Protocol layoffs raise some troubling questions

When Protocol, a new site focusing on technology coverage, launched in February, expectations were high. After all, the man behind the site—Robert Allbritton, who owns it through his holding company, Capital News—also helped create Politico, one of the most successful digital media companies of the last 20 years or so. And it sounded like Protocol was going to duplicate the Politico model: hire a bunch of talented writers away from leading publications, set them loose on a topic, and then rely on a combination of advertising and high-end subscription revenue to pay the bills. Lather, rinse and repeat until it works. Except that’s not what happened. This week, Protocol laid off 13 of its employees, according to one report, and it appears that more than three-quarters of that total—or 10 staff in all—were reporters and editors. The site’s entire complement of editors and reporters numbered about 25 before the layoffs, according to Protocol‘s About page, which means that Allbritton just laid off almost half of the site’s newsroom. Obviously, no one in the media industry could plan for the pandemic, and it has thrown a wrench into the revenue plans of virtually every news publisher out there, big or small. Companies have been cutting salaries, putting reporters and editors on paid leave, and taking other steps to curb their spending in the hope that they can survive the virus-triggered downturn in advertising. But it’s difficult to think of a publisher that has taken the kind... Continue reading at 'Columbia Journalism Review'

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-04-23 11:45:31 UTC ]

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White House Letter: Lucrative Book Deals Might Finance the Obamas’ Post-White House Life

President Obama on the South Lawn of the White House in July. He could earn as much as $30 million with a two- or three-book contract once his second term ends, said Raphael Sagalyn of the ICM/Sagalyn Literary Agency. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2016-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gawker sold to Univision for $135 million

Spanish-language broadcaster Univision has bought Gawker Media in an auction for $135 million. That's according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the deal had not been formally announced. The online gossip and news publisher was put on the block in the... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2016-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Race and the Obama Presidency

On Sunday, I moderated a discussion featuring my colleague Jamelle Bouie and the New Yorker’s Jelani Cobb at the Oakland Book Festival. The panel, “Race, Politics, and the Obama Presidency,” was initially intended as a look back at how the current president has discussed race during his two... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2016-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mark Zuckerberg says many conservatives don't trust Facebook to show 'content without a political bias'

As Facebook has taken on the mantle of content distributor, news publisher and story curator, the world's biggest social media company has ventured into the territory of traditional media companies. Such moves have helped Facebook attract users and advertising dollars -- but they have also... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mark Zuckerberg to meet with Glenn Beck and other conservatives over Facebook bias accusations

As Facebook has taken on the mantle of content distributor, news publisher and story curator, the world's biggest social media company has ventured into the territory of traditional media companies. Such moves have helped Facebook attract users and advertising dollars -- but they have also... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Vox.com is Snapchat's Newest Discover Publisher

Snapchat is adding another publisher to its Discover feature with Vox.com set to come aboard Nov. 23. It’s not the first news publisher to get a channel on the messaging app, but like BuzzFeed and Mashable, it’s arguably more mill ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Here are the 6 books on President Obama's summer reading list

President Barack Obama is on Martha's Vineyard for his annual two-week summer holiday, and the White House has released his reading list. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2015-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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App could turn America’s poor into lifelong readers

A scheme involving the White House, libraries and publishers will let children from cash-strapped families read free ebooksWhile the UK quibbles over library ebook lending, American publishers are teaming up with charities and libraries to give away thousands of ebooks to low-income students.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers shrug off concerns, eager to publish on Facebook

Facebook launched its Instant Articles product with a select group of prestige publishers last week. Now, others, if they had any reservations before, are determined not to be left behind. Other big-name publishers including Time Inc., Hearst Magazines and CNN are expected to start publishing... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pubs Partner with White House on E-reading Initiative

President Obama announced today digital reading initiatives for low income students that include major ebook donations from corporate publishers, and a commitment to ensuring all students have access to a library card. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Catherine Ryan Hyde Settles Into Hybrid Status

Catherine Ryan Hyde has written 24 novels, most of them published by Big Five houses. One of her works, Pay It Forward (S&S, 1999), was adapted into a (fairly successful) Hollywood film. She’s been invited to the White House to talk about her writing. More recently, she’s dabbled in... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Justice Department opposes company requests to publish surveillance statistics

The U.S. Department of Justice has opposed requests by Facebook, Google, Microsoft and other companies to publish the number of surveillance requests they receive from the National Security Agency and other agencies. Requests from five Internet companies, also including Yahoo and LinkedIn,... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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U.S. Intelligence Agencies Will Begin Publishing The Number Of Surveillance Orders They Request Each Year

In a victory for transparency advocates in the wake of the PRISM secret surveillance scandal, U.S. intelligence agencies will begin revealing the number of surveillance orders they request per year under various FISA ordinances, as well as national security letters. The agencies will also reveal... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Obama's embrace of Amazon dismays many booksellers

President Obama will highlight Amazon as 'a perfect example of the company that is investing in American workers and creating good, high-wage jobs,' according to the White House. Independent booksellers aren't pleased. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Scholastic cuts 2013 guidance

Children's book publisher Scholastic Corp. slashed its 2013 profit guidance and said revenue will be $1 billion lower than expected because schools are spending money on curriculum and holding back on orders, fearing federal spending cuts. Shares fell $6.34, or 20%, to $25.50 in light... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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So Much They Can't Share: a Q&A with Jodi Kantor

In The Obamas, journalist Kantor expands on her personal-is-political approach to look at the evolving relationships among the Obama family, the White House, and the Presidency. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Rolls Out New Tools for Publishers

Today on the official Google blog, VP of display advertising Neal Mohan announced the launch of two new tools aimed at helping publishers manage ads and maximize revenue. “Before now, it’s been difficult for publishers to manage all their video and mobile ad space from a single ad server—the... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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