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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

More diverse = more profitable
FEATURE

More diverse = more profitable

Research suggests that diverse companies are more commercially successful than non-diverse ones. What do publishers need to do to improve their diversity and, thereby, profitability?

By James Evelegh  |  21/12/2022

Four design decisions that will transform the experience of your brand
FEATURE

Four design decisions that will transform the experience of your brand

Design can make or break your publishing brand, so it’s worth putting in the time to get it right. There are four key areas that publishers need to focus on, says Andy Cowles.

By Andy Cowles  |  21/12/2022

SCELC Consortium and IOPP strengthen commitment to OA
News

SCELC Consortium and IOPP strengthen commitment to OA

IOP Publishing has finalised an uncapped transformative agreement with the Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium.

16/12/2022

Subscriber retention – ten top tips
COLUMN

Subscriber retention – ten top tips

Retention makes the subscriptions world go round. Here are some top tips on how you can improve your retention rate.

By James Evelegh  |  15/12/2022

Frontiers to publish Experimental Biology and Medicine
News

Frontiers to publish Experimental Biology and Medicine

Frontiers has announced that the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine (EBM), currently published by SAGE, will be transferring to Frontiers.

09/12/2022

Stephens & George acquires Pensord
News

Stephens & George acquires Pensord

Stephens & George Print Group this week announced the acquisition of Pensord Press Ltd, Cambrian Printers Ltd and Pensord Digital, collectively known as the Pensord Print Group.

08/12/2022

Frontiers strengthens its global public affairs team
News

Frontiers strengthens its global public affairs team

Research publisher Frontiers appoints Dr Anke Beck and Ms Nancy (Yinan) Chen as heads of public affairs and advocacy for Europe and China respectively.

05/12/2022

Former Amazon HR leader joins Frontiers
News

Former Amazon HR leader joins Frontiers

Research publisher Frontiers has announced the appointment of Kanika Suri Mehra as chief people officer (CPO).

25/11/2022

Frontiers unveils new policy on author names & pronouns
News

Frontiers unveils new policy on author names & pronouns

Frontiers has announced a new policy to make it easier for authors to retrospectively change their name or pronouns.

24/11/2022

IOP strikes open OA agreement with Council of Australian University Librarians
News

IOP strikes open OA agreement with Council of Australian University Librarians

IOP Publishing and the Council of Australian University Librarians have agreed a three-year transformative agreement for unlimited open access publishing and access to IOPP’s journals.

22/11/2022

PPA condemns Royal Mail plans
News

PPA condemns Royal Mail plans

The Professional Publishers Association is calling on government to refuse Royal Mail’s plans to stop Saturday letter deliveries.

18/11/2022

It couldn’t happen here… could it?
COLUMN

It couldn’t happen here… could it?

The UK is a western liberal democracy. Press freedom is not one of the things we normally have to worry about…

By James Evelegh  |  17/11/2022

New Chair for Cambridge’s Academic Publishing Committee
News

New Chair for Cambridge’s Academic Publishing Committee

Cambridge University Press & Assessment has announced that Professor Amira K. Bennison is the new Chair of its influential Academic Publishing Committee.

17/11/2022

Launch: Fully OA Blog
News

Launch: Fully OA Blog

A new initiative, the Fully OA blog, has been launched by the Fully OA Group.

11/11/2022

Open science platform Frontiers publishes new Nobel articles
News

Open science platform Frontiers publishes new Nobel articles

Frontiers has published articles from five more Nobel Prize winners to its Nobel Collection, which it launched last year.

02/11/2022

751 articles