Re: Wiley-Blackwell 2009 Subscription and Licensing Options

[David Prosser <david.prosser@bodley.ox.ac.uk>]

Joe,there is nothing misleading in saying that these papers are 
being made OA to encourage wider readership.  No matter how many 
times you write it it doesn't make it so.  The ultimate motive of 
the wider readership may be marketing and the encouragement of 
greater subscriptions (I didn't make any claims regarding this), 
but it's wider readership nevertheless.

David

Joe Esposito in liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu writes:

> Once again David Prosser writes a misleading post.
>
> Publications are not using OA to encourage wider readership.
> They are using the equity of their branded publications, which
> are almost in every instance (PLOS is the leading exception)
> traditional in their economics, to promote certain ideas and
> articles.  This is called marketing.  The form it takes is
> product sampling.  The articles being released without charge are
> intended to lead readers back to the originating publisher.  OA
> has nothing to do with it.  I suppose when John D. Rockefeller
> handed out dimes to children, some people thought he was giving
> away his fortune.
>
> Joe Esposito
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Prosser" <david.prosser@bodley.ox.ac.uk>
> To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
> Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 4:42 PM
> Subject: RE: Wiley-Blackwell 2009 Subscription and Licensing Options
>
>> Joe, really what am I misrepresenting?  I said publications are
>> making their papers open access to encourage wider readership.
>> That's exactly what has happened.
>>
>> You make the trivial point that it is easier for a branded
>> publication to attract attention than an unbranded publication.
>> Very true.  But that is not an OA issue, it's a branding issue.
>> A new subscription-based journal from a new publisher will find
>> it difficult to generate an audience.  A new subscription-based
>> journal from a well-known (branded) publisher might find it
>> easier.  Is it easier from a new OA journal to find an audience
>> than a new subscription journal, all other things being equal?
>> That is an interesting question, but not the issue I was
>> addressing.
>>
>> Best wishes
>>
>> David Prosser
>> Director, SPARC Europe