SAG-AFTRA

Getting paid for your music has never been simple. And as the industry has moved from radio to satellite and streaming, it's only gotten more complicated. Now artificial intelligence is raising new questions about who controls an artist's work and who gets paid when it's used. SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe joins the podcast to explain how his organization has distributed more than $13 billion in digital royalties to over 850,000 music creators, the threat of AI to divert royalties away from human artists and why the American Music Fairness Act could change how performers are compensated for radio airplay. *The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organization or SAG-AFTRA.

One of the most important skills for any actor, whether they're prepping for class, an audition, or a self-tape at home is analyzing this script: the who, what, when, where and why of a scene. Our guest today, New York Local member Jill Stern, has been teaching those elements at SAG-AFTRA's New York Conservatory since 2013. She shares how to get the most out of a first read, how to make bold choices and when it's OK to improvise. Jill also shares tips for self-tapes and advice on creating your own projects during slow periods. *The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organization or SAG-AFTRA.

Broadcast journalists chase breaking news, work unpredictable hours and sometimes put themselves in harm's way to tell stories the public needs to know. But the job is changing. Tracee Wilkins is an investigative reporter with NBC4 Washington and president of SAG-AFTRA's Washington-Mid Atlantic Local. She takes us inside the newsroom to talk about why reporters are being asked to do more with less, what it takes to produce for TV, digital and social all at once, and growing concerns about safety and First Amendment rights. *The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organization or SAG-AFTRA

Voiceover work covers a lot of ground: audiobooks, animation, commercials, video games, ADR/looping, dubbing. But how different are they really, and what does it take to break in? David Jolliffe has voiced well over 1,000 TV episodes and serves as SAG-AFTRA's L.A. Local Second Vice President. Nancy Linari is a voiceover performer and audiobook narrator best known as the voice of Aunt May in Marvel's Spider-Man. They walk through the distinct skill set each lane demands. They also get into how home studios changed the game post-COVID, why relationships and networking matter and how the union contracts protecting this work came together. *The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organization or SAG-AFTRA.

This Labor Day, we step back and ask a bigger question: what's the state of the unions in America right now? Not just SAG-AFTRA, but the whole movement. Where we've made real gains, where we're facing challenges and what it actually means to be a union member in 2026. To tackle these topics, we're joined by two prominent labor leaders who are at the center of that fight. Sean Astin is President of SAG-AFTRA and was recently elected a Vice President of the AFL-CIO. Liz Shuler is President of the AFL-CIO, representing nearly 15 million working people. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organization or SAG-AFTRA.