The Free Press adds more columnists as paid subscriber base expands
The Free Press is adding five new columnists to its roster as part of a broader expansion of its editorial coverage and business, co-founder Bari Weiss told Axios.
Why it matters: The company has managed to accrue a significant free and paid audience of general news consumers at a challenging time for the media industry.
The Free Press now has 1.25 million overall subscribers, and nearly 155,000 of those are paid, publisher Dennis K. Berman told Axios.
Zoom in: The Free Press announced Tuesday it's bringing on renowned economist Tyler Cowen, formerly of Bloomberg Opinion, as a contributor, as well as Jed Rubenfeld, who will focus on legal commentary.
Coleman Hughes is joining to cover complex issues such as race, philosophy and culture. He will bring his popular "Conversations with Coleman" podcast over to The Free Press.
Matthew Continetti will bring deeper expertise to The Free Press' coverage of the American Right and the future of the Republican Party.
Batya Ungar-Sargon will become a regular columnist, focusing on issues of class, culture and economics.
Between the lines: Hughes' podcast is part of a broader audio push by the company, which is piloting five new shows this summer, Berman told Axios.
The company also plans to expand its event portfolio, Weiss said. In addition to its regular national debate series, The Free Press is looking to offer more regular local events, such as salons and book clubs, Weiss said.
Until now, most of The Free Press' marketing strategy has been focused on organic user acquisition, but the company recently hired a full-time subscription growth leader from The Athletic to spearhead its expansion, Berman noted.
Zoom out: The expansion of The Free Press' roster, editorial coverage and products is "a testament to how much we've grown since the days when it was a personal blog and called Common Sense," Weiss told Axios.
Weiss started a personal newsletter, Common Sense, in 2021, shortly after she left the New York Times. She co-founded The Free Press in 2022, alongside her wife Nellie Bowles, and her sister, Suzy Weiss.
The big picture: The company, which was valued at more than $100 million after raising a $15 million series A round last year, has managed to break through a crowded media landscape while capturing the attention and ire of both political parties.
Berman pointed to an example of the JD Vance criticizing an editorial from The Free Press contributor Niall Ferguson, Ferguson's response and an authoritative analysis of both sides, as an example of how "The Free Press has become that rare, vital place where differing viewpoints can be heard. That is giving us real influence."
In the current media landscape, that type of position "seems kind of a radical," Weiss noted.
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