Episode 132: Protecting Free Speech in Public Broadcasting with June Thiele, Peter Miller, Jill Cozza-Turner, and Rupeshi Shah Bhat

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges facing public broadcasting and the importance of protecting free speech in media.

In the first of a multi-part series on protecting free speech in media, public television writers Rupeshi Shah Bhat , June Thiele , Peter Miller and Jill Cozza-Turner discuss the state of public broadcasting in the face of ongoing threats like the loss of federal funding, and why it's so critical to fight back to protect both public broadcasting specifically and free speech overall. Rupeshi Shah Bhat is a preschool TV writer who has written for PBS KIDS programs like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and is a member of the WGAE Animation Caucus. Peter Miller is a Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker who has been working in the public television documentary industry for over 30 years, including for programs like American Experience . June Thiele is a writer and actor known for their Emmy-nominated writing on the PBS KIDS program Molly of Denali . Jill Cozza-Turner is a children's television writer who has spent over 20 years working in children's media. She is currently the head writer of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and has also written for Donkey Hodie . --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: wgaeast.org/onwriting Follow the Guild on social media…

People in this episode

Host: Molly Beer

Guests: June Thiele, Peter Miller, Jill Cozza-Turner, Rupeshi Shah Bhat

Topics covered

• free speech
• public broadcasting
• media threats

Keywords

• PBS KIDS
• documentary
• children's media

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Molly of Denali, American Experience, Donkey Hodie

Books & works: Protecting Free Speech in Public Broadcasting, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Emmy, Peabody Award, American Experience, Molly of Denali

More episodes of OnWriting: A Podcast of the WGA East

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• Episode 133: Protecting Free Speech in Late Night with Josh Gondelman, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski and Sasha Stewart · December 4, 2025 · 46 min
• Episode 131: WGAE AI Task Force Roundtable with Larry J. Cohen, Sarah Montana and A.M. Homes · November 20, 2025 · 1h 4m
• Episode 130: Screenwriter Roundtable with Nia DaCosta, Benny Safdie and Will Tracy · November 13, 2025 · 44 min
• Episode 129: How to Organize a Union with Rez Nemorin, Jessica Schulberg and Leah Gotcsik · August 13, 2025 · 42 min