docu-

A documentary programme.

The first element of English documentary.

In recent decades several words have been formed for types of television entertainment containing documentary elements. Early examples were blends of documentary with other words (especially docutainment, entertainment that includes documentary materials), but recent creations suggest that docu‑ is evolving into a combining form. Examples include docudrama, a dramatized television programme based on real events; docusoap, a television soap based on factual elements. These seem well-established; less so are docucomedy and docu-fiction.