Former Bloomberg and Protocol reporter Joe Williams is not your typical pitch target. He does write a weekly Substack newsletter called Billable Hours, in which he writes about enterprise tech topics. But time has marched on…
When between jobs, otherwise inaccessible tech editors have the time to explain how they view their own work. When they do, tech PR must take note.
Protocol lasted nearly three years. Such a shame. It was a publication that absolutely, positively should have succeeded. Why didn’t it? The official explanation: economic headwinds. Other factors might have been at play.
One year ago Tom Krazit Tweeted: “…some personal/Protocol news: I’m now the Enterprise Editor for Protocol | Enterprise, overseeing coverage and planning for a big expansion. We are hiring for five (5!) new enterprise reporters to work with me and @JoePWilliams31…”
Each June we study Similarweb data to see which Tier 1 brands are on the march. This year, far and away, it’s Protocol and Fortune.
PR pros often wonder how to measure the influence of a particular publication. Similarweb measures audience size and that’s great. How do you measure a publication’s relationship with its readers?
Apart from the new targets, there’s much to grasp about Protocol’s new investments in enterprise tech edit. In the biggest picture, Protocol owner Axel Springer is investing in Protocol across the board.
As TechCrunch is to funding news and hot startups, Protocol is to enterprise computing. Last year you couldn’t say that, especially after go-to reporter Joe Williams departed for Bloomberg. This year you totally can. Protocol recently hired three enterprise reporters and seeks two more.
Protocol has not only hired a boatload of top journalists in its first 18 months, but also has recruited almost 200 contributors whose work appears in a thought leadership vertical called Braintrust. If you represent thought leaders, you’ll enjoy this Q&A with Protocol associate editor Kevin McAllister — your pitch contact — and Protocol president Tammy Wincup.
PR pros can learn a lot about Protocol Enterprise as a brand — and about the art of interviewing — by watching the Mar. 9 Protocol Live web event, in which senior Protocol reporters Tom Krazit and Joe Williams interview executives from Google and industrial IoT startup Webee.
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… over healthcare benefits. The shop has always been a high-stress place to work. We’ll see who gives in first. The Wrap broke the news.
A thousand words about The Messenger, a well-funded news startup that had a few challenges out of the gate? Read for yourself (password probably required) with an eye toward whether the NYT’s audience is being served.
Mia Sato at The Verge has the story. Hollywood writers aren’t the only writers with livelihoods at stake.
SWMS turns 25 today — only because our subscribers made it possible. Thank you for all the support over all the years.
David Carr has the story on the Similarweb blog.
In descending order: who’s still left at ZDNet and TechRepublic; cheat sheets on SF-based tech reporters and AI in retail; Esther Ajao Q&A; cheat sheets on DEI, AI newsletters, accessibility and podcasts for retail investors; Larry Dignan joins Constellation Research; Robin Wauters podcast; cheat sheet on room videoconferencing systems.
If you’re interested in a truly global picture of how tech is transforming business and society, explore Rest of World, a fascinating newsletter franchise.
The new section, DR Global, will focus on the Middle East and Africa, where build-outs are now off the chart.
The 11-year-old newsletter can’t find a buyer, so 22 more employees are shown the door, says Insider.
