Amongst the characteristics that can be considered as negative factors in our culture of scientific publication, recent Interciencia editorials have touched upon problems referring to the language, the structure and training of editorial bodies, and the lack of punctual appearance. Another aspect that deserves to be analyzed is that related to the distribution and marketing of scientific journals.

In a previous editorial, the existence of journals of undoubted quality in the region was commented, as was also the need that our researchers use them to publish their findings and ideas, that our researchers, teachers and students read them and that, finally, our authors cite them. It was indicated, however, that out of some twenty thousand periodicals included in Latindex, approximately one in fifty have been considered to integrate the collections of Scielo and Redalyc, and close to one in five hundred are included in the indexes of ISI, the latter being a universal indicator of presence in the so-called mainstream science.

Each group of science and technology professionals, be part of a research center, specialized or not, a university school, a professional society or an association of scientists, wants and tries to produce its own dissemination medium. In each case this is a result of diverse reasons, such as identity, pride, competition, distrust, need, etc.

In a given country or region, small as it may be, and often in one and the same institution journals are published with duplicity in titles or coverage. It is also common to find stored journals that have not been distributed opportunely, while the titles that are able to accumulate a significant proportion of subscriptions paid for by interested institutions or audiences are relatively scarce.

Why not focus the problem from the standpoint of the market? Scientific journals, as well as all things that serve a given sector of the population or that are sold, certainly have a market. Those responsible for each of them should be obliged to study such a market, determine its interests, size and reach. As well as the mentioned title or coverage duplication, it is surprising to find the extremely small numbers of issues and of copies of many journals, an aspect that has a direct incidence in their unitary production costs.

The size of the market is what determines in each case the numbers of printed copies. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the market of journals from scientific societies and interest groups, perhaps with the exception of the Brazilian, is of the order of one tenth, and sometimes one hundredth or less of that of the European or North American. The goal cannot be that of competing, with the risk of failure, but that of improving the qualitative and quantitative aspects of our scientific journals.

The consolidation of related publications and the joint effort could become elements that would help substantially in the arduous path of obtaining adequate funding and, even more, could help reach larger audiences and overcome the always present difficulties in distribution.

One of the main advantages of electronic journals is that of avoiding costly distribution problems of printed versions. However, there is still a long time to go before the informatics networks and needed changes in reading habits will substitute the printed publication. While the time for the latter to be unnecessary arrives, adapting to a real market and reducing duplicities and costs though rationalization and joint efforts is a must.

Miguel Laufer, Editor Interciencia