On the box
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. Phone 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.
Dismantling the Bomb — For nearly 50 years, the people of the world lived in fear that their final image would be the flash of an atomic bomb. With the Cold War over, there have been limited agreements on reducing nuclear stockpiles. But what does the world do with all the unused nuclear weapons? SBS, Friday, March 13, 1.20pm.
A Portrait of Ken Loach — British director Ken Loach (Raining Stones, Riff Raff, Kes) at work on his feature about the Spanish Civil War, Land and Freedom, which won the Critics' Prize at Cannes and was nominated as European Film of the Year. SBS, Saturday, March 14, 2.25pm.
Beyond the Himalayas — Indian film-maker Goutam Ghose leads an international film team across the Himalayas to explore one of the most beautiful and remote regions of the world. In five episodes, the people, lifestyles and history are revealed. For the first time since 1949, permission was granted by the Chinese government to travel the entire 12,000 km route from Bukhara across Chinese Turkestan and Tibet to Mt Everest. SBS, Sunday, March 15, 8.30pm.
Algeria: Years of Hope, Years of Despair — A two-part history of Algeria from 1962 to 1995. The first episode covers the so-called "years of hope" from independence in 1962 to 1975, and Algeria's role as the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement. SBS, Sunday, March 15, midnight.
Racism in Australia — A documentary examining various aspects of racism and race relations in Australia as seen through the eyes of a variety of commentators, including students from a range of backgrounds. SBS, Monday, March 16, 4.30pm.
China: The Wild East — A documentary surveying the powerful forces shaping the "new" China. ABC-TV, Tuesday, March 17, 11.10pm.
The Absence of War — A fictional account of the battle for the soul of the British Labour Party during a frenetic general election campaign. George Jones' mission has been to modernise his party and make it "respectable" and ready for government. ABC-TV, Wednesday, March 18, 11.10pm.
Quantum: Passing the Bug — The microbes are fighting back! Germs are increasingly resistant to antibiotics and are invading our hospitals. This program reveals the extent of the problem. ABC-TV, Thursday, March 19, 8pm.