Friend,

This year has tested our democracy like never before. Authoritarianism has taken root in the highest offices of government, journalists have faced intimidation and arrests and billionaire media owners have repeatedly chosen profits over principles.

But thanks to you, Free Press and Free Press Action have been able to meet this moment head on.

Together, we’ve exposed the corruption, collusion and censorship threatening the very foundation of a free press — and we’ve rallied people across the country to defend our rights to connect and communicate. Check out our 2025 Fall Update to learn what we’ve accomplished thanks to people like you — and scroll below for some highlights.

Fighting authoritarianism — and protecting those who tell the truth

When President Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr turned government power against journalists, we called it what it was: censorship and extortion. After Carr pressured ABC to pull Jimmy Kimmel from the air, Free Press mobilized thousands of people to speak out — and helped get Kimmel reinstated.

We testified before Congress about Trump’s abuse of the media, created toolkits to help journalists stay safe, and convened experts and advocates to name what’s happening in this country for what it is — a campaign to silence dissent and dismantle our democracy.

Standing up for public media

When Trump demanded Congress rescind $1.1 billion in funding for public media — the lifeblood of local newsrooms across the country — Free Press Action organized a massive response. Thousands of members like you flooded lawmakers’ offices with calls, demanding they protect this essential public service.

Free Press Action Co-CEO Craig Aaron speaking at a “Protect Public Media Day” protest

We didn’t give up even after Congress voted to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. We’re bringing together local journalists, station managers and filmmakers to imagine what a new, community-rooted public-media system could look like — one that’s independent, equitable and built to last.

Defending journalists under attack

We’ve led national efforts to defend reporters targeted for doing their jobs — from fighting for the release of unjustly detained journalist Mario Guevara to supporting reporters like Timothy Burke, who faced prosecution on trumped-up charges.

In both cases, Free Press stood up for the principle that journalism is not a crime. We helped lead the nationwide fight for Guevara’s release, but an appeals court deported him to his native El Salvador in violation of his First Amendment rights. We will keep fighting for him until he is free to return to the United States. Meanwhile, our legal briefs helped secure the dismissal of seven charges in Burke’s case — a vital victory for press freedom.

Exposing media capitulation

This summer, we released the Media Capitulation Index — a groundbreaking investigation revealing how 35 of the nation’s largest media and tech conglomerates have caved to political pressure. The findings were covered by NiemanLab and former New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan, sparking a national conversation about how to rebuild independent journalism that serves the people, not the powerful.

Building a just media future

Our Media 2070 project is creating spaces for repair and imagination. In May, the Riot to Repair soundscape exhibition in Los Angeles celebrated Black storytellers and honored the communities that sustain them.

And in states from New Jersey to California, we’re organizing for policies that treat local news as a public good — securing millions in funding for the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium and helping shape similar initiatives nationwide.

Every one of these victories — and the courage it takes to keep going — is powered by people like you.

Free Press doesn’t take a dime from business, government or political parties. That independence allows us to tell the truth, hold the powerful accountable and protect the public’s right to know — even when it’s risky, even when it’s hard.

We’re facing an uphill fight in 2026, with escalating censorship threats, super-charged media consolidation and new efforts to silence dissent. But we’ve never been clearer about what’s at stake — or more determined to defend our democracy.

Grassroots support makes this work possible. Please rush a donation today to help Free Press continue standing up to censorship, defending journalists and protecting everyone’s right to a free and open media system.

Thank you for standing with us in defense of truth, justice and free expression. We couldn’t do this without you.

Onward,

Craig Aaron and Jessica J. González
Co-CEOs, Free Press & Free Press Action

P.S. What we covered in this email is simply scratching the surface of everything we’ve been up to this year. You can read our entire 2025 Fall Update here.