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Academic & Scientific Media

Academic and scientific publishing runs on a different model from the rest of the industry. Its readers are mostly researchers and clinicians, and its customers are often the libraries and institutions they work for. What it really sells is confidence in the research record.

Open access has become the standard model, moving revenue away from subscriptions towards publishing charges and institutional agreements. Learned societies that switched early have used the change to build data and analytics products around their journals. Where research comes from is changing as well, with a growing share now produced in Asia.

However, it is a common misconception that open access somehow reduces the importance of the publisher. In reality, it is the opposite.

Niels Peter Thomas Academic media

AI raises the stakes. Fabricated papers test peer review on an industrial scale, and publishers are building integrity tools while deciding on what terms to license their content to AI developers.

Science also reaches general readers through magazines and specialist journalists, who face many of the same pressures as the rest of the press.

Below you'll find some of our best feature articles on academic and scientific media, from open access and research integrity to medical journals, institutional sales and science journalism, alongside our latest news and industry commentary.


Essential Resources

Academic media
Best Practice in Publishing

Academic media

We asked Niels Peter Thomas, chief executive officer of BMJ Publishing, what does best practice publishing look like in academic media? This is what he said…

Opportunities & Threats: Academic Media
FEATURE

Opportunities & Threats: Academic Media

The task ahead is clear, says Anke Beck: to harness AI not as a threat but as a catalyst.

Scientific / academic media
The Digital Transformation Journey

Scientific / academic media

Sara Sharman, head of content services, Institution of Engineering and Technology, tells Ciar Byrne about how the scientific / academic media sector is managing the digital transformation journey.

AI in practice: IOP Publishing
AI SPECIAL

AI in practice: IOP Publishing

Laura Feetham-Walker, head of publishing strategy and performance, tells us how IOP Publishing is using AI now and where she sees the best opportunities for future development.

BMJ – finding a wider audience
INTERVIEW

BMJ – finding a wider audience

Pandemics, climate change, health inequality are all existential threats that require expert trusted analysis, and that is why BMJ’s content is increasingly in demand beyond its traditional audience.

Experts – still valued here
PUBLISHER PROFILE

Experts – still valued here

With all the current talk around ‘post-truth’ and ‘alternative facts’, with people like Michael Gove saying they’ve “had enough of experts”, the newly rebranded Emerald Publishing – part of Emerald Group – is sticking to its core values. As Tony Roch

New revenue streams
INTERVIEW

New revenue streams

Mark Allen Group is a big believer in print… and a big believer in digital too! As Matt Cianfarani tells Ciar Byrne, digital publishing is opening up lucrative new revenue streams for the group’s healthcare titles.

You’ve got to take risks
INTERVIEW

You’ve got to take risks

Catherine de Lange of New Scientist was crowned Editors’ Editor of the Year at the BSME Awards. Here, she talks about her trend-spotting tricks, the “pub test” the team employ for stories & how she’s running a 70-year-old publication like a start-up.

Not just rocket science
OUT & ABOUT WITH ALAN GEERE

Not just rocket science

With big issues like AI and robotics, climate change and space exploration, it’s difficult to keep science off the front pages. But what does all this mean for the science journalists and writers who are forever adding context and explanation?


All Articles

Frontiers for Young Minds completes volume 3
News

Frontiers for Young Minds completes volume 3

Frontiers for Young Minds: Five Nobel Prize winners share their scientific discoveries with kids.

01/02/2024

Springer announces initiative
News

Springer announces initiative

Springer Nature’s Nature Human Behavior and the Institute for Replication say they are driving forward best practice in open science via a partnership to reproduce and replicate research.

31/01/2024

IOPP joins OA Switchboard
News

IOPP joins OA Switchboard

As part of their ongoing commitment to open science, IOP Publishing has announced it is joining the OA Switchboard to make it easier for institutional customers to manage open access agreements.

30/01/2024

Taylor & Francis announce new TA
News

Taylor & Francis announce new TA

Taylor & Francis has announced a new open access agreement with Mahidol University in Thailand, and its first in Southeast Asia.

29/01/2024

Data analytics challenges in publishing – why do they matter and what can you do about them?
FEATURE

Data analytics challenges in publishing – why do they matter and what can you do about them?

In the constantly evolving publishing industry, having detailed performance data at your fingertips (and the means to analyse it effectively) can pay big dividends, says Kieran Prince, business development manager at OpenAthens.

By Kieran Prince  |  25/01/2024

Elsevier promotes Mirit Eldor
News

Elsevier promotes Mirit Eldor

Elsevier last week announced the appointment of Mirit Eldor to managing director of Life Sciences Solutions.

17/01/2024

OpenAthens receives award
News

OpenAthens receives award

OpenAthens has received platinum in the 2024 Modern Library Awards from LibraryWorks.

15/01/2024

Informa issue full year trading update
News

Informa issue full year trading update

Informa plc closes 2023 with a strong performance, with further growth expected in 2024.

12/01/2024

My Publishing Life – Roger Duffin
MY PUBLISHING LIFE

My Publishing Life – Roger Duffin

Roger Duffin, the recently retired director of publishing services and subscriptions bureau ESco, answers our questions about his life in publishing.

By Roger Duffin  |  04/01/2024

Axel Springer partners with OpenAI
News

Axel Springer partners with OpenAI

Axel Springer and OpenAI partner to deepen beneficial use of AI in journalism.

20/12/2023

Springer Nature extends survey
News

Springer Nature extends survey

Springer Nature has announced the extension of its national research integrity surveys to include the UK and US to help build global picture of researcher needs.

20/12/2023

IOPP expands OA in Asia Pacific region
News

IOPP expands OA in Asia Pacific region

IOP Publishing has announced the expansion of open access in the Asia Pacific region with its first Read and Publish agreement in Taiwan.

20/12/2023

Springer Nature agrees TA in South Korea
News

Springer Nature agrees TA in South Korea

The latest Transformative Agreement is a further demonstration of publishers’ commitment to supporting OA publishing in East Asia.

18/12/2023

Frontiers announces national OA agreement
News

Frontiers announces national OA agreement

Frontiers and the German library consortium announce fully open access agreement.

15/12/2023

Springer Nature developing peer review platform
News

Springer Nature developing peer review platform

Springer Nature says it is developing a peer review platform called Snapp to better meet needs of academic community and support growth in OA publishing.

13/12/2023

751 articles