Scientific publishing is a rip-off. We fund the research – it should be free | George Monbiot

Those who take on the global industry that traps research behind paywalls are heroes, not thievesNever underestimate the power of one determined person. What Carole Cadwalladr has done to Facebook and big data, and Edward Snowden has done to the state security complex, Alexandra Elbakyan has done to the multibillion-dollar industry that traps knowledge behind paywalls. Sci-Hub, her pirate web scraper service, has done more than any government to tackle one of the biggest rip-offs of the modern era: the capture of publicly funded research that should belong to us all. Everyone should be free to learn; knowledge should be disseminated as widely as possible. No one would publicly disagree with these sentiments. Yet governments and universities have allowed the big academic publishers to deny these rights. Academic publishing might sound like an obscure and fusty affair, but it uses one of the most ruthless and profitable business models of any industry.The model was pioneered by the notorious conman Robert Maxwell. He realised that, because scientists need to be informed about all significant developments in their field, every journal that publishes academic papers can establish a monopoly and charge outrageous fees for the transmission of knowledge. He called his discovery “a perpetual financing machine”. He also realised that he could capture other people’s labour and resources for nothing. Governments funded the research published by his company, Pergamon, while... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #alexandra elbakyan #modern era #academic publishing #significant developments #technical term

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Scientific publishing is a rip-off. We fund the research – it should be free | George Monbiot'


New App Publishing Platform for Niche Publishers

While big-name magazines have held a presence on Apple’s Newsstand since its inception, small to medium-sized publishers have had a harder time breaking through. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #niche publishers #medium-sized publishers


Ball Publishing Co. Acquired by Brothers’ Publishing Co. LLC

Ball Publishing Company founded in 1968 by John and Carol Ball in Southwestern Ohio has been acquired by Brothers’ Publishing Company LLC, a media company owned by Fred and Keith Foutz, two long time newspaper executives. Their first acqu ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Yale Publishing Course Aims to Expand Publishing’s International Scope, and Enhance Digital Monetization

Yale’s summer publishing course is entering its third year. The course offers publishing professionals an opportunity to learn industry strategies for expanding a brand’s scope and monetizing digital products. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #yale publishing


Publishing In Russia 2012: Publishers in a Changing Industry

Despite the economic gloom, the number of titles produced annually in Russia continues to grow. The country is now #3 in terms of book production (approximately 125,000 new titles per year), after the U.S. and China. It also saw more than 20 million ebook downloads and some one million reading... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #changing industry


Survey Finds 60% of Publishers Agree that Print Publishing’s Time is Limited

Almost two-thirds of industry leaders from the publishing industry foresee that newspapers and other print publishers will end up as digital-only enterprises by 2020, according to a survey conducted by MPP Global Solutions. Conducted during two web ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #survey conducted #publishers agree #print publishing #industry leaders #print publishers


Digital Self-Publishing: Should Publishers Be Worried?

Self-publishing an essay through Amazon is a reminder of the benefits of a traditional publishing house. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2012-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital self-publishing


Niche Publishing: Publishers Seek To Capitalize On e-Books

As traditional revenue channels for newspapers collapse, publishers are seeking new and innovative ways to make a profit without expending a lot of resources. Finding the appropriate niche is the key to survival, and newspapers that recognize this ar ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #niche publishing #publishers seek #innovative ways


DBW: publishers 'should learn from self-publishers on pricing'

Publishers need to look to how self-published authors price their ebooks, improve the quality of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Apple launches self-publishing app, partners with textbook publishers

Apple has announced a new multimedia app called iBooks Author, allowing writers to create their... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #textbook publishers #allowing writers


Turnit Offers Free Digital Newsstand--And Says It Will Remain Free

Evolusent Inc.--owner of Lifestyle Magazine as well as several different companies offering new media content and commerce services--is beta testing Turnit, a free digital newsstand for magazine publishers. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lifestyle magazine #media content #magazine publishers


Contactology and Metro Publisher Partner to Offer SaaS for Publishers

In order to automate the workflow and offer solutions for publishers who “have to do more with less”, email service provider Contactology and content management system creator Metro Publisher have partnered to offer publishers a simpler solution for e-newsletter management. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #offer publishers


Publishing Scotland launches development scheme for publishers

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 09/06/2011 - 15:17 Publishing Scotland has launched its Company Development Project, calling for applications from small- and medium-sized publishing companies. The initiative, hosted by Publishing Scotland and partly funded by Creative... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing scotland #creative scotland


Publishing Scotland chief exec urges publishers to look abroad

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 22/02/2011 - 09:00 Publishing Scotland chief executive Marion Sinclair has urged Scottish publishers to look abroad for opportunities, likening the current situation in digital publishing to "the Wild West". Speaking yesterday [21st... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #current situation #digital publishing #wild west #foreign markets


12 Brilliant Short Stories by Asian Americans to Read For Free Online

As Asian American Pacific Islander Month comes to end, it’s important to remind ourselves that the Asian American identity is more than just race or shared affinity. Born out of political activism and the anti-war movement to protest and rally against injustice, warfare, imperialism, and... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2024-05-30 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free online #political activism #electric literature #short stories


UK: Jude Gates Leads the Publishers Association’s Sustainability Task Force

The Publishers Association in London is in advanced stages of development with its 'Publishing Declares' sustainability pledge program. The post UK: Jude Gates Leads the Publishers Association’s Sustainability Task Force appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-05-24 22:09:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post uk #publishing declares #publishers association


Will Human-AI Partnerships Make Publishing Workers More Innovative?

The journey is just beginning, but we can already see that publishing workflows are especially ripe for AI integration that enables the automation of rote tasks—and AI-driven support for more humans making more complex decisions and judgments. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-05-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:


The Rundown: How Amazon is wooing publishers to bolster its $50 billion ad business

Enhancements to Amazon Publisher Cloud and debut of Signal IQ represent the triopolist’s latest adland overture. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2024-05-21 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:


A24 Partners with Mack on Its Publishing Program

A24, the New York–based film and TV company, and Mack, the London-based publisher of art and photography books and critical studies, have partnered to distribute A24’s books worldwide, and to publish new books in the future. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-05-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing program #tv company