Pacific Standard
Pacific Standard is a Santa Barbara-based digital news publication founded in 2014 that delivers free, long-form journalism on social justice, economics, education, environment, and ideas to a global consumer readership. It was acquired by Grist in 2024 while retaining its editorial brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSanta Barbara, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Pacific Standard does
Pacific Standard is a digital news publication founded in 2014 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, that delivers long-form journalism and investigative reporting on social justice, economics, education, environment, and ideas. The publication operates a single unified digital magazine platform (psmag.com) featuring distinct content verticals including News in Brief, Economics, Education, Environment, Social Justice, Features & Investigations, Ideas, and Audio/Podcasts. Its core product is editorially produced journalism targeted at a horizontal audience of general news readers interested in systemic policy and cultural issues.
In 2024, Pacific Standard was acquired by Grist, a Seattle-based climate-focused media organization, and now operates as a subsidiary while retaining its distinct editorial brand. The publication distributes content globally via its website and podcast/audio channels, and reaches audiences through organic social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X) and an email newsletter. About, Pitching, and Careers pages on psmag.com redirect to Grist's acquisition-related URLs, and the site footer carries a 2024 Grist copyright.
Pacific Standard's business model is not publicly disclosed, but the absence of a paywall or subscription pricing suggests an advertising- and/or sponsorship-supported revenue model based on free content distribution. No enterprise customers, B2B contracts, or select customer logos are identified. The company employs between 11 and 50 people and maintains no disclosed AI/technology capabilities, patents, or proprietary technology platform beyond a standard content management system.
Pacific Standard firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pacific Standard
- Legal name
- Pacific Standard
- Website
- https://psmag.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pacific Standard is a Santa Barbara-based digital news publication founded in 2014 that delivers free, long-form journalism on social justice, economics, education, environment, and ideas to a global consumer readership. It was acquired by Grist in 2024 while retaining its editorial brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pacific Standard industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Journalism / Online Magazine
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI)
Keywords
Where Pacific Standard is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Barbara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Pacific Standard business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Pacific Standard product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pacific Standard is a digital news publication that produces and distributes journalism on social justice, economics, education, and the environment through its psmag.com website. It delivers news articles, long-form features, investigative pieces, and audio/podcast content, organized by topic sections including News in Brief, Economics, Education, Environment, Social Justice, Features & Investigations, Ideas, and Audio/Podcasts.
Product overview
Pacific Standard is a digital news publication that delivers journalism focused on social justice, economics, education, environment, and ideas. The publication operates as a single unified digital magazine platform featuring multiple content sections including News in Brief, Economics, Education, Environment, Social Justice, Features & Investigations, Ideas, and Audio/Podcasts. The publication was acquired by Grist and provides editorial content across these topic areas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pacific Standard Magazine Digital publication covering social justice, economics, education, environment, and ideas through news articles, features, investigations, and audio/podcast content, organized into sections including News in Brief, Economics, Education, Environment, Social Justice, Features & Investigations, Ideas, and Audio/Podcasts.
Companies that use Pacific Standard
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Pacific Standard technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pacific Standard partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- GristcorePacific Standard was acquired by Grist, a climate-focused media organization. Grist is a Seattle-based publication that covers climate, environment, and sustainability issues. The acquisition brought Pacific Standard's social justice journalism under Grist's umbrella, combining coverage of climate and social justice topics.
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Pacific Standard competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Common Dreams: Common Dreams is a digital-only progressive news outlet covering social justice, environment, and economic policy, with strong newsletter and social reach. It targets the same issue-oriented reader as Pacific Standard and operates without a paywall, mirroring the free-access model.
- Mother Jones: Mother Jones is a nonprofit investigative news magazine focused on politics, social justice, and the environment. It is the closest analog to Pacific Standard: similar editorial scope, digital-first magazine format, and an advertising plus reader-supported business model.
- Slate: Slate is a digital-first general interest magazine covering news, politics, ideas, and culture with a strong podcast presence. Its online magazine format, podcast strategy, and mix of analysis and feature reporting closely mirror Pacific Standard's audio and feature verticals.
- The Nation: The Nation is one of the oldest progressive U.S. magazines, covering politics, economics, and social justice with feature reporting and analysis. It competes for the same ideologically aligned readership as Pacific Standard via digital articles, newsletters, and a long-form magazine format.
- Yes! Magazine: Yes! Magazine is a nonprofit solutions-oriented publication covering social justice, environment, and economy. Its beat overlap with Pacific Standard's Environment, Economics, and Social Justice sections and its nonprofit, sponsorship-driven model make it a close comparable.
- The New Republic: The New Republic is a long-form political and ideas magazine covering policy, culture, and progressive analysis. It overlaps with Pacific Standard's Ideas and Economics sections and shares a magazine-to-digital pivot history.
- ProPublica: ProPublica is a nonprofit investigative newsroom producing long-form journalism on social justice, environment, and public policy. It competes for foundation funding and reader attention in many of the same categories that define Pacific Standard's investigative work.
- In These Times: In These Times is a progressive monthly magazine covering labor, social justice, and economic policy. Its editorial beats on inequality, immigration, and worker rights map directly onto Pacific Standard's Social Justice and Economics sections.
- The Intercept: The Intercept is a digital-first investigative news outlet focused on civil liberties, surveillance, social justice, and accountability reporting. Its feature- and investigation-driven format directly competes with Pacific Standard's Features & Investigations and Social Justice verticals.
Broad incumbents
- Grist: Grist is the parent company of Pacific Standard following the 2024 acquisition and is a nonprofit media organization covering climate, environment, and sustainability. While Grist is broader and more climate-focused, its audience, mission, and sponsorship-supported business model directly overlap with Pacific Standard's environment and social justice verticals.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Pacific Standard social profiles
Digital presencePacific Standard financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pacific Standard leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Pacific Standard funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pacific Standard M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pacific Standard
What does Pacific Standard do?
Pacific Standard is a digital news publication that produces and distributes journalism on social justice, economics, education, and the environment through its psmag.com website. It delivers news articles, long-form features, investigative pieces, and audio/podcast content, organized by topic sections including News in Brief, Economics, Education, Environment, Social Justice, Features & Investigations, Ideas, and Audio/Podcasts.
Is Pacific Standard a public or private company?
Pacific Standard is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Pacific Standard founded?
Pacific Standard was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pacific Standard based?
Pacific Standard is headquartered in Santa Barbara, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Pacific Standard's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Common Dreams, Mother Jones, Slate, The Nation, Yes! Magazine, The New Republic, ProPublica, In These Times and The Intercept. Grist is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Pacific Standard have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pacific Standard.
What industry is Pacific Standard in?
Pacific Standard's product category is Digital Journalism / Online Magazine. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAO, News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJACAI, Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking). Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.