On the box

Issue 

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.

John Berger: A Certain Kind of Grace — British author John Berger presented a controversial BBC TV program called Ways of Seeing in the early 1970s. He described it as "a journey through art history, looked at from a Marxist viewpoint". He achieved additional fame when his experimental novel G won the Booker Prize. In this program, Berger talks about writing and Marxism. SBS, Sunday, June 13, 9.30pm.

The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela — Timed to coincide with Mandela's retirement as South Africa's president, this intimate portrait is unlikely to ask the hard questions about how the legacies of apartheid can be overcome. ABC-TV, Tuesday, June 15, 8.30pm.

Something to Sing About — A year with the celebrated Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir. ABC-TV, Friday, June 17, 2am.

Madagascar: A World Apart — About 125 million years ago, continental drift tore a piece of the African coast away to form Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar has unique flora and fauna that are under threat as mining companies search for minerals. ABC-TV, Sunday, June 20, 7.30pm.

Black Sheep — A moving exploration of the life of writer-director Louise Glover, a member of the "stolen generations". Imagine learning of your Aboriginality, not through finding out that you were adopted, but through discovering that your father's family has kept that information from you, believing it to be a dirty, dark secret. With remarkable candour, Glover tells of growing up in Kempsey, NSW: "I identified as white and was racist and homophobic". Her dark features were explained away as the influence of the Spanish Armada on "good Irish stock". SBS, Sunday, June 20, 8pm.

Journey of Origin — A 31-year-old woman, Cecelia Alphonso, returns to Chile from Australia to rediscover the country and culture she left when she was six. SBS, Monday, June 21, 1.35pm.

Free Trade Slaves — "Globalisation" of the world economy has led more than 100 countries in the last few years to declare areas of their territory free-trade zones, where companies pay almost nothing in taxes and have access to very cheap labour, especially that of young women. This program was filmed in Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Mexico and Morocco. SBS, Tuesday, June 22, 8.30pm.

Spirits Rising — An exploration of the strength and contribution of the women of the Philippines to ending the Marcos dictatorship. SBS, Tuesday, June 22, midnight.

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