Protocol, the Tech-News Focused Website, Will Shutter and Lay Off Its Entire Staff (cnn.com) 30
Protocol, the upstart technology news website launched by former Politico owner and publisher Robert Allbritton in early 2020, will shutter later this week and lay off dozens of staffers, people familiar with the matter told CNN on Tuesday. From the report: Staffers were told at an all-hands meeting Tuesday that the news organization will cease publishing on its website Thursday. The outlet's flagship newsletter, Source Code, will continue publishing for several more weeks, but all other newsletters will stop after Tuesday. The shuttering of the news organization will impact approximately 60 staffers, people familiar with the matter said. They will remain active employees through Friday, December 16, and then be eligible for eight weeks of severance, the people added.
Allbritton announced the launch of Protocol in late 2019 to much buzz. The Washington media mogul told Vanity Fair at the time that he wanted to replicate Politico's successful model for the technology industry. "I would love for this to be as big as, if not larger than, Politico is right now," Allbritton told Vanity Fair in 2019. But Protocol never had much luck. Shortly after launching, the global pandemic unleashed brutal economic headwinds on the media industry, resulting in some cuts to staff. Finally, when it seemed that the outlet might catch its footing as the pandemic's grip on the economy lifted, German publishing giant Axel Springer closed a deal to purchase Politico. That acquisition resulted in Protocol, which had operated independently, being folded into Politico Media Group. "We have great appreciation for the impact of the journalism that Protocol has produced, and I want to personally thank each of them for the unique talents they brought to Protocol," Goli Sheikholeslami, the chief executive of Political Media Group, wrote in an email to staffers Tuesday afternoon. Sheikholeslami reiterated that Politico sees "great opportunity in technology coverage" and wants "to win the conversation on the future of tech in the same way we do politics."
Sheikholeslami also said Politico US and EU will combine to form one operational company with a single executive team.
Allbritton announced the launch of Protocol in late 2019 to much buzz. The Washington media mogul told Vanity Fair at the time that he wanted to replicate Politico's successful model for the technology industry. "I would love for this to be as big as, if not larger than, Politico is right now," Allbritton told Vanity Fair in 2019. But Protocol never had much luck. Shortly after launching, the global pandemic unleashed brutal economic headwinds on the media industry, resulting in some cuts to staff. Finally, when it seemed that the outlet might catch its footing as the pandemic's grip on the economy lifted, German publishing giant Axel Springer closed a deal to purchase Politico. That acquisition resulted in Protocol, which had operated independently, being folded into Politico Media Group. "We have great appreciation for the impact of the journalism that Protocol has produced, and I want to personally thank each of them for the unique talents they brought to Protocol," Goli Sheikholeslami, the chief executive of Political Media Group, wrote in an email to staffers Tuesday afternoon. Sheikholeslami reiterated that Politico sees "great opportunity in technology coverage" and wants "to win the conversation on the future of tech in the same way we do politics."
Sheikholeslami also said Politico US and EU will combine to form one operational company with a single executive team.
I am often looking for tech news... (Score:5, Informative)
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I have never heard of it, either...
Re:I am often looking for tech news... (Score:4)
Never heard of Protocol.
If Slashdot readers haven't heard of your tech news site, you're in big trouble! I don't understand how the screwed up so badly.
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Maybe they should have bought ads on Slashdot??
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Why? Who has heard of slashdot? My younger (30-40 yo) tech work pals never heard of it. This is a place for bend and boomer old school techies.
Sold a dozen times... think about that one.
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Never heard of Protocol.
Politico is a horrible template for a tech news site. Politico is basically a more respectable Gawker for the Washington DC set. That vibe was never going to fly among system administrators and developers.
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Sounds like it was for tech-bros, not actual technical staff.
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The articles were of no interest to me.
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There are other publications around that similarly claim to be about technology, while they are not. "Computerwoche" is an example for this in Germany, it has the "computer" right in its name, but it is just targeting MBAs who want to spend a few minutes each week picking up new b
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Sounds like Wired, except that Wired has been fairly successful. I had a subscription to the Wired print magazine for a year once. Never could quite figure out what it was supposed to be.
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Wired was a tech lifestyle mag for the "digerati". Their word not mine.
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WiReD occasionally, very occasionally, have a write-up worth the read. Which I then read with loathing because it's on WiReD. Also because it'll be needlessly long. But at least the writing will have been done with some skill.
Heard of "protocol" mainly because some of their stuff did get posted here. They were a tad, a tiny tad, less annoying than "bleepingcomputer". Almost wish that one went under instead.
I used to read el reg at one time. But they fucked up their layouts and severely restricted AC comme
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And I also gave on on The Register, in my case due to its refusal to correct gross factual errors, and ( yet another ) woke takeover of its comments.
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The articles were of no interest to me.
Most Slashdot articles are of little interest to me either. I come here for the discussion, not the articles. I am clearly not alone, as evidenced by how many comment without even reading TFA.
But Protocol doesn't allow comments, so no one is pointing out the article's errors and telling the real story.
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protocols collect them all (Score:2)
I know lots of different protocols but I've never heard of a tech news site called Protocol.
Lay off... (Score:2)
...everybody?
Is there a protocol for that?
You don't say (Score:3)
"Allbritton announced the launch of Protocol in late 2019 to much buzz."
Not enough buzz, apparently - given the posts I've seen here so far.
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twitter fallout (Score:2)
if you want source, search it. screenshot was on reddit FP today
Well that sucks (Score:3)
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We really need a site with news for nerds and stuff that matters
I know of one Elon could have bought for a bargain...and it probably has just as many Russian bots!
Another "news" site. (Score:2)
Meh. #LearnToProgram...
Slashdot kills another competitor and keeps rollin (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Slashdot kills another competitor and keeps rol (Score:4, Funny)
Had some good articles on China (Score:2)
US policymakers could be alienating the Chinese AI researchers they want to attract https://www.protocol.com/enter... [protocol.com]
Just post dups and screw up the headlines (Score:2)