Candidate for Council, Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Sector
I, Samantha Brown, am running for re-election to represent WGAE’s Broadcast Cable Streaming News division, because I believe in the work we’re doing together and want to continue to build better conditions for writers around the country.
During my term, I’ve focused on bringing members together around the issues that matter most as our industry keeps shifting. The achievement I’m proudest of is helping ratify the 2026 MBA — the core agreement that sets minimum pay, benefits, residuals, and working conditions for writers across film and television. Getting that across the finish line took real coordination among council members, staff, and the broader membership.
My pre-established working understanding of WGAE’s governing body also helped me hit the ground running and advocate effectively from day one.
Before joining the Guild, I sat on the bargaining committee that negotiated and unionized MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) in 2023. That experience gave me a firsthand understanding of what it takes to build a union shop from the ground up, and a connection to the WGAE staff before joining office.
It also shaped how I approach representation today. I’ve since built strong working relationships with the legal team managing our individual shops and our broader union needs, along with deep connections to former colleagues across MS NOW, CBS, NPR, and other major national news organizations.
My career has given me a wide view of this industry. Over six years at NBCUniversal, I was on the launch team for Peacock, wrote for Emmy Award–winning shows including TODAY and Nightly News, reported for NBCNews.com, and covered two presidential elections. Earlier, I worked as a field producer for CBS News and NPR, and I’ve produced documentaries around the world. That mix of entertainment and hard news experience across NBC, CBS, and NPR is exactly the kind of cross-sector perspective our members need represented at the table.
I am currently the only entertainment journalist in BCSN, and I want to continue bringing that voice to the room — representing not just where broadcast news has been, but where the next generation of journalists is taking it. As our media landscape keeps evolving, I want to make sure this sector’s needs evolve right alongside it.
I’d be honored to keep serving you on council. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Samantha Brown
Endorsements
Elizabeth Godvik, Opheli Lawler, Susan Rinkunas
Endorse Samantha Brown for Council, Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Sector
Note: WGAW members who wish to endorse a candidate may follow the process outlined in section G.1.B of the 2026 Election Policy.
