Background Briefing

Something happened to management culture decades ago and now being a Master of Business Administration, especially from Harvard, is rather on the nose. MBA, it's being said, can also stand for 'Mediocre but Arrogant', or 'Management by Accident'. Reporter, Stephen Crittenden.

As old as mankind, graffiti can be seen as a cultural expression and a tourist attraction, or as vandalism inducing fear. It can morph into high art, political comment, or territorial border security. Reporter Brendan Trembath.

In the name of protecting children, the government will decree we'll be forbidden to see 'unwanted' and 'inappropriate' things on the web. But exactly what that means is a secret, and the thin end of the censorship wedge. Reporter, Wendy Carlisle.

Wall to wall coverage of carbon trading has eclipsed another scheme aimed at overhauling Australia's dirty power industry. How to find tens of billions of dollars to get renewable energy to take over from coal power. Is Australia locked into a second best scheme, and why aren't we following the lead of world leaders in Europe? Reporter Di Martin.

Robotic technology is forging ahead, and there are benefits. But the costs are huge, and there's not yet evidence that (in prostate cancer surgery for instance) the eventual outcome is much better than before. On the frontier of modern surgery, reporter, Ian Townsend.

Are business media watchdogs acting in the public interest, or are they merely messengers? To whom does the media owe allegiance when global economic meltdown looms. Reporter, Stan Correy.

Free trade and globalisation have changed the sources of food. Regulations are being weakened or disregarded in the pursuit of low prices and more choice. Poor quality kills, and Japan imports 60 per cent of what it needs. Reporter, Bronwyn Herbert.

The law in Australia may not have caught up with modern medicine, and doctors and the authorities are caught between a rock and a hard place. So argues Dr Rodney Syme, who refers to himself as a Christian Humanist. He says the current situation for people who are terminally ill and in great pain is a scandal.

The rich are deserting the old city of Cairo and moving to luxurious, Hollywood style, gated communities in the desert, with lush golf courses and artificial lakes. Water is a big issue, as old Cairo is left to the poor and the tourists. Reporter, Hagar Cohen.

Bats carry many of the nasty viruses, even SARS, Ebola, Nipah and Hendra. Scientists think bats may be using these deadly viruses in a war with other species, including horses and man. (This program was originally broadcast on 31st August 2008.)

For years it's been one of the science community's great taboos but the idea of global climate control is starting to be openly discussed. Ideas like placing giant mirrors in space or firing sulphur particles into the stratosphere to cool the planet are no longer just in the domain of science fiction. Many scientists now believe the time for these ideas will come. Reporter, Wendy Carlisle (This pr...

Most people rate noise as a bigger problem than rats, drugs, or dog poo. It's highest on the list of citizen complaints, but it's listed low by councils and politicians. But noise can have cultural value too. (This program was originally broadcast on 28th September 2008)

There's a boom in funerals around the corner as the Boomers face mortality, but neither cemeteries nor crematoria are eco-friendly. The business of burials is beginning to adapt, and so are their future customers. (This program was originally broadcast on 20th July 2008.)

Our economy may fall over, but it's not just about the financial meltdown. Nature is seizing up, and it's costing big bucks. Putting a dollar value on nature might help, but how much is a bacterium in a lake really worth? (This program was originally broadcast on 19th October 2008.)

Western Sydney is set to have two more cities and, yet again, the state has canned its railway projects. Why will Canberra bail them out? Reporter Wendy Carlisle.

Abuse and torture of prisoners was much more widely spread than just Abu Ghraib. The guilt and shame of soldiers who took part continues to haunt Americans. 'The one who scars another's soul, can come away wounded as well.' American RadioWorks investigates.

As the financial downturn unfolds, is Generation Y ready? Raised on optimism and generous lines of credit, they're economically exposed in terms of assets and debt. Reporter: Madeleine Genner

We get the inside story of how the Italian diaspora was harvested for political votes, and how the little Italies found a way to make - and break - governments in Rome. Reporter: James Panichi

While remote Aboriginal communities are safer, everyday living is more complicated. There's a 600 dollar cab fare to town, and then Centrelink has to approve toys for your kids. Lorena Allam reports from Katherine in the Northern Territory.

There's an epidemic of child abuse and it's worst in Queensland. Poverty's fuelling it, but it's sparked by something deeper. To stop it, we need to turn our social policies upside down. Reporter Ian Townsend

The global economic collapse is now seen to be caused by greed and theft. There's a parallel in the looting of metals, especially copper, around the world. Reporter, Stan Correy.

Our economy may fall over, but it's not just about the financial meltdown. Nature is seizing up, and it's costing big bucks. Putting a dollar value on nature might help, but how much is a bacterium in a lake really worth? Reporter: Di Martin

After the terrible storms and floods, the tragedy of Myanmar unfolded before the world. The situation now is still grim. New Zealand journalist Joy Reid reports.

Maude Barlow is a water activist from Canada. In a recent talk at Sydney University she explains the virtual water trade and the critical state of water in the world.

About $500 billion flows around the world as migrant workers send money home. It's largely by-passing banks and corporations, even governments, but they all want a slice of the action. Reporter Lorena Allam.