The Current: A History of Season-Long Story Themes
Between 2007 and 2018, the series The Current utilized a structured storytelling approach by implementing season-long arcs. Rather than focusing on isolated daily news, the program dedicated entire seasons to exploring specific, overarching themes that shaped the global and national landscape.
Key Facts
- The series ran thematic season-long arcs from 2007 to 2018.
- Themes ranged from global hunger and water politics to moral dilemmas and social design.
- Summer scheduling evolved from reruns to integrating original documentary podcasts by 2019.
- The "Work in Progress" theme was informally revisited during the 2021–22 season to address pandemic-related employment shifts.
Evolution of Thematic Storytelling
The use of thematic arcs allowed the program to dive deep into complex socio-economic and political issues. By dedicating a full year to a single concept, the series could provide comprehensive coverage of the subject matter, moving from foundational problems to potential solutions.
Chronology of Themes (2007–2018)
Over a decade, the series tackled a diverse array of topics. Early seasons focused on survival and resources, such as food security and water politics, before shifting toward human behavior, economics, and the impact of technology.
| Season | Theme Title | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | Diet for a Hungry Planet | Food and world hunger |
| 2008–09 | Watershed | Water politics and issues |
| 2009–10 | Work in Progress | Labour and employment |
| 2010–11 | Shift | Canada's population demographics |
| 2011–12 | Gamechangers | People and events causing global change |
| 2012–13 | Line in The Sand: Dilemmas that Define Us | Moral dilemmas |
| 2013–14 | Project Money | Financial issues |
| 2014–15 | By Design | Industrial and social design |
| 2015–16 | Ripple Effect | Consequences of decisions and technologies |
| 2016–17 | The Disruptors | Positive and negative societal disruptions |
| 2017–18 | Adaptation | Adapting to changing global realities |
Changes in Broadcast Format and Scheduling
The way these themes were delivered changed alongside the network's summer scheduling. Initially, when the program was shortened to one hour during the summer, selected features were rerun as a separate half-hour program.
By 2018, the series maintained its regular length year-round, mixing new stories with reruns from the regular season. A significant format shift occurred in 2019, where the program began airing CBC Radio One's original documentary podcasts during the summer. This compromise allowed the show to feature new content in the first portion of the broadcast while using the remaining hour to accommodate the varying lengths of the podcasts.
In the 2021–22 season, the series returned to a familiar topic. While not a formal season-long arc, the program informally revisited the "Work in Progress" theme to examine employment issues specifically caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, supplementing these discussions with podcasts and selected summer reruns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the season-long arcs in The Current?
Season-long arcs were thematic storytelling periods from 2007 to 2018 where the program focused on a single major topic, such as world hunger, financial issues, or moral dilemmas, for the duration of the season.
How did the summer schedule change over time?
The summer format evolved from airing half-hour reruns of thematic features to maintaining full-length episodes that integrated new content with original documentary podcasts starting in 2019.
Which theme was revisited during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The "Work in Progress" theme, which originally focused on labour and employment in 2009–10, was informally revisited during the 2021–22 season to address the pandemic's impact on work.
What was the focus of the "Ripple Effect" season?
The "Ripple Effect" season (2015–16) explored the intended and unintended consequences resulting from various technological advancements and human decisions.
How did the 2019 format accommodate podcasts?
The program dedicated the first portion of the show to new content and used the remaining hour to air CBC Radio One's original documentary podcasts, which allowed for the podcasts' irregular lengths.