Abstract
The year 2023 marks the publication of the eighth volume of Communication and the Public (CAP). It is gratifying to see that the COVID-19 pandemic has come to an end after 3 years of upheaval. However, despite the passing of the pandemic, our society still faces various risks, encompassing health risks such as influenza, environmental risks like Japan’s release of nuclear wastewater, and security risks such as the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Israel-Palestine conflict. In this risk society, it is essential to establish social trust and resilience to effectively respond to crises and risks. Doing so not only helps us navigate through crises but also facilitates the restoration of normalcy in our lives.
Considering the current global landscape characterized by numerous risks and crises, we appreciate the unwavering commitment of the community of scholars who diligently serve as authors and reviewers. Their collective efforts contribute to the formation of a research community that tackles complex inquiries, challenges existing paradigms, and pushes the boundaries of our understanding of media and communication in all its multifaceted aspects. CAP remains committed to enriching communication scholarship through impactful research. This endeavor is made possible by the valuable contributions and support of our authors, reviewers, editorial members, and readers. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of them.
We are excited to declare a significant milestone for CAP: starting from September 2023, our journal has transitioned to an Open Access model, eliminating any article processing charges for authors. This move toward open access ensures that the articles published in our journal will enjoy increased visibility, thereby enhancing their potential for citations. We anticipate that this initiative will facilitate the flow and encourage the widespread dissemination of scientific knowledge, ultimately nurturing a more resilient academic community.
CAP continues to make consistent progress and advance in scholarly impact: (a) In SCOPUS, CAP obtained an upgraded CiteScore of 3.2, ranking as a Q1 Communication Journal and demonstrating an impressive 88% improvement compared to the 2021 measurement. (b) In Web of Science (WoS), CAP attained an impressive Impact Factor (JIF) of 3.6, positioning it as the Top 1 ranked ESCI Communication Journal. Moreover, CAP’s Journal Citation Indicator (JCI) increased to 0.6, showcasing an 82% improvement compared to the 2021 measurement. (c) CAP has also been indexed in the core journal list of French information communication since 2022.
In 2023, we received the highest number of original submissions on record, reaching 163. This marked a significant increase of 26.4% compared to the previous year, attracting authors from more than 42 countries/regions worldwide. This growth reflects a positive trend for our journal. Furthermore, our acceptance rate has seen a notable increase, rising from 12% to 22%. It is important to note that we do not set a specific acceptance rate, but rather allow the review process to operate freely. In 2023, we successfully published 26 articles, a significant improvement from the 15 articles published in 2022.
We extend our sincere gratitude to our dedicated reviewers who have diligently provided valuable feedback to authors. While the average time to reach a first decision has experienced a slight increase to 112 days, we recognize that there have been occasional instances where the feedback process has taken longer. We have actively worked toward maintaining flexibility with deadlines for both authors and reviewers. We deeply appreciate not only the high-quality work that authors continue to submit to our journal but also their patience throughout the review process. It is through their contributions and understanding that we are able to maintain the excellence of Communication and the Public.
While the statistics and metrics certainly indicate the continuous progress of CAP, it is important to emphasize that these measures do not fully capture the depth and quality of the scholarly discourse that unfolds within its pages. The invaluable contributions made by our authors, reviewers, editorial board members, advisory board members, and editorial team play a pivotal role in fostering this enriching conversation. We express our sincerest gratitude to all who actively participate in shaping the intellectual dialogue.
In closing, we are delighted to announce that we will be hosting a roundtable discussion titled “30 Years of the Chinese Internet and Beyond” at the upcoming Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in Gold Coast, Australia. We warmly invite all of you to join us for this event and look forward to meeting you in Australia.