ed’s desk
CHRIS DOBIEEDITORIAL
Editor: Chris Dobie
Sub Editor: Kel Buckley
Online Editor: Mary Dobie
Founding Editor: George Lynn
DESIGN
Art Director: Paul Andrews
Designer: Joe Ferrara
CONTRIBUTORS
NZ: Terry Stevenson
EUROPE: Sir Alan Cathcart, Michael Scott,
Mat Oxley, Gold & Goose, Gordon Ritchie, Paul Young
AND NOT FORGETTING
David Hassall, Keith Muir, Tim Munro,
Ben Purvis, Colin Young, Darryl Flack, Neil Spalding,
Simon O’Leary, Hamish Cooper, Peter Baker,
Sam Maclachlan, Josh Evans, Peter Whitaker,
Phillip Tooth, Dean Mellor & Rob Blackbourn
PRODUCTION
Production Manager: Ian Scott
Advertising Co-ordinator: Yang Zhou
ADVERTISING
National Sales Manager: Dale Johnson
[email protected]
0403 743 587
Sales Manager: Luke Finn
[email protected]
0423 665 384
Qld Sales Manager: Todd Anderson
[email protected]
0409 630 733
MANAGEMENT
Citrus Media
Publisher: Jim Flynn
0449 801 899 [email protected]
Financial Controller: Stuart Harle
[email protected]
CONTACT AMCN
Australian Motorcycle News
A: PO Box 20154, World Square, NSW, 2002
P: (02) 9186 9186
E: [email protected]
ISSN: 1320-
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Officer, Citrus Media, PO Box 20154, World Square, NSW, 2002Total commitment
ALRIGHT, YOU LOT. Like all great ideas born under the inf luence of red
wine, I’m going to bash out this issue’s Ed’s Desk slightly inebriated. Now I
don’t for one minute think I’m the first to attempt such a feat in the 67-year
history of the world’s greatest magazine; no self-respecting journalist has
earned their stripes without dancing with the boundaries of alcoholism,
and god knows I have met a few who have wandered well past it (and no,
I’m not making light of the addiction to alcohol that ruins countless lives
each year – it’s just a simple fact).
As I write this I’m presently at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet on my
way to another motorcycle world launch. I’m eating choc-chip
ice-cream with a wooden stick and enjoying my third
non-descript red wine from a plastic beaker – and that’s
not a complaint. Journalism was a late career change
for me and, despite the 18-hour days, endless
deadlines and unimaginable stress, I would
not change a thing. I’ve earned the right to do
something I love.
I’m heading to the other side of the world to
be one of just a handful of people chosen to ride
a new motorcycle. Besides marrying my wife
and raising the world’s best kids, what could be
better than that?
Hang on, hold that thought, I’m just ordering
another plastic beaker of whatever-this-is.
Where am I going with this? Well, I often receive
emails and social media messages accusing the
AMCN team of living the dream. Okay, it’s true, we are,
but it takes total commitment to do this job. You don’t try
journalism, it tries you. But once you are hooked, there’s no turning
back. I’m at the point where I now love nothing more than watching movies
about journalists; Spotlight, All The President’s Men and The Post are just
three of my favourites. Of course, I watch them while I’m working.
I’ve seen plenty of student interns come and go over the years, horrified
by the reality of journalism. It’s not a 9-5 job, but it’s also not bloody rocket
science! If you can spell, tell a good story, and file your copy on time and as
per the brief, then you’re most of the way there. There you go, I have told
you the secret. On time and to brief. If you want to live the dream, that’s all it
takes. Oh, and a shit-load of hard work!
Only eight hours to go until my transfer in Hong Kong, then another 12
hours to Europe. It’s time for another beaker of red. Livin’ the dream, baby!
CHRIS DOBIEYoudon’t tryjournalism,it tries you.And there’s
no turningback