Watch Paywall: The Business of Scholarship

Paywall: The Business of Scholarship is a documentary film that delves into the world of academic publishing and the pay-to-read model that dominates the industry. Released in 2018, the film is directed by Jason Schmitt and features interviews with scholars, publishers, and researchers who have first-hand experience with the academic publishing industry.

The film presents its argument in a straightforward manner, showcasing how scholarly articles are typically locked behind paywalls or available only to those with access to academic institutions. This model is shown to be problematic because it creates a barrier to entry for anyone outside the academic community who wants to access and build upon the research findings. This, in turn, hampers the progress of innovation and innovation-related research as well as equal access to information.

The documentary presents a series of talking heads, from authors and editors to publishers and corporations, all of whom contribute to the release of scholarly publications. Some, such as the founder of the Public Library of Science (PLOS), Randy Schekman, suggest the current model is flawed and antiquated. Schekman’s nonprofit organization promotes open-access publishing, bypassing restrictions on access often perceived in existing paywall-based models. Another point of view is shared by Springer, a major player in the academic publishing industry, which argues that it has no choice but to continue charging for access to scholarly articles in order to stay afloat.

The film draws attention to the enormous profit margins of some of the companies in the academic publishing industry, who might even generate more revenue than high-profile mega companies such as Apple. The documentary reveals that these companies receive a significant portion of their revenue from journal subscriptions or from the pay-per-read model of article access. The film argues that such pay-to-read models make scholarly research inaccessible to underprivileged populations, as many institutions simply cannot afford the subscription fees necessary to access the content. This is demonstrated through interviews with scholars from lesser-funded universities who struggle to access the research relevant to their fields.

The argument is supported by various statistics presented during the film, such as that around 70 percent of scholarly articles are hidden behind paywalls or other forms of restricted access. This figure puts into context just how much research is difficult to access without paying enormous fees to scholarly publishers.

The documentary takes on a didactic though approachable tone, the way documentaries usually do, to impart to its audience the importance of open-access scholarly publishing. Through interviews with experts, Paywall: The Business of Scholarship conveys a pressing issue affecting academics and the general public that needs acknowledgment and support. It's aimed at anyone who has an interest in scholarly publishing, not just academics, as the film states that open access to research would positively impact society at large.

In sum, Paywall: The Business of Scholarship is a thought-provoking documentary that challenges the existing system of academic publishing. The film argues that scholarly publishing ought to be more transparent and accessible for all, rather than the industry being used solely for the benefit of profit and profit-making organizations. Interviews with industry professionals provide a greater understanding of the moral concerns related to pay-to-read models in academic publishing. Although the film by no means offers a one-size-fits-all solution to this complex issue, it raises important questions worthy of further discussion. Overall, it's a powerful documentary that encourages a much-needed open discussion between relevant stakeholders and the broader public.

Paywall: The Business of Scholarship is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 4 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7.