Solana started Pirate Wires during the pandemic and has built it into a small media company covering tech, politics, and culture. The problem with most establishment media, Solana said, is they’re all doing the same thing. Tech-insider media such as Pirate Wires might be considered a half step between the traditional route and going direct. Did Solana’s anonymous source use Pirate Wires to profit from the announcement? Solana told me that starting a media company has given him a greater understanding of the challenges facing traditional news organizations.