The magazines are right... (Score 2, Insightful)

It's simple in my view... the tax-payer pays for the research and the magazine-subscriber pays for the peer-review and the consequent confidence in the ACCURACY of the research. Separating the funding of these two activities is important - it ensures that responsibilities for each are not mixed, and that there is no conflict of interest. This is in the best interests of all, especially at a time when science/scientists seem to be regarded with some suspicion by the public (due largely to ill-informed/educated media hyperbole).