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The First: Free Speech At The Crossroads is a new documentary presented locally by Rocky Mountain PBS (RMPBS). Its historical sweep follows the First Amendment’s five freedoms—speech, press, assembly, petition, and religion—from the nation’s founding to present-day debates. RMPBS lists the 1-hour, 27-minute program for streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app.
What is The First: Free Speech At The Crossroads about?
The documentary traces the evolution of the First Amendment’s five freedoms and considers how their meaning and application have been contested over time. The film’s scope, as described by its fiscal sponsor, the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition (CFOIC), runs from the nation’s founding to today.
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Examples identified by CFOIC include the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, and New York Times v. Sullivan. These are selected landmarks in the documentary’s narrative, not a complete account of First Amendment history or a substitute for current legal guidance.
The RMPBS transcript moves from the amendment’s drafting and ratification context into disputes over expression, protest, press access, and the effects of changing technology and politics. It presents the five freedoms as connected protections while exploring disagreements over how they apply.
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Where can you watch it?
RMPBS lists the documentary as available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS app. Its station page gives a program date of October 1, 2026, and a runtime of 1 hour, 27 minutes, 1 second. Availability and station schedules can change, so check the listing for current access and local broadcast information.
CFOIC announced on September 2, 2026, that the film would air on PBS stations beginning in October and said RMPBS planned to air and stream it in the second half of that month. The station’s October 1 listing is separate from that earlier schedule announcement. The available announcements do not establish one nationwide broadcast premiere date.
Who made the documentary?
CFOIC identifies Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Brian Malone as the filmmaker. The announcement names Colorado Public Radio’s Bazi Kanani and NBC News correspondent Tom Costello as co-hosts.
Among the interviewees named by CFOIC are Mary Beth Tinker, former New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet, former Washington Post editor Martin Baron, and former CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
Rank #3
What perspective should viewers bring?
The documentary’s value is its broad historical sweep and the way it connects the amendment’s five freedoms to recurring public disputes. Its named legal and historical examples are a selection, and its account should be understood as the film’s narrative rather than an exhaustive or neutral statement of constitutional law. Viewers seeking the current legal status of a particular dispute should consult authoritative legal sources beyond the documentary.
In the film trailer, co-host Bazi Kanani says: “It’s often misunderstood, often contested. For many Americans, the First Amendment defines what it means to be free.” The line captures the film’s central subject: both the enduring importance of these protections and the arguments over their reach.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
