An Asia investor-blog conflict, or just part and parcel of tech today?
So this is the first post I've written on this blog since 2010, and even then it was winding down. While I temporarily have no home online, I'm going to be frequenting this place as and when I have something to say...and while I'm too lazy to re-register a domain and hosting.
I was driven to finally get back into blogging -- and it's amazing how difficult that it is when you write for a job -- on seeing this post from Aulia Masna, one of the guy behinds Indonesia's excellent tech blog Daily Social.
Aulia points to this news from Indonesia that was covered by pan-Asia tech blog Penn Olson today. He's pretty amazed that East Ventures, an investment firm in Southeast Asia, which owns an app development firm could buy Indonesia's an app development firm could buy the "biggest community website for Mac and iOS fans" as it has.
He's right to be concerned, there is a massive conflict. But, how is this for a twist, the news is authored by a writer who is employed by said investment firm East Ventures.
Yep, as is increasingly common in the US, where tech blogs are propped up by investors, so a conflict of interest is ongoing at one of Asia's top blogs too.
Penn Olson did include the mandatory disclaimer -- Willson Cuaca is an investor in PO at East Ventures, and Joshua Kevin is an associate at East Ventures -- and its staff assured me that it would've taken the news regardless of the link. But yet, I can't help but think that this situation is worse than the brouhaha that saw Michael Arrington kicked out of TechCrunch, the blog he founded, because he was running a fund at the same time.
In my eyes, Arrington didn't really have a legitimate defence -- though that is another issue -- but at least he could argue that, as its founder, he had the blog's best interests at heart and wouldn't want to jeopardise its independence. That same argument doesn't stack up for Penn Olson, I'm afraid.
I'm a big fan of the blog, and I was very flattered to be asked to write for it when its founder Willis Wee got funding from East Ventures last year. The timing and opportunity wasn't right for me then -- little did I know I'd end up at TNW -- and I've watched Penn Olson build a very strong team, and ramp up to put out excellent work.
There's no doubt that investment of some form was needed to get the blog to the next level, bring on permanent staff etc, but there is valid question as to why an East Ventures associate is onboard and writing about stories with conflicting interests?
I've met Willis, albeit briefly, and his passion for his business is obvious to anyone, even through the Internet. While I very much doubt he allowed East Ventures to put its own man onto his team without a reason -- who is in a better position to cover startups in Indonesia, for example -- and I am sure that the posts are measured up to its usual standard, people are going to point out the contradiction, as Aulia did. He even went so far as to call it "a trainwreck".
There is no escaping the awkwardness even if it is the case that, as he said when I interviewed him last year, the writers maintain full editorial control:
The investment and our relationships with other Asian tech brands don’t affect how we pick and write our stories. We maintain full editorial control. In fact, we have rejected several pitches from fellow East Ventures funded start-ups. If a story isn’t interesting or insightful, there is no point covering it.
As Penn Olson's global presence continues to develop, thanks to its position as one of a handful of reliable sources for stories from Asia, I can't help but wonder what would happen were this to happen in the US or Europe?
I don't imagine that an investor's employee would ever be able to post regularly, the outcry would be deafening, the risk to reputation too severe, but in Asia it is fine. Is it because we just don't have enough tech blogs here yet, or am I just making a mountain after a mole hill?
I should probably clarify that I mean no harm or criticism of Willis or Penn Olson but it just makes me wonder...and I can say that from my position at a wholly independently owned blog, which is quite a rareity in today's age.
Just to add, if I am accused of bias given my role at The Next Web, I'd actually call the rivalry in Asia's tech blogging scene a friendly one. Most blogs are supportive, cross-link and communicate, I've seen with my own eyes/mouse how that isn't the case in the US and Europe.
Update: Joshua's posted a response to defend his position here. I wasn't aware that he had been writing for Penn Olson before he joined East Ventures, but in the grand scheme of things, a conflict remains.
I'm not waging a battle at all. I understand that good English tech bloggers aren't easy to find in Asia, especially those with a nose for a story, and I appreciate that he does a good job. I'm only raising this as I'm curious as to what others think. I'm not out to get anyone.
