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'


How Canadian Publisher La Presse Is Growing Ad Revenue With Data Clean Rooms

Since 2017, 130-year-old Canadian publisher La Presse has been digital only, a shift that's led to a focus on growing online audiences. The publisher has grown from 4 million monthly unique visitors in 2019 to over 4.6 million as of July 2023, according to data by Comscore, which only has data... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2023-09-29 06:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #canadian publisher


The White Review literary magazine ceases publishing

A statement cited increased costs and removal of UK state funding as the magazine, which featured writers including Paul Murray, Caleb Azumah Nelson and Sally Rooney, is to consider its future Literary magazine the White Review will not be published “for an indefinite period” according to a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-26 09:06:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sally rooney #white review #indefinite period #consecutive years #substantial portion #literary magazine


Publishing execs express concern over generative AI’s impact on traffic and IP protections

Publishing executives shared their honest and unfettered opinions on the rise of generative artificial intelligence technology and its impact on traffic, IP protections, content production and jobs at the Digiday Publishing Summit last week. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-25 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #generative ai #content production #publishing summit


‘It’s gonna be a race’: Publishers speak out on the industry’s post-cookie preparedness

During the Digiday Publishing Summit, execs from companies including Condé Nast, Dotdash Meredith and Thomson Reuters assessed the industry's readiness. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-25 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers speak #thomson reuters


An AI Game of Thrones prequel? No wonder George RR Martin’s raining ice and fire on ChatGPT | Tim Adams

Authors have entered a war over words with OpenAI for using their books as ‘training’ feedstockBattles between human and artificial intelligence are no longer science fiction. The strikes in Hollywood led by the united guilds of actors and screenwriters have a common, intangible enemy: the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-23 15:03:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #american novelists #jodi picoult #jonathan franzen #software company #novelists


For premium publishers, proving an advertiser’s return on investment is more important than ever

Media execs took stage at the Digiday Publishing Summit to discuss the growing importance of ROI in ad campaigns this year. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-22 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #premium publishers #media execs #growing importance #ad campaigns #publishing summit


Amazon restricts authors from self-publishing more than three books a day after AI concerns

The company announced the new limitations after an influx of suspected AI-generated material was listed for sale but said that ‘very few’ publishers will be affectedAmazon has created a new rule limiting the number of books that authors can self-publish on its site to three a day, after an... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-20 16:22:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #company announced #recent months #kindle #self-publish


How to Get Free Ebooks on ‘Stuff Your E-Reader’ Day (2023)

No matter what device you read ebooks on, there are thousands of free romance titles available this week. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2023-09-20 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free ebooks #read ebooks #ebooks


John Sargent on His Adventures and Misadventures in Publishing

Hosted by Andrew Keen, Keen On features conversations with some of the world’s leading thinkers and writers about the economic, political, and technological issues being discussed in the news, right now. Andrew talks to John Sargent, author of Turning Pages, about his adventures and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-20 08:10:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #andrew keen #john sargent #features conversations #leading thinkers #technological issues #andrew talks #turning pages #macmillan publishers #macmillan


Vice Media Group’s Cory Haik says company’s publishing business is ‘very close to profitability’

During the Digiday Publishing Summit, the COO of VMG’s news and entertainment arm explained how its publishing business plans to bounce back over the next 12 to 18 months. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-20 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bounce back #publishing business


Private Equity Took Over a Publishing House, and They’re Giving Workers a Stake. What?

The investor behind the Simon & Schuster deal explains what he’s really up to. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2023-09-19 09:50:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #private equity


Publishing Industry Sales Slumped in July

Book sales fell 10.9% in July at the 1,233 publishers that supply data to AAP’s StatShot program. Sales of adult books dropped 4.6%, and children's/young adult book sales declined 10.7%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #supply data #adult book


Sharjah Book Authority Announces its 2023 Publishers Conference

The three-day Publishers Conference professional program this year runs October 29 to 31, just ahead of Sharjah International Book Fair. The post Sharjah Book Authority Announces its 2023 Publishers Conference appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-09-18 17:22:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Russell Brand publisher pauses all future books with comedian

Bluebird, who were due to publish Brand’s new self-help book in December, took the decision in light of ‘very serious allegations’The publisher of one of Russell Brand’s books has said that it is pausing all future publishing of books by the comedian after he was accused of rape and sexual... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-18 14:31:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future books #russell brand #future publishing #sexual assault #pan macmillan #self-help book


9 free AI tools that run locally on your PC

It’s no coincidence that many programs using artificial intelligence techniques are open source and thus completely free. This is because the early approaches originated in academia, where free licences for software are common practice in order to promote collaboration and further... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2023-09-18 11:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media players #project website #originally appeared #address bar #libraries


Four large US publishers sue ‘shadow library’ for alleged copyright infringement

The publishers are claiming unspecified damages from the file-sharing Library Genesis, which they say has distributed files illegallyFour leading US publishers have sued an online “shadow library” that allows visitors to download textbooks and other copyrighted materials free.Cengage, Macmillan... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-15 16:55:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #macmillan learning #mcgraw hill #library genesis #copyright law #pearson #macmillan


Publishers are using online job boards to diversify revenue streams

Globally, the publishing industry is contending with diminishing revenues. With a recent report from intelligence provider WARC finding that global advertising revenue for total print will experience a 7.7% drop-off in 2023 from last year’s number, traditional publishers are looking to shore up... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-14 15:29:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishers #recent report #publishing industry


Kazuo Ishiguro song lyrics collection to be published

The prize-winning novelist’s lyrics, written for US jazz singer Stacey Kent, will be published with illustrations next MarchA collection of lyrics written by the novelist Kazuo Ishiguro for the American jazz singer Stacey Kent is due to be published next year.“I’ve built a reputation over the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-14 15:03:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ve built #novels including #prize-winning author


Media Briefing: Digiday Publishing Summit is approaching and media execs are ready to talk shop

DPS is right around the corner and as more ad revenue sneaks back into the market, publishing execs are looking for new ways to capture as many dollars as they can. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-14 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media briefing #media execs #talk shop #publishing execs #publishing summit


Giancarlo DiTrapano Foundation Names First Fully-Funded Class of Fellows

Nathan Dragon, Zans Brady Krohn, Honor Levy, Alejandro Parisi, and Amanda VanValkenburg comprise the inaugural fully-funded class of residents at the Giancarlo DiTrapano Foundation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |