The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast Steal This Story, Please! with Carl Deal, Tia Lessin, Amy Goodman and Ondi Timoner (Ep. 606)
Mar 25, 2026
Tia Lessin, documentary director (Behind the Labels, The Janes), Carl Deal, filmmaker (Trouble the Water, Citizen Coke), and Amy Goodman, investigative journalist and Democracy Now! anchor, join Ondi Timoner for a lively Q&A. They discuss structuring the film to reveal Amy, archival hunting, Democracy Now!’s role amid media consolidation, threats to independent media, and how the film connects to activism and community campaigns.
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Early Internet Transcripts Built Global Reach
- Amy recounts early internet adoption: Democracy Now! posted radio transcripts online before 'podcast' existed, enabling volunteers worldwide to transcribe and expand reach.
- Fans in Germany, South Africa, and Mexico sent transcriptions back, which Democracy Now! polished and distributed to radio stations.
Silent Camera Led To A Second George H.W. Bush Take
- Carl recounts volunteering to film Amy at the 2000 Republican National Convention after getting a press pass and a camera he had never used.
- He accidentally filmed silent footage of Amy interviewing George H.W. Bush, so they re-did the interview and captured the same answer with sound.
Media Consolidation Is A Longstanding Threat
- Democracy Now! warned about media consolidation since 1996 and that history maps onto today's concentrated ownership threats.
- Carl Deal and Amy Goodman connect the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Fox News launch, and present corporate layoffs and cozy deals that erode independent reporting.