Tech news site Protocol struggles with its mission

Steven Perlberg of Digiday examines the tech news site Protocol, which launched earlier this year but has had to lay off some of its journalists.

Perlberg reports, “Now, the outlet is an even-smaller player in the incredibly crowded tech journalism ecosystem, building an ad-based business in a harsh ad market and competing for scoops with national publishers (The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Bloomberg), other newcomers (Axios, The Information), and established tech-focused outlets (The Verge, Wired, TechCrunch).

“This story is based on interviews with more than a dozen current and former Protocol staffers and people familiar with its leadership and development. Collectively, they paint a picture of an ambitious operation full of early struggles, in part due to coronavirus but also of the company’s own making. Inside the Allbritton empire, some have been openly wondering just how much runway will be extended to Protocol by the largely easygoing magnate, who likes to land his plane while traveling for business and quickly shut down another young news startup a decade ago.”

Read more here.