What We’ve Learned in One Year of Pressing Issues
Some appreciations and reflections about our inaugural year
As we head into the Labor Day weekend, and near our one-year anniversary of our official launch of Pressing Issues, we thought it would be a good time to check in with our readers and take a moment to thank you for being part of what we hope has become a destination to share ideas and analysis about everything happening at the intersection of media, technology and democracy.
Before we take a break and get back to publication next Friday, we wanted to share how much we have accomplished so far:
- Since last year, we have published 105 editions by 18 contributors.
- Our open rate is still at 66 percent — over a year after launch. This figure is well above industry averages.
- Outlets like Democracy Now!, CNN, Semafor and AP News have featured our work.
- While more than 1,000 subscribers like you receive every Pressing Issues edition in your inboxes twice a week, a third of our visits come from social-media platforms.
- While 85 percent of our visitors are based in the United States, people from 48 other countries have read our work.
Interestingly, one of Craig’s early posts about public media’s revival remains our most popular — but thanks to Reddit, his latest missive on the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger has quickly moved into the second slot. Somewhat unexpectedly, that means we’re doing especially well in August.
We head into this fall with momentum marked by more organic signups and visits to our site. In the next couple of weeks, Pressing Issues will roll out a new design that complements the overall work Free Press and Free Press Action are producing. Can’t wait for you to see it.
We’ve also got a few big pieces in the works, including some very compelling upcoming interviews. Of course, we will keep responding to breaking news and offering insight and analysis on everything 2026 brings. We hope you’ll keep sharing the work, helping us grow this community and passing on your ideas and feedback.
Thank you again for subscribing to Pressing Issues. If you like what you’re reading and want to help keep our posts free and accessible to all, please consider making a donation to Free Press to support this work.
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend, and we’ll be back at it next week.
Julio and Craig
About the authors
Julio Ricardo Varela is the senior producer and strategist at Free Press. He is also a working journalist, columnist and nonprofit-media leader. He is a massive Red Sox, Knicks and Arsenal fan (what a combo). Follow him on Bluesky.
Craig Aaron is the co-CEO of Free Press and Free Press Action and a guy with two first names. Follow him on Bluesky.
The kicker
“I always wanted to be a writer. I got into activism just because it needed to be done.” —Gloria Steinem
