New site looks to cover tech ‘for its own sake’

MANILA, Philippines – Robert Allbritton, the owner and founder of American political news company, Politico, spoke to Vanity Fair about Protocol, his new digital media venture covering tech. 

Protocol will be entering a crowded market of tech-focused publications and blogs when it launches in early 2020. It, however, promises to provide a unique perspective in covering issues and topics surrounding the tech world. 

“We really want to look at technology as a base of power,” said Allbritton. “I think there are a ton of guys out there who cover tech from a venture capital (VC) or gadgets or even a governmental point of view, but I don’t think there’s anyone who covers it for its own sake.”

Instead of consumer-focused stories, Tim Grieve, the executive director of Protocol, explained that the site wants to spotlight the people, power, and politics of tech, which could include stories about the struggles within the tech industry, clashes between tech giants and government regulators, and the impact of tech on the people and the planet. 

Take the recent iPhone launch as an example. While others write stories about the phone’s three rear cameras, Grieve said he would be more interested in such things as the internal competition that led to the product and if trade concerns had an effect in how it came to be. 

The company has reportedly already recruited more than a dozen journalists from different publications such as Wired, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Gizmodo. – Rappler.com