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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 extends publishing partnership
News

Frontiers extends publishing partnership

Frontiers has announced it has extended its ZBMed partnership as the first publisher to sign up to the Open Life Science Database (OLSPub).

25/06/2025

Emerald Publishing recognised for second year
News

Emerald Publishing recognised for second year

Emerald Publishing announced as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality 2025.

24/06/2025

Springer Nature releases data
News

Springer Nature releases data

Data released in this year’s independent Nature Index Research Leaders tables shows a shift in global research landscape.

19/06/2025

IOPP makes research data more visible
News

IOPP makes research data more visible

IOP Publishing says it is advancing open science and research impact by assigning Digital Object Identifiers to supplementary data files submitted alongside research papers.

19/06/2025

Elsevier announces new course
News

Elsevier announces new course

Elsevier and Florence Nightingale Foundation launch a course to combat healthcare retention crisis.

18/06/2025

The Publisher Newsletter Awards: winners announced
News

The Publisher Newsletter Awards: winners announced

Media Voices last week revealed the winners of The Publisher Newsletter Awards 2025.

17/06/2025

Frontiers announces new OA agreement
News

Frontiers announces new OA agreement

Frontiers and the University of Padua have established a flat fee open access agreement for 2025.

28/05/2025

Make yourself useful
COLUMN

Make yourself useful

This was Douglas McCabe’s advice to publishers at the recent PPA Festival.

By James Evelegh  |  21/05/2025

SRCD chooses OUP
News

SRCD chooses OUP

The Society for Research in Child Development has announced the selection of Oxford University Press as its new publishing partner.

19/05/2025

The College of Optometrists chooses Springer Nature
News

The College of Optometrists chooses Springer Nature

The College of Optometrists has choosen Springer Nature as its new publishing partner in centenary year of its flagship title OPO.

14/05/2025

OUP announces new product
News

OUP announces new product

Oxford Law Pro brings together OUP’s legal content in one place with a conversational AI research assistant.

14/05/2025

IOP Publishing introduces CRediT
News

IOP Publishing introduces CRediT

IOP Publishing enhances author recognition with the introduction of CRediT.

13/05/2025

Nature announces two new journals
News

Nature announces two new journals

The Nature portfolio is to expand to include Nature Health and Nature Sensors in 2026.

08/05/2025

Informa PLC publishes first quarter trading update
News

Informa PLC publishes first quarter trading update

Informa PLC last week published its Q1 trading update.

07/05/2025

Emerald Publishing acquires now publishers
News

Emerald Publishing acquires now publishers

Global academic publisher Emerald Publishing Limited has acquired now publishers.

07/05/2025

751 articles