Premieres Tuesdays, Jan. 9 and 16, 2024 at 11 p.m. and 23rd at 11:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream now with KPBS Passport + Encores Thursdays, Jan. 11 - 25 at 9 p.m. on KPBS 2
What is free speech? Is it an outdated idea? What about hate speech? The three-part series FREE TO SPEAK underscores how free speech is necessary for human survival as it presents thought-provoking, ironic, and often heartbreaking stories. Host Nadine Strossen is joined by free speech experts, critics, and defenders to examine its power and controversy historically and today.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1 “Thought Police” - This episode examines the long history of governments suppressing speech – with clear echoes of George Orwell’s warning of a world without free speech. The program weaves personal stories from Hong Kong, North Korea, and Peru, whose governments tried to suppress free speech, one of them resulting in a monumental – and avoidable – human tragedy.
Episode 2 “The One True Faith” - Challenging either religious or scientific dogma can prove explosive. "The One True Faith" looks at the once-sacrilegious beliefs of Galileo and shows the uproar caused by the Scopes Monkey Trial. The program also examines the work of Nobel Laureate Barry Marshall, who proved that ulcers were caused by bacteria, and explores the cartoons published by Charlie Hebdo that led to a horrifying massacre.
Episode 3 “The Speech We Hate” - This episode features a Kenyan filmmaker whose love story of two women garnered a nationwide ban. Viewers also meet a Turkish political artist who was censored for his provocative work in the U.S., a hip-hop historian who recalls the arrest of members of 2 Live Crew for obscenity, and a student who took a lawsuit over banned books in his school all the way to the Supreme Court.
Credits:
Free To Choose Media (FTCM) creates award-winning national broadcast productions seeking to stimulate thought on vital topics, including economics, taxes, education, civics, and human rights. FTCM offers diverse voices, powerful stories, and a fresh perspective on important global and national issues. Presented by American Public Television.
