[Air-L] First Monday - Online session to discuss saving it? [EXTERNAL]

Tue Feb 10 12:47:10 PST 2026

Thanks, Dom. Unfortunately, you are correct. The timing is unfortunate.
Dang

On Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 9:30 AM Dominic Ford via Air-L <
air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:

> Dear Jacob,
>
> Frankly, I find it inappropriate that you would use this discussion about
> First Monday to promote your journal, chiefly because First Monday was
> famously and staunchly a diamond open access journal, while yours is not.
> Note this part of First Monday's description (
> https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/about):
>
> "First Monday has never subscribed to the notion that the article
> processing charges (APC) model is a version of open access publishing."
>
> You might disagree with that, but it makes it rather inappropriate to
> imply (by bringing it up in this discussion specifically) that this new
> journal is something of a successor, or somewhere where those who
> subscribed to First Monday's values should get involved.
>
> Reading your email and the journal's webpage, I have further issues with
> the journal (is it really 'peer reviewed' when one or more of those 'peers'
> seems to be an AI agent?), but I think that discussion should take place
> separately from this one about First Monday.
>
> Best regards,
> Dom
> ---
> [Graphics, UiB logo]
>
> Dom Ford
> Postdoctoral Research Fellow
>
> LEAD AI programme
> Center for Digital Narrative
> Department of Linguistics, Literary and Aesthetic Studies
> University of Bergen
> uib.no/en<https://www.uib.no/en>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Air-L <air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org> on behalf of Groshek, Jacob
> via Air-L <air-l at listserv.aoir.org>
> Sent: 09 February 2026 20:44
> To: Sarah Clinton-McCausland <sclinton at umd.edu>; air-l at listserv.aoir.org <
> air-l at listserv.aoir.org>; AoIR Association Coordinator <ac at aoir.org>
> Subject: Re: [Air-L] First Monday - Online session to discuss saving it?
> [EXTERNAL]
>
> Hi Colleagues,
>
> I'm joining this thread with both sadness and optimism.  Like many, I've
> had great experiences engaging with and publishing with First Monday over
> the years, and I'm dismayed to sit its discontinuation along with at least
> one other journal that recently reached a similar decision.
>
> Nearly a decade ago, after years and years of dead ends and bureaucracy, I
> helped to found and launch the free, open-source, self-published Journal of
> Communication Technology<https://www.joctec.net/home>  with the
> assistance of some great colleagues, collaborators, and volunteers who lent
> their time, their name, and more.  The world, as we all know, is changing,
> and while JoCTEC continues on, because I just can't help myself, I am
> working on launching a similar, new initiative with the AIxMedia Institute<
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aixmediainstitute.org/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!sr_l1-jd9F_4lYHAGNPN3V9y4Q103lRv0ETFD3aWTaYRUX7LieTkKKFnhGK-a5YGT_hmN9LUdlSyAuE9nYJ-EK5nzQ$>
> (a 501[c][3] nonprofit) I helped to found with some really great board
> members and colleagues.
>
> This may be a controversial opinion, but I would like to invite those who
> are interested to reach out about VIBING <
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aixmediainstitute.org/vibing/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!sr_l1-jd9F_4lYHAGNPN3V9y4Q103lRv0ETFD3aWTaYRUX7LieTkKKFnhGK-a5YGT_hmN9LUdlSyAuE9nYL6M1w37Q$>
> (Virtual Intelligence, Behavior, and Networks Group)<
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aixmediainstitute.org/vibing/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!sr_l1-jd9F_4lYHAGNPN3V9y4Q103lRv0ETFD3aWTaYRUX7LieTkKKFnhGK-a5YGT_hmN9LUdlSyAuE9nYL6M1w37Q$>—a
> new, nonprofit scholarly journal housed as an open-source journal freely
> available to the public within the AIxMedia Institute and built to address
> one of the most damaging failures in academic publishing today: time.
>
> Across media, communication, and AI-adjacent fields, high-quality research
> is being delayed months (and sometimes years) by overwhelmed editors and
> reviewers, which can derailing careers, grants, and tenure timelines. At
> the same time, author fees at many flagship open-access journals and book
> publishers have become prohibitively expensive—especially for early career
> and international scholars from the Global South in particular. The system
> is no longer aligned with the realities of contemporary research, where we
> need more research sooner rather than later.
>
> VIBING is designed to fix that—without sacrificing rigor.
>
> VIBING would be the first peer-reviewed academic journal that leans into a
> hybrid AI-human editorial process.  We are transparent about where we rely
> on humans and where we rely on technology.  Rather than running from AI
> technology, we embrace it.
>
> Our mission is simple but deliberately ambitious: to occupy a “purple
> ocean” space most publishers avoid—Fast + High Quality + Affordable. We do
> this not by cutting corners, but by redesigning the process of scholarly
> publishing. VIBING uses technology-enhanced multi-agent AI assisted
> editorial workflows to eliminate administrative bottlenecks, allowing
> expert reviewers to focus on ideas rather than logistics.
>
> Why VIBING is Different
>
>   *   Decision timelines of 1-2 weeks, not 8–12 months (or more)
>
>   *   Rigorous peer review, with a target rejection rate above 60%
>
>   *   Affordable APCs ($475 after launch), with fees waived for founding
> contributors
>
>   *   Continuous publication rather than issue-based delays
>
>   *   Full transparency about how speed is achieved—through efficiency,
> not reduced standards
>
> Your Role as a Founding [Author / Editorial Board Member]
>
> As a founding participant, you would help establish the intellectual and
> reputational foundation of the journal at a critical early moment.
>
> For Founding Authors:
>
>   *   Invitation-only submission during the soft launch phase
>
>   *   APC fully waived
>
>   *   Guaranteed first decision within 1-2 weeks
>
>   *   Permanent recognition as a Founding Author on the VIBING website
>
> For Editorial Board Members:
>
>   *   Visible leadership in shaping a next-generation journal
>
>   *
> Light initial service expectations during the launch phase such as sharing
> with your networks
>
>   *   Public affiliation that signals credibility and quality to tenure
> committees, authors, and indexers
>
>   *   Participation in defining best practices for ethical, transparent
> technology-enhanced review
>
> Why I’m Reaching Out
>
> I never expected First Monday would cease publishing but in the wake of
> that decision, I am intentionally recruiting scholars who combine
> methodological seriousness, interdisciplinary reach, and reputational
> credibility. Senior leaders and junior innovators are essential to
> signaling that fast and affordable publishing does not have to mean
> predatory or low quality.
>
> Again, to reiterate: VIBING would be the first peer-reviewed academic
> journal that leans into a hybrid AI-human editorial process.  We are
> transparent about where we rely on humans and where we rely on technology.
> Rather than running from AI technology, we embrace it.
>
> Put plainly: VIBING is not a shortcut journal. It is a mission-driven
> correction to a broken timeline—one that disproportionately harms
> early-career scholars and global researchers.
>
> Next Steps
>
> If this aligns with your values and interests, all you need to do is reply
> to me at jacob.groshek at childrens.harvard.edu and say I'm INterested!
> Then we can discuss what you have in mind that falls anywhere in the domain
> of AI and Media, and the contribution that you would like to make or see
> made.  If you are not interested, no worries.  One of the best things about
> VIBING is that we are topically agnostic, so you can throw the kitchen sink
> at us, and your work will help us stress test our AI-augmented review
> process.
>
> Either way, I would value additional perspectives as we finalize the
> journal’s public launch.  Thank you for considering being part of something
> intentionally different—and I believe urgently needed.   It is hard to know
> the future, but this is an invitation to work together transparently and
> collaboratively to do something meaningful 🙂
>
> Warm regards,
>
> Jacob
>
> --
>
> Dr. Jacob Groshek
> Visiting Scientist, Digital Wellness Lab Boston Children's / Harvard
> Medical<https://digitalwellnesslab.org/>
> Chair of Emerging Media Research, The A.Q. Miller School @ KSU<
> https://www.k-state.edu/media-communication/about/faculty/jacob-groshek.html
> >
> Executive Director, AIxMedia Institute<https://aixmediainstitute.org/> &
> Founding Editor, VIBING<https://aixmediainstitute.org/vibing/>
> President, Metro Boston NFL Flag Football<
> https://www.metrobostonsportsgroup.com>
>
> New Book: Misinformation Finds Them<
> https://www.peterlang.com/document/1515223> (FREE Open Source)
> Previously: Boston U | Erasmus U | IAST | Uni Melbourne
> jacobgroshek.com<http://jacobgroshek.com/> | google scholar<
> https://scholar.google.nl/citations?user=G1XXhccAAAAJ&hl=en>
> +1-857-615-4709
>
> ________________________________
> From: Air-L <air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org> on behalf of Sarah
> Clinton-McCausland via Air-L <air-l at listserv.aoir.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 11:10 AM
> To: Dang Nguyen <nguyenhonghaidang at gmail.com>
> Cc: Lyle Skains <lskains at bournemouth.ac.uk>; air-l at listserv.aoir.org <
> air-l at listserv.aoir.org>
> Subject: Re: [Air-L] First Monday - Online session to discuss saving it?
> [EXTERNAL]
>
> * External Email - Caution *
>
>
> Hi, all --
>
> I'm not able to participate in these efforts but excited to hear of First
> Monday's potential continuation! You're likely familiar with this resource
> already, but just in case, I wanted to pass along this *open access
> journals toolkit <
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.oajournals-toolkit.org/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNJmWm253g$
> >* created by DOAJ
> <
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://doaj.org/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNIZa_4l5w$
> > and OASPA <
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.oaspa.org/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNK2qXTBwQ$
> >. It guides OA
> journal teams with thinking through infrastructure, funding, archiving,
> etc. and may be of use in this situation.
>
> Take care,
> Sarah
> ---
> *Sarah Clinton-McCausland, **MLIS *(hear name
> <
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://namedrop.io/sarahclintonmccausland__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNJG7t59kg$
> >)
> *she/her*
> Humanities, Social Sciences & Open Education Librarian
> *→ **My subjects*: Journalism, Communication, Psychology, open access
> course materials
> *→ **Schedule an appointment**: **go.umd.edu/sarahcm
> <
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://go.umd.edu/sarahcm__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNI4pU3LMQ$
> >*
>
> University of Maryland Libraries
> 4239 McKeldin Library  |  College Park, MD 20742
> sclinton at umd.edu  |  301-405-9243  |  lib.umd.edu
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 9, 2026 at 10:55 AM Dang Nguyen via Air-L <
> air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>
> > Thanks Lyle, such a good idea! I'd love to be part of that Zoom.
> > Dang
> >
> > On Mon, Feb 9, 2026 at 7:03 AM Lyle Skains via Air-L <
> > air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi, all,
> > >
> > > Catching up on the First Monday discussions... Seems there are a number
> > of
> > > people interested in saving it. Would it be a good idea to host an
> online
> > > session over zoom with those interested? We could discuss potential
> ways
> > > forward, reaching out to current board, etc. It will require editors,
> but
> > > also hosting, web management, etc., so not without costs, even if time
> is
> > > volunteered.
> > >
> > > I'm happy to host/set a zoom.
> > >
> > > (apologies if the convo has moved on without me; I only get a daily
> > digest)
> > >
> > > Best,
> > > Lyle
> > >
> > >
> > > —
> > >
> > > Trans Rights are Human Rights
> > >
> > > —
> > >
> > > Dr. R. Lyle Skains (LIE-ul skaynz ~ she/her)
> > >
> > > Associate Professor in Literary Media
> > >
> > > Senior Fellow, HEA | UKCGE Recognised Research Supervisor
> > >
> > > Director, New Media Writing Prize<
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://newmediawritingprize.co.uk__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNIejR-pcA$
> >
> > >
> > > Directors member, Electronic Literature Organization<
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://eliterature.org__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNI_3aZIYw$
> >
> > >
> > > Faculty of Media, Science and Technology, Bournemouth University
> > >
> > > lskains at bournemouth.ac.uk<mailto:lskains at bournemouth.ac.uk> | Staff
> > > Profile<
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://staffprofiles.bournemouth.ac.uk/display/lskains__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNKLTb4kMA$
> >
> > >
> > > —
> > >
> > > Playable Comms<
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://playablecomms.org/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNKKtIajxQ$
> >: Interactive Digital Narrative
> > > for Health & Science Communication
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Winner of the 2023 N. Katherine Hayles Award<
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://eliterature.org/elo-awards/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNJX_RxQyA$
> > for Criticism in Electronic
> > > Literature, Neverending Stories: The Popular Emergence of Digital
> > Fiction<
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/neverending-stories-9781501364938/__;!!NZvER7FxgEiBAiR_!qrGLR53elHrZHb9FuM45NCgYnsGUujM0Yx0UbTt2I150zketIpb64niXG-9q4r1wovCn0OiC17qsPeirhtDzCG9tXNLGy3dB1w$
> >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
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