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. Ph 9633 6976.
Movie: La Haine (1995) — Youth rebellion and police racism and brutality in the ghettos of Paris. ABC-TV, Friday, January 29, 8.30pm.
Movie: Landscape After Battle (1970) — Set in 1945 and based on a series of autobiographical short stories, Andrzej Wajda's film is about survivors of a concentration camp who, despite their liberation at the end of the war, find they are confined to yet another camp, this time under US control. From Poland. SBS, Sunday, January 31, 10.35pm.
Switzerland's Lost Honour — A hard-edged and damning exposé, made by Swiss Television, of Switzerland's extensive collaboration with the Nazis under the veneer of neutrality. The film uncovers examples of rampant anti-Semitism and deportation of Jewish refugees, and reveals evidence that Swiss armament factories were manufacturing weapons for the Nazis. SBS, Tuesday, February 2, 11.05pm.
Joan of Arc: the Truth? — This program looks at various theories about Joan of Arc. Was she inspired by God, as she claimed? Was she a nationalist, a feminist, a lesbian, a schizophrenic, or truly a saint? A fascinating look at perhaps the most famous woman in history. SBS, Wednesday, February 3, 7.30pm.
Fear of the Front — The extreme right wing of French politics, under the guidance of Jean-Marie Le Pen, until recently was riding a wave of electoral success. Le Pen focused political debate on two of his favourite themes — immigration and fear of crime. This program asks: Why do so many French people vote for Le Pen? Who is responding to his message? Why do other parties seem unable to stop this move towards the right? And what is happening in those cities where Le Pen's party is in power? SBS, Thursday, February 4, 4.30pm.
David Suzuki's Nature of Things — Suzuki presents the history of the development of antibiotics and their overuse, which has produced new strains of bacteria resistant to these drugs. SBS, Thursday, February 4, 8pm.
Baseball — From the maker of the epic documentary The Civil War, Ken Burns, this documentary uses the history of baseball to illustrate the evolution of US society. Contained in its nine "innings" are the struggles between players and management, the clash between individualism and collective effort, the issues of immigration and assimilation, the nature of democracy and, most significantly, struggle of African-Americans for social justice. ABC-TV, Thursday, February 4, 9.30pm.