SCM 2020: From an Online Journal towards a Communication Hub

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The German Communication Research Association (DGPuK) is publishing the online journal Studies in Communication I Media (SCM) in cooperation with the publishing house Nomos. SCM is an open access journal since 2014, as the first journal in communication science in Germany. It has become a well-known communication platform within the last three years.Our aim is to strengthen the position of SCM sustainably until the year 2020 by adding features to the existing website which will move SCM from being just an online journal towards being a communication hub for scholars. Even young scholars are using the web in general and social networks in particular to disseminate findings of their research, share their ideas and comment on thoughts. This is an obvious result of meta-trends like the mediatization and an obvious change in the public role from a passive user to an active, collaborating produser. These trends are beneficial especially for open access journals. Hence, we want to enhance the social character of SCM as a platform for scientific exchange to improve its value for the scientific community as well as the visibility of scholars publishing in SCM. To achieve this goal we will develop a content strategy for social media activities as well as a dedicated bundle of features and services which are needed to link the SCM platform with social networks like for instance Facebook or Researchgate. This could be interfaces as well as embedded services like push annotations etc. To make sure that these features will meet the needs of SCM users, we will develop them in an open innovation process. All stakeholders of SCM like authors, editors, and user will be involved in this process. Additionally strategy development and data collection will alternate to make sure that the user perspective is incorporated at each step of the innovation process. The first step of this process is a desk research on approaches which link scientific journals to social network. We will look worldwide for ideas, which could be worth to be adapted to SCM. The results of this step will be used in a workshop with lead users to gain advantage of their experience and knowledge regarding digital tools and social networks for scientists. We will take their ideas to come up with a first draft of a content strategy. This draft will be evaluated by international experts like for instance editors of international journals on communication science using a Delphi technique. We will adapt our content strategy based on the Delphi results and will discuss it with members of SCM target group to make sure that the strategy is in line with its users demands. Afterwards we will develop the IT features which are needed to roll out the strategy. Finally we will define and measure key performance indicators to evaluate the impact of our strategy. Simultaneously we will put efforts in SCM becoming a member of the SSCI to improve international visibility.