On the box

Issue 

Actively Radical TV — Community television's progressive current affairs program, which tackles the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Friday, 10.30pm.

Te Whaea, Mother of Change — A documentary about a remarkable woman, Ana Tia, who undertook the daunting task of teaching the inmates of three Auckland prisons about their Maori culture and language. SBS, Sunday, April 30, 1.30pm.

Firebird — In the middle of the most hostile water environments on earth, the brilliant flame-coloured lesser flamingo congregates and breeds. In the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, these magnificent birds live on the hot, bitter and poisonous soda lakes created by volcanoes, feeding on a rich, thick broth of blue-green algae. This program follows the flamingos as they migrate along a chain of lakes, dancing together in extravagant display as they prepare to breed. ABC TV, Sunday, April 30, 6pm.

Redemption Song: Cuba — This episode of the series dealing with the history, culture and politics of the Caribbean deals with Cuba. Excellent footage of Cuba today which at times is starkly in contradiction with the narration provided. SBS, Sunday, April 30, 11.40pm.

The Informer — "Michael" was a member of an Irish Republican Army cell responsible for successful operations against British troops and police; he was also a paid spy for the RUC special branch. ABC TV, Tuesday, May 2, 1am.

Wild Sanctuaries — This week's episode explores the amazing Galapagos Islands, off Ecuador. SBS, Tuesday, May 2, 8pm.

Movie: A Song for Beko (1992) — Feature film in Kurdish about a man caught up in the bitter campaigns being waged against the Kurdish people. SBS, Wednesday, May 3, 9.30pm.

Whatever Happened to Star Wars? — 10 years after Ronald "Bonzo Raygun" Reagan launched his ambitious, monstrously expensive plans to make US airspace impenetrable to missiles, thus making a first strike against its opponents possible, this program asks where the Star Wars program is today. ABC TV, Thursday, May 4, 1am.

Talking to the Enemy — Described as a "touching documentary about peace and reconciliation in El Salvador", this is the story of the friendship that has developed between filthy rich Jaime Hill and the ERP guerillas who kidnapped him and held him hostage for five months. SBS, Thursday, May 4, 8.30pm.

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