At a time when most major publishers have put their content behind a paywall, digital outlet Quartz is dropping its paywall on Thursday — raising questions about whether this spells trouble for the company’s future.
The larger business challenges at Quartz have been ongoing for years, from getting bought by a Japanese owner (which then sold it) to consistently failing to turn a profit as it struggles to diversify its revenues like many publishers. Now the business-focused outlet, launched in 2012, faces the same challenge as virtually all digital media companies: surviving in a world where everyone is competing for ad and subscription dollars.