Selecting a suitable journal requires more than checking its reputation. Researchers should consider whether the manuscript matches the journal’s scope, its current indexing and quartile, publication charges, peer-review model and likely editorial timeline.

The comparison below uses the latest publicly available information checked in July 2026. SCImago figures refer to 2025 SJR data. Quartiles, fees and editorial timelines may change, so authors should always verify the latest information on the official journal and indexing websites before submission.

1. Journal of Communication

Main focus:

Communication theory and research across media effects, audiences, political communication, technology and interpersonal communication.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 2.080

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. Authors may use the normal subscription route without choosing open access. An APC applies only when optional open-access publication is selected. Institutional agreements or discounts may apply.

Publicly reported editorial time:

A dependable journal-wide average was not publicly stated on the official pages reviewed.

2. Digital Journalism

Main focus:

Digital news, platforms, artificial intelligence, misinformation, newsroom transformation, data journalism and emerging journalistic practice.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 3.807

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. No compulsory APC for normal subscription publication. An optional open-access charge applies when the author chooses open access.

Publicly reported editorial time:

First decision: 7 days

First post-review decision: 92 days

Acceptance to online publication: 11 days

3. Journalism Studies

Main focus:

Journalism theory, professional practice, news institutions, audiences, media systems and the social role of journalism.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 1.945

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. Standard publication normally has no mandatory APC. Optional open-access publication may involve a fee.

Publicly reported editorial time:

First decision: 8 days

First post-review decision: 97 days

Acceptance to online publication: 13 days

4. Journalism Practice

Main focus:

Professional journalism practice, newsroom routines, reporting methods, innovation, journalism education and reflective practitioner research.

SCImago 2025:

Authors should verify the current category-specific quartile before submission.

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. Standard subscription publication normally does not require an APC. Optional open access is chargeable.

Publicly reported editorial time:

First decision: 3 days

First post-review decision: 144 days

Acceptance to online publication: 13 days

5. New Media & Society

Main focus:

Digital media, internet cultures, platforms, identity, social change, technology, regulation and online participation.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 2.723

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. Authors may publish through the normal route without selecting paid open access. Optional open access may involve an APC.

Publicly reported editorial time:

A reliable current journal-wide average was not publicly stated in the official material reviewed.

6. Information, Communication & Society

Main focus:

Digital society, communication technologies, platforms, social inequality, networks, governance and technological change.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 1.793

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. No compulsory APC for standard publication. Optional open-access charges should be verified on the official publisher page.

Publicly reported editorial time:

Researchers should check the official journal metrics page for current editorial averages.

7. Media, Culture & Society

Main focus:

Critical research on media institutions, culture, power, ideology, political economy, audiences and social change.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 1.957

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. The standard route generally does not require an APC. Optional open-access publication may involve a fee.

Publicly reported editorial time:

A dependable journal-specific average was not publicly stated in the official sources reviewed.

8. Social Media + Society

Main focus:

Social platforms, online communities, politics, identity, law, psychology, culture and the social consequences of digital media.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 2.088

Publication model and APC:

Fully open access. An APC normally applies after acceptance, although institutional agreements, discounts or waivers may reduce the amount. Authors should verify the current fee before submission.

Publicly reported editorial time:

The official material reviewed confirms peer review but does not provide a dependable journal-wide average.

9. International Journal of Communication

Main focus:

Broad international communication research, journalism, media industries, political communication, culture and digital media.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 0.672

Publication model and APC:

Open access. The journal has historically published without charging authors an APC. Applicants should reconfirm the current policy before submission.

Publicly reported editorial time:

No official average editorial timeline was identified in the sources reviewed.

10. Mass Communication and Society

Main focus:

Media effects, audiences, communication psychology, mass communication theory, political communication and quantitative media research.

SCImago 2025:

Q1

SJR: 1.273

Publication model and APC:

Hybrid journal. The standard subscription route generally has no compulsory APC. Optional open-access publication may involve a charge.

Publicly reported editorial time:

Authors should consult the current official journal metrics page for editorial turnaround information.

How to Understand the Journal Metrics

SCImago Quartile

SCImago groups journals within a subject category into four quartiles. Q1 represents the highest quarter, followed by Q2, Q3 and Q4.

A journal may appear in more than one subject category and can have different quartiles in different categories.

SJR

The SCImago Journal Rank is a citation-based prestige indicator calculated from Scopus data.

It considers both the number of citations received and the influence of the journals from which those citations originate.

Article Processing Charge

An APC is a fee paid for publishing an article as open access.

A hybrid journal generally allows authors to choose between:

Standard subscription publication, which normally has no compulsory APC

Optional open-access publication, which may require an APC

Fully open-access journals may charge a mandatory APC, although some receive institutional support and publish without charging authors.

Waivers, institutional agreements and country-based discounts may also be available.

First Decision and Post-Review Decision

A short first-decision time does not necessarily mean that peer review is completed quickly.

First-decision figures often include desk rejections.

The first post-review decision is therefore more useful for estimating the time required when a manuscript is actually sent to external reviewers.

Before Submitting a Manuscript

Researchers should verify:

Whether the manuscript clearly matches the journal’s aims and scope

Current Scopus and Web of Science indexing

Current SCImago quartile and subject category

Article type and word limit

Peer-review model

Open-access options and APC

Institutional agreements or waiver eligibility

Data-sharing and research-ethics requirements

AI-use disclosure requirements

Current editorial and publication timelines

Important Caution

Quartiles, SJR values, impact indicators, APCs and editorial timelines can change.

Publisher-reported timelines are averages and do not guarantee how long an individual manuscript will take.

Authors should verify all details through the official journal website, SCImago, Scopus Sources and the Clarivate Master Journal List before submission.

Information checked: July 2026