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.
The Red Brigades: Broken Dreams — The beliefs of the ultra-left terrorist group, the Red Brigades, are discussed in the context of Italian left-wing politics by two former militant members. SBS, Friday, July 31, 8pm.
Too Close to Heaven — Spanning three centuries and three continents, gospel music serves as the oral history of an entire people. It is the soundtrack that accompanied the African-Americans' journey from slavery to the present. The extraordinary fusion between English hymn and African chant has profoundly influenced contemporary popular music. This first episode includes interviews with the Reverend Jesse Jackson, church and music historians and the granddaughter of Richard Allan, the first man to form a black independent church in the US. SBS, Saturday, August 1, 3pm.
China Without Mao — A selection of the "entrepreneurs" thriving under the present Chinese regime — rock singer Tanggar, Beijing multimillionaire Li Xiaohua and top model Zhou Jun. SBS, Sunday, August 2, 10.30am.
Australian Biography: Frank Hardy — The provocative and outspoken communist and author, whose best known novel, Power Without Glory, resulted in a protracted trial for criminal libel. SBS, Sunday, August 2, 2pm.
Climate for Murder — Gay bashing in Montreal has led to a spate of murders which are mostly going unsolved. Gays blame anti-gay bias in the church and police force for not trying to solve the crimes. SBS, Monday, August 3, 1.45am.
Red Dwarf — The popular series has returned for a repeat. ABC, Mondays, 10.05pm.
Dark Circle — This award-winning film reveals the many ways nuclear weapons touch the everyday lives of ordinary people. When the first atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in 1945, the world was introduced to the horror of nuclear power. Recent headlines substantiate long-held fears. We are now familiar with the results of the Chernobyl leak, Three Mile Island and the dumping of nuclear waste. The documentary offers a disturbing mosaic of life and death in the atomic age. SBS, Monday, August 3, 11.20pm.
Baiting the Bear — Describes a secret plan that risked World War III in the 1960s. ABC, Tuesday, August 4, 11.05pm.
Nuclear Nomads: Bikini Islanders — In 1946, the US military asked 165 inhabitants of Bikini Island in the South Pacific to leave their homes to enable nuclear testing in their waters. Because the soil of their island has been poisoned, the islanders have still not been able to return. The now 2000 Bikinians have been living on Kili Island. SBS, Thursday, August 6, 6pm.
The Big Picture: The Top Floor: A Raider's Tale — Part two of a story of the evolution of Australian capitalism over the last 15 years. Probably worth a look if part one (the previous week) was any good, though its claim to look at "moral codes with Australian big business" doesn't promise much subject matter. ABC, Thursday, August 6, 9.30pm.