If you’re reading this, it means the American experiment has survived another political cycle. Thanks to the long lead time of most magazines, I’m writing to you from October, before the election; I hope things are better on your end.
Let me briefly take you back to that time: The third and final presidential debate has just wrapped, and the leading candidates have spent the majority of their campaigns mired in controversy, from Hillary Clinton’s email scandal to the Access Hollywood tape that exposed Donald Trump’s debauched attitude toward women. We’ve spent more time talking about whether the media is rigged than we have about climate change, criminal justice reform, economic inequality, access to high-quality education, and all of the other issues that are important to us here at Pacific Standard.
With the campaign behind us, we’re ready to continue our sharp focus on the stories that matter. Regardless of who holds the presidency, we’ll continue to recommend and report on solutions to some of society’s biggest problems.
While 2016 was a good year for Pacific Standard — we expanded our staff; introduced a redesigned magazine and website; and were honored with numerous awards, including the prestigious Science in Society Journalism Award from the National Association of Science Writers — we’re ready to move on. Like the best of our features, we’re looking ahead, to the new and the next.
This magazine operates from the belief that good storytelling is at the root of making change, and that an informed public is essential to a functioning democracy. And in order to bring you more coverage that is informed by research rather than relying solely on anecdote and experience, we’re increasing our print frequency from six issues per year to eight. In the coming months, we’ll use that additional space to put out special packages on revolutionary ideas, how women in particular are driving pioneering solutions for climate change, and much more.
We’re excited about this growth because we believe that print remains a uniquely engaging medium, which is why we’ve dedicated so many pages to immersive photography and compelling design. We hope to create magazines that are so beautiful and valuable — in their appearance and approach — that you’ll share them with friends and family. They should start informed, civil conversations, which are, this past election has shown us, in short supply.
