From: Zac Rolnik <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:45:22 -0400

Sandy,

The primary reason societies outsource their journal publishing to
large commercial publishers is $$$.  Have you ever seen the types of
offers made by large publishers (both commercial and university
presses) for large successful journals?  The financial rewards are
often hard to resist, especially for a society only publishing one or
two journals where their fixed costs eat up much of the revenue.
Whether it is the in-house cost of staff at the society, the cost of
an electronic platform, or the worldwide sales and marketing, I think
that societies are well aware of the options, costs and revenues
associated with such deals. But not all deals are the same and
societies can negotiate deals that include specific pricing
provisions, guaranteed revenues and attractive revenue sharing,
editorial control, etc.  When societies look to outsource publication
they are in the driver's seat and should carefully negotiate their
agreements.  In many instances, the outsourcing of journals to large
publications has been good for societies.  Remember, it is not only
large commercial publishers in this game, but I know very reputable
large university presses that also play in this space.

Zac Rolnik
now publishers


-----Original Message-----
From: Sandy Thatcher <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:46:49 -0500

It does seem odd that societies would outsource their journal
publishing to large commercial publishers because they can be assured
in advance (1) that the prices will go way up,  (2) fewer individuals
will be able to afford to subscribe to them, and (3) any profits made
will not redound to the benefit of academic research since they will
go to pay shareholders or be used to grow the size of the company
further so as to  increase its market share.  Why do scholars complain
about commercial journal practices and then turn around and allow
their societies to help those companies profit even further at the
expense of academe?

Sandy Thatcher