18/08/2026
๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง? ๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐. ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ญ.
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For professional societies that own journals, the publishing model is becoming a strategic decision with implications for:
โ Revenue predictability โ Author equity โ Journal reach & visibility aโ Editorial independence โ Long-term sustainability
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Traditional subscriptions offer predictable revenue, but funder mandates for Open Access are putting increasing pressure on the model.
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APCs can support Open Access, but shift costs to authors and raise questions around equity and publishing incentives.
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Diamond Open Access removes costs for both authors and readers but requires sustainable institutional or society-level funding.
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And then there is Subscribe to Open (S2O) a model that may offer societies a path to full Open Access without introducing APCs.
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The real question for society publishers is not: โWhich model is best?โ
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It is: โWhich model best aligns with our financial capacity, editorial mission, membership strategy and long-term publishing goals?โ
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Our latest insight explores the economics, trade-offs and strategic considerations behind these models, including what society publishers should evaluate before making the transition.
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๐ Read the full analysis: https://www.devsupport.org/blog/business-model-behind-society-owned-journals
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DevSupport | Strategic Support for Societies, Publishers & Mission-Driven Organisations
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