MEDIA: Economist leads TQ to technology

The Economist is launching a 44-page regular supplement on 9 December.

The Economist Technology Quarterly (TQ) will not feature dot.coms, WAP phones or existing products, said TQ editor Nick Valery.

'It's about the technology that's coming down the pipeline in the next year - we are trying to find that sweet spot between a science and technology story and a straight business story.'

TQ will focus on 'disruptive technologies' - ahead of their time but with a huge potential impact. 'Think PC, (circa) 1980,' he said. 'You couldn't have done anything serious with it. It was dismissed but it slowly gets better to the point where it blows away the existing technology.'

Valery added: 'We are desperate for ideas. We are not running columns on the latest product launches but we do want to know where (PR agencies') clients are moving on new technology.'

Competition and secrecy around new developments made the job more difficult, he said. 'But if companies do want to talk, we want to hear.'

Journalists will produce material for The Economist's science and technology team when they are not working on the supplement.

Although Valery will edit it from Los Angeles, the team will be based in London and he is looking for strong European content.

Before taking up his job as LA bureau chief, he performed the same role in Tokyo.