Nature magazine 2005: Redesigned, reengineered, rediscovered

Added: (Fri May 27 2005)

Pressbox (Press Release) - PRESS RELEASE FROM NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
27 May 2005
Embargo: for immediate release

Nature magazine 2005: Redesigned, reengineered, rediscovered

The print edition of Nature magazine grows from strength to strength. Circulation is growing in countries around the world. The magazine is ever more international in its coverage, and its global influence and impact has never been higher. As a result of this continuing success, Nature Publishing Group is investing heavily in the print edition, with more staff, more pages, and more content. This reflects Nature’s unique position in the magazine market, as the STM publishing industry focuses on the digitisation of original research, and debates online publication business models.

With qualified circulation growing , the print edition of Nature magazine has shown remarkable strength, despite a massive increase in online usage. This growth has occurred in countries around the world, notably in China. Recent features about scientists working in developing countries, stem cell research, avian flu and earthquake prediction reflect Nature’s international outlook and global reach.

Our research has shown that readers of the print edition, regardless of location, often show more interest in news, comment and analysis, and in reading about developments outside their area of specialist interest, than reading original research articles.

It is in this context that Nature is investing over a million dollars each year in editorial staff and additional pages to provide new magazine elements (in the form of business and futures sections), and enhancing existing sections such as news, features, and research highlights, while a new design has been introduced to actively engage readers, with larger images and more informative graphics.

• A Business News section brings a hard-nosed analytical style to the stories behind a rapidly growing area of interest to the scientific community, the impact of science on business, and the impact of business on science. For the first time Nature tracks and comments on the performance of companies across the business spectrum.

• A larger Editorials section allows greater in-depth discussion of, and opinion on, relevant social and political issues of the day and their impact on science, scientists, and society.

• Expanded News and News Features sections provide more enhanced graphics and images to portray the complexity of topics in a clear and digestible way. A greater focus on the personalities behind the science further enhances the readability of the journal.

• Extended Research Highlights will provide weekly surveys of key breakthroughs in life sciences, chemistry, physics, earth and material sciences. And longer introductions to research articles encourage help place original research in context.

The strength of this investment demonstrates a long-lasting commitment to the print edition of Nature, the flagship title of Nature Publishing Group.

Nature and NPG have always focused on investing in high impact publications promoting the world’s best science, both to scientists and the broader general public. The past ten years have seen enormous change in the dissemination of scientific research, and the current debate about subscription and open access business models illustrates the significant change brought about by the development of the internet. Nature’s impact factor grew to 30.979 in 2003 (ISI Journal Citation Report, 2004), the highest for a weekly science magazine. Now, in 2005, we still see value in both our print and online products and we believe its is essential to continue to invest as these products evolve, serving different functions and different markets. The investments described here demonstrate Nature’s commitment to disseminating the best science to readers, regardless of media or business model, and our dedication to maintaining our position as the worlds highest impact science publisher for many years to come.

1. Science, Technical and Medical
2. See BPA circulation statements, BPAi.com



NPG is a division of Macmillan Publishers Ltd, dedicated to serving the academic, professional scientific and medical communities. NPG's flagship title, Nature, is the world's most highly-cited weekly multidisciplinary journal and was first published in 1869. Other publications include Nature research journals, Nature Reviews, Nature Clinical Practice, and a range of prestigious academic journals, including society-owned publications.

NPG is a global company, with headquarters in London and offices in New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Boston, Tokyo, Paris, Munich and Basingstoke. For more information, please go to www.nature.com.

Contact details:
Laura Brown
Assistant Communications Marketing Manager
Nature Publishing Group
The Macmillan Building
4 Crinan Street
London, N1 9XW, UK
T: +44 (0)20 7843 460
E: l.brown@nature.com
Links:
www.nature.com