Mediastudies Press

Overview

Mediastudies Press is a nonprofit, scholar-led publisher specializing in the fields of media, communication, and film studies. It was launched in 2019 and is registered in the United States as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

Mission and Operations

The organization's mission is to promote an open-access publishing model supported by libraries rather than author fees. This approach ensures that scholarly works are freely accessible to readers without creating barriers to authorship. Mediastudies Press publishes a variety of formats, including single-author monographs and serials, all of which undergo rigorous peer review.

Publishing Focus

Mediastudies Press focuses on publishing "living works" that allow for iterative updates. It encourages multi-modal submissions, incorporating elements like video, audio, images, and interactive content to reflect the diverse media environments studied in these fields. The press currently manages four series:

• Public Domain Series: Features critically annotated republications of public-domain books with contemporary relevance.
• Media Manifold Series: Publishes original monographs and other book-length contemporary media scholarship.
• Open Reader Series: Offers media-themed collections designed for university courses.
• History of Media Studies Series: Focuses on monographs and other scholarly works related to the history of media, communication, and film studies.

Governance and Funding

Mediastudies Press is governed by a Board of Directors and operates with an Advisory Board composed of scholars in publishing and media studies. The organization relies on partnerships with academic libraries to cover its costs, avoiding author fees. It also welcomes donations to support its operations.

Key Features

• Open Access: All works are freely available on the open web under author-selected licenses.
• Nonprofit and Scholar-Led: Ensures that editorial decisions are made by academics using scholarly criteria.
• Multi-Modal Publishing: Supports a range of media formats.
• No Author Fees: Supported by library partnerships and donations.

Impact

Mediastudies Press contributes to the democratization of scholarly publishing by making research accessible without financial barriers to authors or readers.