Since the advent of the internet, documentary has really found a new home. Our very own CBC.ca is one such place. Nearing its 75th anniversary, CBC has filled our heads with news and ideas for decades. CBC’s first television stations appeared in 1952 and as of 2009, CBC is focusing on being an integrated content provider. Visit CBC on the web and you can listen to radio, watch TV and, best of all, watch top-notch docs at you leisure. Here are a few of their best:
The Nature of Things, since making its debut in1960, is now the longest running doc series in Canada. Catch the latest show, “Return of the Prairie Bandit,” about the reintroduction of the most endangered species into the wild.
The Fifth Estate has been around for the past 30 years and boasts itself as “Canada’s premier investigative documentary program.” Its most recent documentary is definitely worth a peek. In “WikiRebels” the team follows a Swedish TV as they investigate the secretive organization behind Wikileaks.
This past week, I had a chance to watch The Passionate Eye’s “Monica & David: A Love Story” in celebration of Valentines Day. The Passionate Eye never fails to find some of the best human-interest stories. This last documentary shows the story of a lovely young couple with Down Syndrome who get married and their subsequent struggle for independence.
I usually go to Doc Zone to watch the more out-of-the-box stuff like their recent episodes “Cat Crazed” and “Apocalypse 2012,” but this week’s episode looks intriguing.
“Abandon Ship: The Sinking of the SV Concordia” chronicles the story of the ship and its 64 victims hoping for rescue.
Also be sure to visit CBC’s documentary page to see more current docs.
About the author
Brian Liu was the Production Editor for the Summer 2011 issue of the Ryerson Review of Journalism.