Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Thursday, 10pm and Saturday, 7pm. Ph 9565 5522.
Access News — Melbourne community TV, Channel 31, has excellent coverage of industrial, environmental and community actions throughout Victoria. Access News broadcasts every Monday at 8pm. Phone 9525 3551 to contact the producers or make a donation.
Born Under the Red Flag: part 2 — This documentary explores China's transformation into an economic giant. This episode looks at contemporary China and its people. ABC-TV, Thursday, April 2, 9.30pm.
Bosnia Hotel — Conflict in Africa is often reduced by the western media to the superficial cliche of "black-on-black" violence. This program presents an interesting reversal as three African soldiers with the UN peacekeeping force in Bosnia grapple with the "white-on-white" violence around them. SBS, Friday, April 3, 8pm.
Classified X — Ground-breaking African-American movie director Melvin Van Peebles explores the stereotyped portrayal of African-Americans in the US film industry through the years — illiterate primitives, servants, simpletons or Neanderthal ruffians in early silent films, to what he describes as tokenism and "blaxploitation" in later films. Peebles argues that audiences have been brainwashed by images of blacks being perpetually humiliated, marginalised or criminalised and that these images remain prevalent. The documentary is followed by Peebles' most controversial film, Sweet Sweetback's BaadAsssss Song. SBS, Saturday, April 4, 9.30pm.
Beyond the Himalayas: Tibet — The region's history is carefully documented, augmented by first-hand footage. SBS, Sunday, April 5, 8.30pm.
General Lebed: Born to Win — "I'm a blue-blood Don Cossack. I was born to win!", exclaims General Alexander Lebed, Boris Yeltsin's major political rival. This documentary profiles this Russian leader. SBS, Tuesday, April 7, 8pm.
Rats in the Ranks — The classic blow-by-blow documentary of political shenanigans and inner-party betrayal in a Sydney local council. ABC-TV, Tuesday, April 7, 11.10pm.