Some initial thoughts on the Brussels Declaration on STM publishing

From: Peter Banks <pbanks_at_BANKSPUB.COM>
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 12:07:24 -0500

Fytton,

If reversing the concentration of industry is a condition of healthy free
markets, then we need to look at far more the publishing and start fighting
global giants in all fields from Exxon-Mobil to Boeing to Bayer.

The reality is that concentration is not inherently bad. Publishing, like
all industries, requires a far more sophisticated infrastructure and a far
greater global reach than ever before, which means an ever greater need for
capital that only larger companies can provide.

Rather than fighting the inevitable, we'd be better off working through
public policy that companies in whatever field be responsible stewards and
further public welfare in whatever they do, whether information, energy, or
health.

I really wish all sides would stop digging in their heels and issuing
competing statements and declarations. There is quite a bit of room for
compromise if parties would start using their words.

Peter Banks
Banks Publishing
Publications Consulting and Services
10332 Main Street #158
Fairfax, VA 22030
(703) 591-6544
CELL (703) 254-8862
FAX (703) 383-0765
pbanks_at_bankspub.com
www.bankspub.com
www.associationpublisher.com/blog/




On 2/19/07 5:30 AM, "J.F.B.Rowland" <J.F.Rowland_at_LBORO.AC.UK> wrote:

> Quote from the Brussels Declaration:
>
> 'We support academic freedom: authors should be free to
> choose where they publish in a healthy, undistorted free market'
>
> I was tempted (but lacked the courage) to say at the Brussels meeting
> something along these lines:
>
> 'I am delighted to learn of the is draamatic change of policy from the major
> scholarly pulishers, who propose for the first time to establish a healthy,
> undistorted free market, replacing the current oligopoly. Noting that
> Elseveir, Wiley, Blackwell, Springer and Taylor & Francis are all among the
> signatories, may we now assume that: (1) the planned merger between Wiley
> and Blackwell will not now take place; (2) that Springer and Kluwer will
> demerge; (3) that Academic Press and Pergamon Press will regain their
> independence from Elsevier; (4) and that Taylor & Francis will abandon its
> relentless policy of buying up smaller publishers.'
>
> Fytton Rowland, Loughborough University.
>
Received on Mon Feb 19 2007 - 19:33:05 GMT