From: JJE Esposito <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2019 20:35:32 -0500

I know of many dozens, perhaps hundreds of journals in Dr. Arnold's
category 2A that pay their EICs and often (usually?) the associate editors.
It's probably fair to say that some people are better negotiators than
others. My professional life largely consists of studying the financial
statements of society publishers, and the numbers for outside editorial
services (meaning payments to non-staff editors) always jump out.

But I take the point that reviewers may not want to review articles without
compensation. They don't have to. They can just say no. They could also
organize, create a union, go on strike. It's possible that PubLons, which
is now owned by Clarivate, may be an early step toward compensation for
reviewers.

For my part, I don't give a hoot whether editors or reviewers are paid. I
just don't like to see incorrect statements stand.

Joe Esposito
-- 
Joseph J. Esposito
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@josephjesposito
+Joseph Esposito


On Wed, Jan 9, 2019 at 8:08 PM LIBLICENSE <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Peter Arnold [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, 9 January 2019 5:44 PM
>
> It seems as if the writers are discussing two separate things.
>
> 1. the use of the word ‘editor’
>
> 2. different types of journals
>
>           2a. college/society
>
>           2b. large medical organisation (AMA, BMA, CMA, NZMA etc)
>
>           2c. large publisher (OUP etc)
>
> 1. Surely editors (copy, layout etc) are paid. I’m a previous Deputy
> President of the Australian Society of Editors (NSW). The rates of pay
> were a perennial topic of discussion.
>
> 2. Some E-i-C’s are paid… especially in the 2b. category. (eg BMA,
> JAMA, NEJM, MJA). I was on a recruiting panel for such an E-i-C for
> the MJA.
>
> And we hear all about it when they get sacked for being too independent!
>
> 3. E-i-C’s in the 2a. category are usually volunteers (been there,
> done that – for years (The Australian GP).
>
> So the discussion is mixing ‘oranges and apples’.
>
> People often think that their own particular experience can be
> generalised for people in quite different circumstances. That seems to
> be what is happening in this discussion. “ It depends what you mean by
> ‘…’ ” CM Joad used to challenge on The Brains Trust.
>
> My fundamental (financial) issue (CoI: I do not charge for my editing)
> is: why should the authors of papers, the peer reviewers and the
> E-i-Cs of the 2c. journals (profit-seeking – in the case of the Big
> Five, indecent profit-seeking) give their time and effort to line the
> pockets of these millionaires?
>
> It’s a different story for the 2a. and 2b journals. If I’d been paid
> by those journals, as author, peer reviewer and editor, I’ve have been
> a wealthy man in my retirement – and the Australian Tax Office would
> have benefited appropriately.
>
> Dr Peter Arnold OAM BSc MBBCh [Witwatersrand 1961] BA [UNE]
>
> Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Epidemiology
> Former Member, Editorial Advisory Committee, Medical Journal of Australia
> Former Editor, The Australian GP
>
> Sydney, Australia
>