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'


CIA Torture Report to be Published as Book

Melville House will publish 'The Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture' as a paperback and an ebook on December 30. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #melville house


Fogg appointed publishing director at HC

Cornerstone's Jack Fogg is joining HarperCollins in the newly-created role of publishing director for fiction and non-fiction. Fogg is currently editorial director at Cornerstone imprint Century, where he has worked with authors including Rod Stewart, James Corden, Tim Vine and Hugh Howey. He... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joining harpercollins #newly-created role #james corden #hugh howey


Unseen Dredd art to be published

Previously unseen sketches of one of the UK's best-known comic book characters are to be published for the first time. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Four Questions For...Other Press Publisher Judith Gurewich

PW talked to Other Press publisher Judith Gurewich, who picked up world English rights to a bestseller in France after a heated auction at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pw talked #heated auction


What Facebook’s search feature means for brands, publishers

Facebook's new search feature will give users a more active role in media discovery, and likely change how brands and publishers use the platform. The post What Facebook’s search feature means for brands, publishers appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers appeared #give users #active role


How fusty old Hearst is becoming a modern publisher

Six ways Hearst is tackling the gritty work of becoming a modern publisher. The post How fusty old Hearst is becoming a modern publisher appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #modern publisher


How Much Can You Fake in Publishing? From Clare Balding to Zoella

In the UK, Zoella was revealed to have used a ghostwriter, while Clare Balding's book cover clearly looks fake. How much of this is okay? The post How Much Can You Fake in Publishing? From Clare Balding to Zoella appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #clare balding #book cover


South African newspaper publisher considering £28m offer

Blackstar investment company wants to obtain full ownership of Times Media Group Continue reading... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


ANA Bot Report Reveals Unsettling Truth About Premium Publisher Inventory

A 60-day study conducted by the Association of National Advertisers and ad fraud detection company White Ops came to a conclusion likely to unsettle many digital ad buyers: purchasing ads from premium publishers does not protect marketers from fraud."Advertisers who assume that traffic to... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ad fraud #premium publishers #report stated #waste $6


French publishers warned on ebook VAT rise

The French Publishers Association (Syndicat National de l’Edition, SNE) has warned its members that France may raise VAT on ebooks from 5.5% to the standard 20% during the first half of next year to avoid a fine of several million euros from the European Court of Justice, according to the trade... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #million euros #european court


ACE demands diversity from its funded organisations

Arts Council England is to demand its funded organisations reflect the diversity of contemporary England, and will make diversity a factor in its next round of funding decisions. From 2015, ACE is going to "monitor and support" National Portfolio organisations to ensure they reflect diversity... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #funding decisions #make diversity


Durham Stepping Down at Amazon Publishing

Daphne Durham, publisher of adult trade and children's at Amazon Publishing, will be leaving the company on January 16, and will be succeeded by Mikyla Bruder, current head of global marketing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon publishing #daphne durham #adult trade #mikyla bruder #global marketing


Blink Publishing to launch 'Reality' imprint

Bonnier's Blink Publishing is launching a new imprint, Blink Reality, to focus on "compelling true stories and relevant real life issues". The imprint will be headed by newly appointed publisher Emily Thomas, and will begin releasing titles in summer 2015. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #blink publishing


Faxel Named Publisher of Dreamscape Media

Midwest Tape has appointed Tammy Faxel publisher of its audiobook and video division, Dreamscape Media. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dreamscape media #midwest tape #video division


China closing in on Silicon Valley as home of internet giants, research shows

Tencent and Baidu are only non-US digital media companies in top 10 by revenue, but country has four of top 10 fastest-growing firms, report saysChina is eroding Silicon Valley’s pre-eminent position as the home of the world’s largest internet businesses, with two companies making the top 10 by... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #silicon valley #internet giants #pre-eminent position #companies making #survey published


PRH Firms Up Publishing Operations Team

Penguin Random House announced the senior management appointments of its now-unified publishing operations group, which will be headed by Sue Malone-Barber as senior v-p, director, publishing operations, PRH. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing operations


Mark Zuckerberg defends free Facebook, fires back at Apple and Ello

When Tim Cook published an open letter in September to address iCloud privacy and security concerns, he said free online services treat you, the consumers, as product. Even newcomer Ello, which is dubbed the anti-Facebook, has a manifesto that ends w... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #open letter #security concerns


Obituary: Publishing Exec Donald W. Jones, 92

In 1996, the Association of American Publishers awarded Jones a lifetime achievement award for his work in the higher education publishing field. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Venning joins TRA in new impact research role

Laura Venning joining The Reading Agency in the newly created role of impact research manager. Venning will lead on developing a framework to help the charity assess the impact of reading for pleasure and reading for information, in a post funded by the Peter Sowerby Foundation. Venning comes... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading agency


NAL To Publish 'Lost' Ayn Rand Novel

'Ideal,' the first Ayn Rand novel to be released since 1957's 'Atlas Shrugged,' is set to be published by Penguin Random House imprint NAL on July 7, 2015. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ayn rand #atlas shrugged