for us and our beautiful reefs.Story Three:For some Dungeons and Dragons is just the geeky fantasy game, meant only for society's outcasts and nerds. But for some children, it could be the answer to help them cope and face the day. But one dad from the ACT who’s using this game to help kids with disabilities find a way to cope socially.Story Four:The AFLW has grown rapidly over its 7-season run, and with that growth comes increasing media pressure. We take a look at how players and media experts are training up this upcoming generation of female athletes.Story Five:As Melbourne's urban landscape grows, the effects it's having on our environment are devastating. Covering up our trees and vegetation with buildings and cement is creating causing us social and economic disadvantages. We investigate what the ‘heat island effect’ is and how it's affecting the City of Wyndham. Producer: Shantal HaydenAssistant Producer: Paddy Grindlay Presenters: Amy Ross & Freya O’Donnell Reporters: Jordan Zoch and Ethan Dean
Season 3 - Episode 4: Bottled water, remote health, independent women, homelessness
May 13 2022
Season 3 - Episode 4: Bottled water, remote health, independent women, homelessness
Story 1: The Grapple for GroundwaterThe extraction of groundwater that ends up in bottled water is big business for the companies that mine and sell the water. But for residents in the communities where the water is taken from, it’s often the cause of concern and controversy. Hear from some of the rural communities who are taking on the industry, over the hidden water beneath our feet.Story 2: The Cost for CareIt's commonly said that Australia has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, but is it leaving some Australians out? Healthcare access is notably different for some Australians, especially in Rural and Regional communities. They not only have less access to important health care but often have to travel far for basic health needs. Hear from Healthcare professionals from various walks of life to hear about the cost for care in rural, regional and metro centres. Story 3: Independent Women With the upcoming federal election, there has been a particular anomaly taking place: ‘Teal’ Independents. These independent candidates have been making waves throughout the campaign - and the two major parties are concerned by what the presence of independent candidates within parliament could mean for decision making. Hear Independent candidate for Goldstein, Zoe Daniel, her media advisor, Angela Pippos and social media manager, Olivia Smith discuss their community backed push for independence. Story 4: The Harsh Reality of HomelessnessHomelessness is an experience that can affect anyone at any time. Amidst Victoria’s harsh COVID-19 lockdowns, the State government introduced its most successful program to date. However, the funding to the Homeless to a Home program has been cut drastically in this year’s state budget. Hear from Jenny Smith, CEO of Council to Homeless Persons to find out more. Producer: Ada HallReporters: Mack Heard, Brigitte Murphy, Maya van Es and Rebecca Chin.
Season 2 - Episode 7
Jun 4 2021
Season 2 - Episode 7
Story 1: There are currently over thirty-six thousand Australians stranded overseas and many have been separated from their families for over a year due to covid-19 border closures.Of course, it would be extremely difficult for any family stuck in this situation… but what if you also found out that one of your loved ones had been diagnosed with cancer…. And you were stuck halfway across the world unable to be by their side.For the past year…. This has been Anna and her son Alex’s reality.Story 2: What began as an investigation into how families were perpetuating vaccine misinformation at a niche anti-mask rally in Melbourne. What he ended up finding was a deep dive into a passionate, large movement that used religion to defend their anti-science beliefs. Story 3: The Victorian lockdown made a lot of people living with cancer feel more vulnerable and isolated. Chloe Karis interviews a cancer patient and speaks to one of canteen Australia’s psychosocial clinicians.Story 4: Reporter Zahrah Ahmad has been researching compulsory vaccination for school aged children, looking at policies like “no jab no pay” and how COVID-19 vaccinations for young people might impact childcare services in the future.Story 5: The government has said that vaccinations are available for everyone in Australia, but this information hasn’t actually reached everyone. Some refugees and those on bridging visas have fallen through the gap, unsure whether they are eligible to receive the vaccine and what the process will be like for them. Story 6: There is also a lot of reluctance when it comes to getting the jab.Despite the vaccine now being made available to people over 40, Australia is still falling behind. Riley Barber looks at the role the media has played in its reportage of the AstraZeneca vaccine and related blood clot cases, and the impact on vaccine hesitancy this has had among Australians.Story 7: In march this year, the Czech Republic went from being one of the safest countries in the world to being one of the worst hit by coronavirus cases. Claudia Forsberg looks into how Australia’s vaccine rollout program holds up against the Czech Republic’s.Story 8: With the loads of information and misinformation uploaded every single day, it’s hard to know what to pay attention to, let alone keep up. Because of this, some have turned to a less traditional medium of spreading and getting their information.The video-game industry is a growing market, one that’s influence and content is ever changing and evolving with the world around it. With coronavirus being such a large part of our lives in the past year, it’s no surprise that gaming developers are creating COVID-19 related video-games.However, these games are not just for entertainment. They’re also created to help educate players on COVID-19 safety procedures and spread accurate information in an engaging and straightforward way.
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Ideology
Jun 3 2021
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Ideology
Story 1: Australia’s vaccination campaign is only just starting to gather momentum for those over the age of fifty. But new research is indicating a growing section of Australia’s political-right are unlikely to sign up for the COVID jab. Jack Alfonso explores where this disproportionate growth comes from, and whether or not Australia will see politicisation of the vaccine as observed overseas. Story 2: Regardless of what position you fall on the political spectrum, people across the board seem to be more hesitant than usual when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. This paints a worrying picture as we have to achieve a high level of vaccination to reach herd immunity. Our next story will take us to NSW’s north coast, where reporter Warwick Jones investigates the 'anti-vax capital of Australia'. How are they responding to the COVID-19 vaccine? and what kind of ramifications will this have on the state’s road to recovery? Story 3: The COVID-19 vaccination process has been one fraught with oppositions; from libertarians protecting their individual rights to the bohemians of Byron Bay. Liam Healy talks to a member of Australians vs the Agenda,  an anti-vax group who took to the streets of Melbourne last February to protest the government’s COVID vaccines roll out.  Story 4: Young people are becoming more and more tech savvy by the day. This exposes them to all different kinds of information. But this information can be complicated, divisive and sometimes false, as we’ve seen with COVID-19 conspiracies and vaccine scepticism. Riley Galloway explores how misinformation is affecting children and teens and how our education system is playing catch up. Find us on twitter: @cover_podcast  To read up-to-date information on Australia’s vaccine rollout...  always check the government health website: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Fear
May 14 2021
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Fear
Story one: Despite sounding modern, anti-vaccination activists are actually nothing new. Daniel Cook speaks with Oxford doctoral researcher Paula Larsson about the history of the anti-vaccination movement, charting its development from the first vaccine in 1796. For more on Paula Larsson, you can follow her on Twitter: @paulalars.Story two: As the Australian arts industry begins its slow recovery after being decimated by the global pandemic, it faces a new threat that could halt progress in its tracks - the anti-vaccination movement.Story three: Many claims about the covid vaccine causing infertility in women are circulating social media platforms. Kaylah Baker talks to fertility specialist Dr Alex Polyakov on if there is any truth to the claim and explores the impact it is having on young women.Story four: Around one-third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have some type of respiratory condition. Tyler Wright explores whether misinformation is making Indigenous Australians less likely to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Wright spoke with Ian Hamm, Chairperson of First Nations Foundation, and Alice Brooks from the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia to find out how AHCSA are pushing back against vaccination fear.Story five: Throughout the pandemic, epidemiological modelling has provided governments and the public alike with key information on the course of outbreaks. Callum Allday speaks with Dr Trish Campbell to discuss how modelling can be used not just to predict outbreaks, but to fight misinformation too.Find us on twitter: @cover_podcast and/or give us a call: 90185005. If you have any concerns about the vaccine, you can talk to your local GP. For updated information on the vaccine rollout, visit the Australia Government’s website: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Digital
May 7 2021
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Digital
Story One: Wellness influencers and lifestyle gurus are finding themselves in positions of power across social media.  They’ve been afforded more trust and intimacy with their audiences than ever before. Followers of influencers and social media personalities have turned to them for information and advice on a range of health concerns, despite these so called ‘gurus’ having little to no credentials. Reporter: James Kleeman.Story Two: Coronavirus information has spread rapidly, particularly on YouTube. But what happens when important updates on COVID19 is demonetised or taken off from such a widely used platform?  Does this contribute to the misinformation, or does it actually prevent it? This story looks into whether or not YouTube’s demonetisation policy has encouraged the spread of COVID19 misinformation or reduced it. Reporter: Georgia Barry.Story Three: The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines hit trouble in Australia during mid-April. This was when Genene Norris, a woman from New South Wales passed away from blood clots just days after receiving the AstraZeneca shot.  With only citizens over 50 recommended to get this vaccine now, this story looks at how this is impacting the Australian public. Reporter: Sean Mortell. Story Four: In early February, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the government will give “all Australians the opportunity to be vaccinated” by October this year. This includes Australian citizens, permanent residents as well as most visa holders, which covers refugees and asylum seekers. But it’s uncertain how many refugees and asylum seekers have actually received the COVID vaccine so far. Reporter: Youssef Saudie. Story Five: Many Muslims have turned towards their community faith leaders for advice about Coronavirus misinformation. So how are these leaders handling the confusion of those who trust them? Should there be concerns about the reliability of the guidance they provide? Reporter: Shamsiya Hussainpoor.