Latest news with #TheFreePress'
Axios
01-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
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.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fox News host hypes ‘free speech' college as place where ‘protests are essentially not allowed'
Fawning over a new 'free speech' college on Friday morning, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade simultaneously described the University of Austin as an institution that won't 'tell you what to think' and a place where 'protests are essentially not allowed.' Kilmeade brought up the University of Austin, which was first announced in 2021 by The Free Press' Bari Weiss and started classes last fall, while his show discussed the ongoing pro-Palestinian protests at Barnard College. Demonstrations have unfolded this week at the independent women's school after the college expelled two Barnard students who allegedly disrupted a Columbia University class on Israeli history. After the Fox & Friends crew spent several minutes raging against the protesters and blasting the New York governor for 'capitulating to the goons' and 'legitimizing' the demonstrators, Kilmeade introduced a short video package he had prepared on the University of Austin, which is still unaccredited. 'This is one of the reasons why the University of Austin was launched last year,' Kilmeade declared. 'And it was put together by Bari Weiss – people like Niall Ferguson, conservatives, libertarians, Joe Lonsdale. A lot of big-time supporters! They want to revamp upper-education and higher education, and they want to make it tuition-free.' Kilmeade noted that the first endowed professor at the college is anti-woke author Michael Shellenberger, adding that he recently spoke to Shellenberger for an interview that will be aired on Sunday night. In a preview clip that Kilmeade shared, Shellenberger — who was one of Elon Musk's handpicked 'Twitter Files' disseminators — characterized the school as a 'sanctuary of truth-seeking and truth-telling.' Claiming that the majority of American universities have become 'the exact opposite of that' and merely havens of 'censorship' and 'cancel culture,' Shellenberger told the Fox News host that he was interested in creating a college that would be a 'place of free thought.' After airing the clip, Kilmeade offered up some more details about the school's principles and teaching methods before curiously lauding it for apparently banning an activity that runs contrary to the First Amendment. 'That's what they want. They teach the classics. They don't tell you what to think. They present it all. Protests are essentially not allowed,' he proudly asserted. The University of Austin, described by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression as 'a new university devoted to free speech,' states on its website that it stands for 'the fearless pursuit of truth' and 'freedom of inquiry.' In a recent article claiming that UATX was 'founded on free speech,' the school's chief of staff, Mike Shires, insisted that the college was created to show how 'discourse and civil discourse can happen in a university environment.' Meanwhile, the First Amendment explicitly states that Congress shall make no law 'abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble.' The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Kilmeade's description of the school's policies was accurate and, if so, how they align with the college's commitment to free speech absolutism.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fox News host hypes ‘free speech' college as place where ‘protests are essentially not allowed'
Fawning over a new 'free speech' college on Friday morning, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade simultaneously described the University of Austin as an institution that won't 'tell you what to think' and a place where 'protests are essentially not allowed.' Kilmeade brought up the University of Austin, which was first announced in 2021 by The Free Press' Bari Weiss and started classes last fall, while his show discussed the ongoing pro-Palestinian protests at Barnard College. Demonstrations have unfolded this week at the independent women's school after the college expelled two Barnard students who allegedly disrupted a Columbia University class on Israeli history. After the Fox & Friends crew spent several minutes raging against the protesters and blasting the New York governor for 'capitulating to the goons' and 'legitimizing' the demonstrators, Kilmeade introduced a short video package he had prepared on the University of Austin, which is still unaccredited. 'This is one of the reasons why the University of Austin was launched last year,' Kilmeade declared. 'And it was put together by Bari Weiss – people like Niall Ferguson, conservatives, libertarians, Joe Lonsdale. A lot of big-time supporters! They want to revamp upper-education and higher education, and they want to make it tuition-free.' Kilmeade noted that the first endowed professor at the college is anti-woke author Michael Shellenberger, adding that he recently spoke to Shellenberger for an interview that will be aired on Sunday night. In a preview clip that Kilmeade shared, Shellenberger — who was one of Elon Musk's handpicked 'Twitter Files' disseminators — characterized the school as a 'sanctuary of truth-seeking and truth-telling.' Claiming that the majority of American universities have become 'the exact opposite of that' and merely havens of 'censorship' and 'cancel culture,' Shellenberger told the Fox News host that he was interested in creating a college that would be a 'place of free thought.' After airing the clip, Kilmeade offered up some more details about the school's principles and teaching methods before curiously lauding it for apparently banning an activity that runs contrary to the First Amendment. 'That's what they want. They teach the classics. They don't tell you what to think. They present it all. Protests are essentially not allowed,' he proudly asserted. The University of Austin, described by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression as 'a new university devoted to free speech,' states on its website that it stands for 'the fearless pursuit of truth' and 'freedom of inquiry.' In a recent article claiming that UATX was 'founded on free speech,' the school's chief of staff, Mike Shires, insisted that the college was created to show how 'discourse and civil discourse can happen in a university environment.' Meanwhile, the First Amendment explicitly states that Congress shall make no law 'abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble.' The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Kilmeade's description of the school's policies was accurate and, if so, how they align with the college's commitment to free speech absolutism.
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The Independent
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Fox News host hypes ‘free speech' college as place where ‘protests are essentially not allowed'
Fawning over a new 'free speech' college on Friday morning, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade simultaneously described the University of Austin as an institution that won't 'tell you what to think' and a place where 'protests are essentially not allowed.' Kilmeade brought up the University of Austin, which was first announced in 2021 by The Free Press' Bari Weiss and started classes last fall, while his show discussed the ongoing pro-Palestinian protests at Barnard College. Demonstrations have unfolded this week at the independent women's school after the college expelled two Barnard students who allegedly disrupted a Columbia University class on Israeli history. After the Fox & Friends crew spent several minutes raging against the protesters and blasting the New York governor for 'capitulating to the goons' and 'legitimizing' the demonstrators, Kilmeade introduced a short video package he had prepared on the University of Austin, which is still unaccredited. 'This is one of the reasons why the University of Austin was launched last year,' Kilmeade declared. 'And it was put together by Bari Weiss – people like Niall Ferguson, conservatives, libertarians, Joe Lonsdale. A lot of big-time supporters! They want to revamp upper-education and higher education, and they want to make it tuition-free.' Kilmeade noted that the first endowed professor at the college is anti-woke author Michael Shellenberger, adding that he recently spoke to Shellenberger for an interview that will be aired on Sunday night. In a preview clip that Kilmeade shared, Shellenberger — who was one of Elon Musk's handpicked 'Twitter Files' disseminators — characterized the school as a 'sanctuary of truth-seeking and truth-telling.' Claiming that the majority of American universities have become 'the exact opposite of that' and merely havens of 'censorship' and 'cancel culture,' Shellenberger told the Fox News host that he was interested in creating a college that would be a 'place of free thought.' After airing the clip, Kilmeade offered up some more details about the school's principles and teaching methods before curiously lauding it for apparently banning an activity that runs contrary to the First Amendment. 'That's what they want. They teach the classics. They don't tell you what to think. They present it all. Protests are essentially not allowed,' he proudly asserted. The University of Austin, described by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression as 'a new university devoted to free speech,' states on its website that it stands for 'the fearless pursuit of truth' and 'freedom of inquiry.' In a recent article claiming that UATX was 'founded on free speech,' the school's chief of staff, Mike Shires, insisted that the college was created to show how 'discourse and civil discourse can happen in a university environment.' Meanwhile, the First Amendment explicitly states that Congress shall make no law 'abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble.' The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Kilmeade's description of the school's policies was accurate and, if so, how they align with the college's commitment to free speech absolutism.
