Let it be known that Frank Gormlie, Patty Jones, Doug Porter, Annie Lane, Brent Beltrán, Anna Daniels, and Rich Kacmar did something necessary and beautiful together for 6 1/2 years. Together, we advanced the cause of journalism by advancing the cause of justice. It has been a helluva ride. “Sometimes a great notion…”
We — the people who’ve overseen this incredible platform called the San Diego Free Press — have decided it’s time to move on. Dec. 14, 2018, will be our last day of posting.
We would like to say thank you to everyone who subscribed to, commented on, and shared our articles over the years — and to those who showed your support more quietly simply by visiting our site. We saw your presence in the stats, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
In fact, we’re going out on a high note. We’ve just had our best two months ever in terms of readership. We have funds in the bank, and — most importantly — all of us on the Editorial Board remain good friends.
Initially, we’d planned on taking a break after the 2016 election, never imagining the Electoral College would elect a racist and a con man to the highest office in the land. Instead, we kicked things into higher gear, knowing we needed to be a leading voice of the local resistance. We’ve seen changes in the political and media landscape since then and after two years at full speed, we feel it’s time to take that much needed rest.
For now, we’ll just say we’re suspending operations. We are open to ideas on how to continue the San Diego Free Press — an SDFP 2.0 of sorts — though we are not sure what that looks like just now.
We did not come to this decision lightly. Those of us who volunteered innumerable hours to making San Diego Free Press happen seven days a week since June 4, 2012, have loved the time we spent on this rare and wonderful enterprise, and the hundreds of connections we’ve made with fellow resisters near and far. We have been changed for the better because of this experience. We will carry these positive memories with us as we take up new challenges moving forward, and we hope you will, too.
Please do not stop sending submissions for publication! We will continue to welcome all article types — written, video, poetry, photography — through Wednesday, Dec. 12.
Our body of work — nearly 9,000 articles — will remain accessible online. This site is a rich resource of activist history collected over the past six and a half years, and we’d like to find a permanent home for it. We currently have enough to get us through December 2019.
We hope you will continue to contribute to the site. Additional funds will enable us to maintain the site for a longer period and participate in the annual Society for Professional Journalists San Diego awards in 2019 — at which our talented and thought-provoking contributors and editors have won awards each year.
Our mothership, a.k.a. the OB Rag, will continue to publish. Many of the SDFP’s regular contributors will continue to be seen there. We are fiercely proud of the work we did here to speak truth to power. Every day brought new learning experiences and insights. We are grateful to all of you.
Sincerely,
The San Diego Free Press Editorial Board: Anna Daniels, Rich Ka?mar, Doug Porter, Annie Lane, Brent Beltrán, Frank Gormlie, and Patty Jones
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
The OB Rag will continue to publish!
So happy the OB Rag will continue to publish! We need you.
Will miss the SDFP. Does this mean that the OBRag will branch out more and cover some of the San Diego City/county items they didn’t before?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm
Bless you all, and may the truth continue to reach us…no fake news here! :-)
Thank you and I’m sure we’ll hear more!
A big thank you to all for your dedication and hard work!
Relax and enjoy-you deserve it :-)
Thank you for your coverage of the San Diego Veterans For Peace chapter over the years.
We look forward to future articles in the OB Rag.
Blessings.
Kudos to you all . . . old friends and friends I’ve nevr met . . . for a project worthy of all praise. As a former SD and OB activist I have valued the work of the FP and the Rag as a way of keeping track of reality in my old home. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the Rag. I also wish as I have for over 40 years that news from the southernmost California can get out more broadly as it is important for the whole US which consistently underalues it. This is of course especially true in this era of Border excess and military buildup.
May you return in whatever form after a good refreshing rest!!
It’s a good run. Doing justice to the San Diego Free Press name.