[sampo]

> A paper on the subject would almost be considered uninteresting, and a high ranking journal would ignore it (which is why it's considered "unpublishable").

There is a range of journals from high ranking to solid mid-level to lower tiers to somewhat suspicious to downright obviously pay-to-publish. You can always find a level that will publish your article.

[valarauko]

The problem in such cases usually isn't in finding a willing journal, but constraints on the authors. For example, during my PhD at a leading biological research institute in India, there was an informal ban on sending manuscripts to open access journals - a rule instituted by the Director, who's office had to approve every submission. At some point this ban was extended to conference proceedings, or journals below a certain Impact Factor. These rules might have been overturned by subsequent administrations, I don't know.