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Opinion - Written by Renai LeMay on Monday, January 25, 2010 9:52 - 51 Comments
Why I’m starting Delimiter
opinion In my time as an Australian technology journalist working for publications like ZDNet.com.au and The Australian Financial Review, I’ve interviewed a lot of global technology executives.
The situation is always the same. The executive is the “Asia-Pacific vice president” or the “global general manager of operations”, they’re in Australia for a week to check up on their local division, and they take a day or so out to talk to the press.
My standard first question is always: “So, how are you liking Australia so far?”
From here their response can go one of two ways.
75 percent of people say something polite about the nice weather and beaches, the dangerous creatures and the short distance to Asian markets.
But it’s the other 25 percent that I like.
These are the people who get a little excited gleam in their eye. “It’s bloody awesome!” they exclaim, or proclaim similar words to that effect.
They then proceed to tell me how they have already fallen in love with Australia after only a few days here. The weather is amazing. The food is fantastic, the wine as good as you can buy in France. The people are “so laid back” and you can even go for Friday drinks with your competitors because everyone just gets on so well.
They’ve probably gone on a power jog around Sydney Harbour and realised that for a modest sum they can buy a decent-sized boat and take it out on the water every weekend, while still making their sales targets during the week.
They’ve realised, in short, what most Australians realise. We’re blessed to live in one of the best countries in the world. We have enough of everything, and not too much of anything. I’ve seen several members of this 25 per cent go out of their way to get transfers Down Under, or when that fails, leave their job overseas for one in Australia.
The reason that I’m starting Delimiter (and may launch other sites in the future) is that like that 25 per cent, I love Australia. While I do follow international news, what I’m really fascinated with is Australia’s technology sector in all its facets (IT, telco, gaming, consumer gadgets and so on). I’ve worked in that sector myself.
I wanted to found a site that would cover that sector in minute detail. A site that would tell the stories of Australians, for an Australian audience.
Also, just one more thing.
I’m going to make all of the content on Delimiter available for other publishers to license for a flat fee, in a similar model to the one used by ‘wires’ services like Australian Associated Press and Reuters.
It is my hope that by doing so, other Australian technology publishers will be able to reinvest in quality investigative journalism in the local market and stop competing for the scraps of basic coverage any more.
There’s been too much doom and gloom about Australia’s journalism industry in the past 12 months, and it’s time to look towards a stronger future together. One where Australian journalists get back to our job of holding the nation’s rich and powerful to account — and even gently teasing them about their foibles.
Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts at renai@delimiter.com.au or post your feedback below.
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Great idea, Renai. Love the entrepreneurial spirit.
Good luck with the site/business – you have my support.
All the best with your ideas and new venture. The tech media has a long "cargo cult" history of lauding O/S tech over the home-grown thing. The reasons for our tech sector is what it is is something I would like to read about.
Good luck Renai, sounds like a great idea with good focus on the Aussie market.
Although I'd argue that French wine is better (and cheaper) :)
All the best.
Nice one Renai. Best of luck with the new venture. :)
I wish you all the best Renai – look forward to seeing how this evolves.
Congrats on the launch of the site. Always great to have another source for tech news in Australia. Like many others, I have subscribed to the feed.
Good luck, hope your servers hold up :)
Congrats Renai, sounds like a fantastic idea and it'll be great to have more Australia-centric tech news to read.
Good luck!
O
Hey Renai – great idea; good luck with your venture :)
Good stuff, Renai – hope it goes really well, we could use a top shelf IT blog here in Australia!
congratulations! best of luck!
Local, the way of the future. Good luck. Adding it to the RSS reader.
Added to my feeds. All the best with this. May you kick tech goals!
Fantastic idea! As an Aussie who's still freelancing for UK tech sites, I'm so keen to see more industry news in our own back yard. Will definitely be keeping an eye on Delimiter :)
Great way to go, Renai. The market needs and wants channels like delimiter. I think everyone is kinda tired of the same old from the same old. Give us views and news!
Fantastic initiative Renai! All power to you.
best wishes on your new journey
Congratulations Renai. It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this new venture and I'm glad that there will be a specifically Australian IT media outlet. Can't wait to see more.
Good luck!
I'm sure you'll put out a valuable resource, but drop the nationalism. You can service a need in a small discrete market like Australia without having to resort flying the bloody flag (disgrace that it is).
cheers, and good luck.
Congrats Renai!! Sounds like an exciting and interesting venture.
Isn't it funny that an Australian-focussed publication is such a unique thing in Australia!
Look forward to catching up to learn more.
Great idea Renai – has all the hallmarks of success. Good luck – I'll be reading with interest
Good luck with it Renai… can you confirm or deny that you're going to have fun with it? :P
Well done Renai… I'll be an avid reader, and I know Software Queensland as an advocate of the local market here in Queensland will be supportive.
Congrats Renai. I had the feeling you might do something like this (though for a minute I thought you were going to surprise us all and announce early retirement…) Anyway good luck with it :)
Looking awesome so far, Renai =) I'm very interested in your venture, and look forward to what it brings!
All the best =)
Best of luck Renai :-)
Best of luck Renai! Love the entrepreneurial spirit and look forward to reading Delimiter :)
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Stilgherrian, Derek Jenkins, Renai LeMay, Jeff Waugh, Glebe2037 and others. Glebe2037 said: RT @psteetsel: Local Technology folks, you should get behind @renailemay & his new site – http://bit.ly/aoA5DA for details [...]
Congratulations Renai
I like the concept and the perspective and look forward to both reading you directly and seeing you improve the occasionally shoddy tech reporting the mainstream media falls back on. Accuracy and enlightened insight is always a good thing!
Good luck!
Joe
Congratulations and best of luck Renai!
Congrats Renai – I wish you all the best, and hope in 20 years from now you're running a vast media empire!
Best wishes Renai – I look forward to reading more local news and views
Thanks for all the kind wishes everyone! I am a little awed that so many people dropped by to wish me well!
@Jimmy: I too believe nationalism is a bit of a troubled concept. We don't want to go too far with it and exclude others. However I feel that many people in Australia right now are searching to discover what Australia truly means :) And I hope to be part of that debate to influence it positively :)
Well done Renai. Good to see you'll still be spreading the word about the local tech industry. All the best.
Best wishes with your new venture: Aussie Aussie Aussie!
Congrats and all the best for what looks like an exciting new medium of expression!
Well done launching this, not only for the faith in Aussie IT but also in the hope that we can start having more focus and attention on companies that produce IP rather than just dig stuff out of the ground!
Good luck!
Little bit late, but good luck with Delimiter, Renai… :)
Renai its great to see you take this bold step forward for Australian IT journalism.
I wish you every success with it.
Australia has a huge array of IT talent with some great ideas, startups and established success stories. The failures always make for useful case studies to learn from as well. I look forward to reading your coverage here in Delimiter.
warm regards,
Bradley
Cool, I had the drive to do this a few years back but no time, I even managed to scrape up a few guest contributors.
I moved to Australia less than a year ago and my eyes are still gleaming :)
I also think it's an exciting time to be here given the balance of (economic) power shifting east and the opportunities presented to technology and communications companies based in Australia.
Look forward to reading your articles.
[...] Since Delimiter launched several months ago, we’ve gone through the typical phases of any startup. There was the day where we got slammed by our much larger competitor (actually, that was our first day). There was the day where we forget to eat properly because of working too hard and had our spouse give us concerned looks and cook us a nutritional meal. [...]
I’ll be chasing one of those “first come first served” camping spots for Easter, but have a great party!
Cheers Steven, have a great Easter!
[...] the most powerful thing about starting your own company is that suddenly, there are no rules as to what you can and can’t [...]
How about some debates along the lines of the Economist:
- invited writers
- argue the issues over a few days
- invite comments along the way
- voting to see which way the community leans.
eg This house believes that innovation works best when government does least.
http://www.economist.com/debate/overview/168
Good luck with it Renai. I'll be reading you — and I'm sure you'll do well given your standing in the IT sector and high quality reporting.
Congratulations Renai, this seems so right for us now – more and more Australians are launching tech startups and sharing their love of technology/gadgets and more on their blogs and Twitter already. Having a uniquely Australian tech news service like Delimiter will be a welcome addition to the conversation, and likely inspire futher growth in Australia's technology sector.
Cheers,
Tony Hollingsworth
Congratulations Renai – sounds like a fantastic venture and I look forward to following Australian IT news on Delimiter.
I propose this retro hit as your theme song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFd5Cci_pE4
Credit to you for finally putting your money where your mouth is =) . Although I have to say, I disagree (just kidding).
I'll be fascinated to keep an eye on this project in 2010.
Hope it doesn't become an onerous task, but I know if anyone can keep it going, it's AllDay LeMay.
Steven
V. interesting. I'm really excited about your venture, Renai. It's good to see someone following their belief in both their profession and their country, especially at a time when it's so much easier to duck and cover at your desk. I'm very much looking forward to what's to come. :)
Renai,
Congratulations and the very best of luck in your new venture. Believe me, when I say "I know exactly how you feel."
Stan
Great idea Renai and the best of luck with it.