Made to be New York's equivalent of the wildly successful Los Angeles Free Press, the New York Free Press lasted only a year. In an attempt to create more revenue and keep the paper afloat, the Free Press started the New York Review of Sex & Politics. However, it was the New York High School Free Press that did better than both the Freep and the NYRS combined. When the Free Press failed, the HSFP prevailed, and even obtained their own offices in the East Village.  Established by Jack Banning in 1968. Estimated circulation 17,000. (New York City's underground press)
The Freep, as it was known, was originally a community newspaper owned by Upper West Side liberals. The Freep’s publisher was an old Lefty, Jack Banning; its editor was a 30-something karate expert and a nighttime bartender, Sam Edwards, who once edited a very prestigious arts magazine; its managing editor was Jim Buckley, who would later become the co-publisher of Screw; and its art director was J.C. Suares, a gruff talking, beer drinking Egyptian, who went on to be art director of the New York Times OpEd page, New York magazine, and scores of other publications. (Print)