Craig Aaron

Washington, D.C., United States

President and Co-CEO at Free Press

President and Co-CEO @freepress / @freepressaction This account will remain inactive as long as Elon Musk is in charge. #StopToxicTwitter

Articles

Remembering Robert W. McChesney

2 months ago | freepress.net | Craig Aaron

Robert W. McChesney, the renowned media scholar and co-founder of Free Press, died on March 25 at his home in Madison, Wisconsin. He was 72. Professor McChesney — Bob to his friends — was an intellectual force who changed the way a generation of academics, journalists, politicians and activists thought about how the media shape our broader politics and possibilities.
We Must Fight Back Against Trump’s Illegal FTC Firings

Mar 19, 2025 | techpolicy.press | Craig Aaron |Jessica Gonzalez

Craig Aaron and Jessica J. González are the co-CEOs of Free Press Action. FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya served on the board of Free Press prior to entering public service. Writing for Tech Policy Press three weeks ago, we warned of the Trump regime’s plans to “terminate uncooperative bureaucrats” and “remove sitting commissioners without cause.” We pleaded with congressional leaders to suspend business as usual and challenge the mounting attack on independent agencies.
Don’t Rubber Stamp Trump’s Regulators

Feb 24, 2025 | techpolicy.press | Craig Aaron |Jessica Gonzalez

Craig Aaron and Jessica J. González are the co-CEOs of Free Press Action. In normal times, the nominations of two experienced United States Senate staffers to fill vacant commissioner seats at independent regulatory agencies like the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission would be pro forma: a few private meetings, a quick and amiable hearing, a quick vote. But these are not normal times.
When the Truth Doesn't Exist, Democracy Is in Trouble

Feb 14, 2025 | freepress.net | Craig Aaron

I testified on Feb. 12 before the House Judiciary Committee about the free-speech emergency in our country. The culprits: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, the country’s most powerful media billionaires, and members of Congress too consumed with old tweets (and, well, eggs) to respond to a constitutional crisis.
Media and Tech Billionaires Helped Elect Trump - and Now They're Ready to Serve

Nov 15, 2024 | freepress.net | Craig Aaron

Surveying the wreckage after the 2024 election, many post-mortems have tried to explain the tactical or messaging mishaps that led to Trump’s victory. But a lot of them have missed the most obvious culprit: the media. Yes, in this case, it is appropriate to blame the messengers —– or at least their billionaire bosses.
Our Endorsement: Save Journalism from the Billionaires

Oct 29, 2024 | freepress.net | Craig Aaron

This year’s most notable newspaper endorsements are the ones that never happened. Just days before the presidential election, the billionaire owners of two of the country’s most important newspapers, The Los Angeles Timesand The Washington Post, blocked their own editorial boards from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump.
Meet the Project 2025 Co-Author Who Wants to Run the FCC If Trump Wins

Oct 3, 2024 | benton.org | Craig Aaron

You've probably heard of Project 2025—the not-so-secret plan the Heritage Foundation cooked up for the next Republican administration. Project 2025’s contents are so noxious, unpopular and anti-democratic that even Donald Trump has repeatedly tried to distance himself from them—though at least 140 former Trump officials contributed to the plan.
Meet the Project 2025 Co-Author Who Wants to Run the FCC If Trump Wins | Common Dreams

Oct 3, 2024 | commondreams.org | Craig Aaron

By now you’ve probably heard of Project 2025 — the not-so-secret plan the Heritage Foundation cooked up for the next Republican administration, complete with a 900-page authoritarian playbook for overturning civil-rights laws, gutting environmental and labor protections, criminalizing abortion, and purging the federal government of any career workers who aren’t partisan loyalists.< Project 2025’s contents are so noxious, unpopular and anti-democratic that even Donald Trump has repeatedly...
How a New Bill Would Help Stop AI Discrimination

Oct 1, 2024 | freepress.net | Craig Aaron

Artificial intelligence has rapidly entered every part of our lives. There’s a lot of hype about AI. There’s a lot of chatter. There’s a lot of fear, too. But too often, we’re asking the wrong questions. The important question isn’t whether AI is inherently bad or good, but who is going to benefit? Is AI going to make our lives easier or is it going to be used to exacerbate inequality, exploitation and discrimination? Who’s going to be at the table when these decisions are made?
What I Told House Republicans About Their Dangerous Attempt to Defund NPR | Common Dreams

May 9, 2024 | commondreams.org | Craig Aaron

Here we go again. Every couple of years, conservative members of Congress launch highly partisan attempts to root out alleged “bias” at NPR and PBS—which remain incredibly popular and trusted among the American public—and threaten to slash funding that supports local nonprofit radio and TV affiliates nationwide. This year’s so-called outrage? A contentious and inaccurate critique of NPR published by a disgruntled editor.