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.
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 (03) 9525 3551 to contact the producers or make a donation.
CATv — Subverting the one-way media via CATv's regular Sydney program. CTS Sydney, every Thursday, 10.30pm, CTS UHF 31. Ph Karina at 9557 3223 or John at 9569 4963. Visit the web page at A World Beneath the War — How a Third World country defeated the world's mightiest army. Vietnamese film makers opened their archives and shared their footage to show for the first time how many Vietnamese lived during the war. "During the war we were not allowed to talk about the tunnels", said one interviewee. By 1967, every aspect of life was holed up in these catacombs — sleeping quarters, schools, theatres, factories, hospitals, printing presses and broadcasting equipment. SBS, Thursday, October 30, 8.30pm.
The Great Depression, 1929-1941: A Job at Fords — The re-run of this excellent series about the Depression's impact on the people and politics of the US. In-depth accounts of some of the most neglected struggles and episodes in US working-class history. ABC-TV, Sunday, November 2, 9.30am.
Dexter Gordon: More Than You Need to Know — In all jazz history, there are few as charismatic and innovative as Dexter Gordon. Set against the African-American struggle for civil rights, this doco uses a variety of revealing footage, rare and broadcast for the first time, and narration by the musician himself. SBS, Monday, November 3, 8.30pm.
Dealing with Drugs: New options — SBS begins a week of programs about drugs that promises to be informative, controversial, entertaining (and won't do the station's ratings any harm either). The series kicks off with a documentary that asks if the "war on drugs" is doing more harm than good. David Suzuki talks to addicts, doctors, cops and politicians. SBS, Wednesday, November 5, 8.30pm.
Cannabis Rising — Ed Rosenthal takes the "high" road to Amsterdam to observe the rapidly growing, quasi-legal cannabis industry in the Netherlands. SBS, Wednesday, November 5, 11pm.
Marijuana as Medicine — This program deals with the medicinal qualities of the dreaded weed. Two states in the US have legalised marijuana for medical use, provoking a storm of debate. SBS, Wednesday, November 5, 11.30pm.
Prohibition — Ed Asner narrates this definitive three-part series on the 13-year Prohibition period in the US. From midnight, January 16, 1920, the US was "dry". Corruption, bribery and organised crime flourished. Mayors, police chiefs, politicians and presidents were "bought and sold" by gangsters. SBS, Thursday, November 6, 8.30pm.