I’m writing to you from the couch in Pittsburgh, where the fire is burning, my mom is watching the baby, and I’m about to read a novel—a book! For pleasure!—for the first time in many months. I am full of gratitude.
I’ve always loved Thanksgiving, but I’ve never felt as thankful as I do this year. I am so profoundly aware of how many in the world right now lack the blessings that I too often take for granted. My family. My country. Our liberties. How rare all of these things are. How ferociously they must be protected.
Since October 7, the fragility of all that we have has become so apparent to everyone at The Free Press as we have covered the war between Hamas and Israel.
In turning our attention to telling that momentous story and its implications for the West, we have transformed our company.
Without making a single additional hire, we quadrupled our output, going from publishing one piece a day to four or sometimes five. We’ve gone from one episode of Honestly a week to two, conducting dozens of unforgettable interviews. And we launched an entire video department on the fly.
Suffice it to say, we have been working hard. But we have been so gratified by what you all have told us it’s meant to you—and because of the real impact our work is having.
A few examples:
We won an award for our reporting. The Free Press was awarded the inaugural Dao Prize alongside Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger, recognizing excellence in investigative journalism for our reporting at Twitter.
We appeared in front of Congress. After our intern, Julia Steinberg, wrote a piece for us on why Gen Z hates Jews, she was asked to testify in front of Congress on the rise of antisemitism on college campuses.
We were quoted at the GOP debate. At this month’s Republican presidential debate, the moderator, Hugh Hewitt, cited Rep. Mike Gallagher’s widely read column for us on banning TikTok.
We’ve been all over the news. Our reporters and contributors have been on talk shows to discuss their coverage and on the ground in Israel, talking to victims and their family members. Our reporting has been picked up by the Daily Mail, Fox, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, The Jerusalem Post, The Washington Post, the New York Post, and many, many more.
We changed the conversation. Only three days into the war, our essays were being translated and distributed globally. Our recent essay calling for the end of DEI was picked up widely, including in Die Welt, Germany’s leading newspaper.
We’ve emerged as a trustworthy voice. When Bill Maher was asked on Real Time what he reads, he answered, “Bari Weiss and her group” (that would be us!). He called The Free Press “centrist thinking, smart, and not politicized.” Meanwhile, on Fox, America’s Newsroom anchor Dana Perino told viewers: “Anything Bari Weiss writes, I will read.”
And we’ve inspired local action. When columnist Joe Nocera wrote about a little-known soldier, Emilio Barbosa, whose tombstone he stumbled upon in upper Manhattan, you—our dear subscribers—placed flowers upon Barbosa’s grave.
Most important of all: we’ve created a news alternative for and with you, the more than 500,000 members of this community.
We knew the legacy press was flawed—it’s why we started The Free Press. But these past weeks have been an important reminder of how essential it is to build a new mainstream—one that respects readers by telling them the truth.
All of which is a long way of saying: thank you. Thank you for making The Free Press possible.
We have huge ambitions for 2024 and we need your support to make it happen.
For those of you who haven’t yet become paying subscribers, now is the time. Black Friday means 25 percent off on a yearlong subscription. (And yes, the discount applies to gifts too! Just click gift and enter your loved one’s email. It’s a fabulous early Christmas present.)
For only $60—$60 for a whole year of stories you can’t get anywhere else—you’re supporting independent journalism and helping us build a team of producers, podcasters, editors, and reporters committed to building a truly free press.
With immense gratitude and hope,
Bari
