Andrew Murphy, the editor of the early issues of the Fibreculture Journal, makes some interesting remarks in introducing the first issue of the journal.

There are many who say that publishing today - especially the publishing of new ideas - is in trouble. In many ways, this is hard to argue with, especially as regards commercial academic publishing. At the same time it is, in fact, a very exciting time for publishing. Just as a revolution in music publishing and online distribution has changed the nature of music, new technologies have meant new modes of delivery and new forms of distribution are currently changing the way we engage with ideas. Perhaps most exciting is that it is suddenly much easier for new voices to find publication outside of the established academic presses, and to find new communities that are prepared to give these voices a context.