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'


‘Hogwarts Legacy’ adds arachnophobia mode for spider-free gaming

Arachnophobic Harry Potter fans, rejoice. Developer Avalanche Software has added a new accessibility feature to Hogwarts Legacy that removes spiders from the game. The update coincides with the title’s arrival on PS4 and Xbox One today.The Hogwarts Legacy update (build 1140773) launched Thursday... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-05-05 19:42:15 UTC ]
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Digiday+ Research: Nielsen gets boost in NewFronts, upfront cycle — but Comscore wins as measurement provider

Digiday's survey found that Comscore and Nielsen will be the dominant measurement providers during this year's NewFronts and upfronts. More than half of publishers said they will accommodate Comscore this year, and nearly half said they will accommodate Nielsen. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-05-05 04:01:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digiday+ research #survey found #nielsen


Amazon rolls out free Roku-like TV channels for Fire devices

Amazon just announced the impending launch of Fire TV Channels, allowing customers access to a wide variety of “premium, free content” on Fire streaming sticks, streaming boxes, and, of course, Fire-branded televisions. The company promises there will be no forced sign-ups or fees associated... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-05-01 23:00:56 UTC ]
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‘Publishing these books is a risk’: Taiwan’s booksellers stand up for democracy

Detention of publisher Li Yanhe in China for ‘endangering national security’ has sent chills through island’s literary communityIn a bookstore near one of Taipei’s leading universities, Zeng Da-fu and his wife work quietly into the evening. Zeng has run this store for decades, tucked in a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-29 02:00:23 UTC ]
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Unseen Gabriel García Márquez novel to be published next year

Colombian author’s En Agosto Now Vemos (We’ll See Each Other in August) had been just a rumour but now fans will get to read itRumours had long circulated that an entire literary masterpiece, never seen by the public, could still be lying in a dusty safe held by the late author’s family or under... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-28 21:10:15 UTC ]
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Microsoft Designer’s superb, free AI art tools open to everyone

Microsoft is taking its superb AI art / visual designer tool, Microsoft Designer, and opening it up to the general public today. The company is also publicizing its intelligent features: AI-generated captions and hashtags, new image formatting for social media, and AI-powered editing... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2023-04-27 17:06:28 UTC ]
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At London Book Fair: Brexit and Creative Industry Funding

Describing an 'inward-looking atmosphere,' panelists at London Book Fair explored the funding impact of Brexit on the literature market. The post At London Book Fair: Brexit and Creative Industry Funding appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-26 13:37:28 UTC ]
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Google’s cookie replacement—inside a publisher’s test of the new ID

Online publisher Graham Media adopted new ID system to restore some of the value lost during the cookie purge. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2023-04-26 09:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing’s World Book Day #ReadTheWorld Giveaway

The World Book Day promotion from Amazon Publishing this year offers international reads from several imprints and nine countries. The post Amazon Publishing’s World Book Day #ReadTheWorld Giveaway appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-25 16:30:04 UTC ]
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Baker Publishing CEO Handoff Well Underway

Incoming CEO Jesse Myers takes up the challenges as Dwight Baker heads toward outdoor life. An aggressive growth plan has been temporarily put on hold as the company confronts the various headwinds facing the economy in general and publishing in particular. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Religion Publishers Face Up to DEI Challenges

Executives told PW while the economy is stifling hiring, they are pushing ahead to acquire and market more BIPOC authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Definitive proof that publishing your novel won’t make you happy.

Hug an author today! Fifty-four percent of debut authors responding to Bookseller survey said the process had a negative impact on their mental health—equally likely to feel bummed out whether they pubbed with a Big Four or an indie publisher. One, quoted anonymously in The Bookseller’s report,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-24 15:32:12 UTC ]
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Summer Listening Sorted: Don’t Miss Out on These 28 Free Audiobooks from SYNC

SYNC, an annual summer audiobook program for teens, is back to provide 28 free audiobooks from April to August. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-04-24 10:37:00 UTC ]
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Fears grow for Taiwan book publisher believed held in China

Reported detention of Li Yanhe has echoes of 2015 disappearances of five Hong Kong booksellersConcerns are mounting for a Taiwan-based book publisher believed to have been detained in China, in a case that has echoed the disappearances in 2015 of five Hong Kong booksellers.Li Yanhe, also known... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-24 10:09:18 UTC ]
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Publishers are Seeking Spiritual Seekers

New faith-based books aim to draw in those looking outside of doctrinal religions for meaning in life. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Publishers Seeking Spiritual Seekers

New faith-based books aim to draw in those looking outside of doctrinal religions for meaning in life. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #doctrinal religions


Starting Salaries at Big Publishers Grow

Over the past three years, entry-level wages at the Big Five publishers and Scholastic have risen 23%, on average, in response to calls for a living wage, union actions, and inflation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Lachlan Murdoch drops defamation proceedings against independent Australian publisher Crikey

Move comes days after Fox reached a $US787.5m settlement with the voting equipment company Dominion in a separate defamation lawsuitFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastLachlan Murdoch has dropped his... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-21 02:28:29 UTC ]
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‘Chilling’ arrest of French publisher by UK counter-terrorism police condemned

Éditions la Fabrique says foreign rights manager Ernest Moret was held for several hours and asked ‘disturbing questions’ about his political opinionsThe French publishing house whose employee was arrested on terror charges on his way to London book fair has said it is “chilling” that he was... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-20 11:27:44 UTC ]
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CNN’s new, proprietary publishing platform helps ‘reduce tech debt’

CNN has a new CMS, which it built to cut back on costs, improve reader engagement and draw in advertisers. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-04-20 04:01:00 UTC ]
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