Random Thoughts 19

Posted on 6/14/2000 by Jim Pickerell | Printable Version | Comments (0)

319

RANDOM THOUGHTS 19




June 14, 2000





Images Scanned By Stock Agencies

In early 2000 StockAgencies.com conducted a phone and fax survey of 379 U.S.

based stock photo agencies and asked, "How many photographs does your agency have

scanned and keyworded for CD or web catalogs?"

Seventy three agencies (19% of the total queried) reported that they have a total

of 15,153,883 photos scanned and keyworded. Agencies reporting zero photos

scanned or which chose not to respond are not included in the 73. Few agencies

chose not to respond.

Six agencies reported 1 million or more images scanned. When these largest

agencies were excluded, the 67 remaining agencies had a total of 3,853,883

scanned and keyworded for an average of 57,521 photos per agency.

Forty four agencies reported 10,000 images or less scanned and keyworded. These

44 had a total of 134,883 images scanned and keyworded, averaging 3,066 per

agency.

Not indicated in the statistics were many comments by smaller agencies that

indicated development of consistent, ongoing scanning and keywording programs

that would result in dramatic increases of content available for digital

databases.

Digital Video Seminar

Want to learn more about commercial digital video? Adobe in running a series for

free three hour seminars around the country this summer. To register on-line go

to: http://www.adobe.com/dvtour.

The locations are: Seattle, June 21; Washington D.C., June 22; San Jose, June 22;

Orlando, June 28; Chicago, July 11; Dallas, July 12; New York, July 13, Burbank,

July 18; Toronto, July 18; San Diego, July 19.

Monkmeyer Closes

Monkmeyer Press Photo Service has announced that they will cease operations on

May 31, 2000. In explaining this move, Anita Duncan told photographers, "We have

found the competition from companies offering CD and on-line services, catalogs

and royalty free images too great."

All outstanding reproduction fees together with further fees in the pipeline will

be paid photographers. Images will be stored for six months and may be collected

per the photographer's instructions.

Ms. Duncan is asking each photographer who want their material to pay a fee of

$250 to help defray the costs of hiring staff to sort through the file. She

pledges to do everything to complete the shut down in a neat and orderly manner.

Worldwide Photographer Relations Manager For Stone

Paul Banwell has been named Worldwide Photographer Relations Manager for Stone.

Previousl Paul worked in gettyone UK marketing as Events Marketing Executive and

prior to that as Communications Officer for Stone.

His first priority is to revitalize the website where photographers communicate

with one another and Stone management.

Attack On Press Freedom in France

On 2 June 2000 241 journalists, reporters, photographers, and media and agency

directors from 28 countries gathered in Barcelona and expressed their utmost

concern about the limitations brought to the freedom of the press in France after

the vote, on Wednesday 24 May 2000, by 319 deputies in favor of the "Guigou" Law

proposed by the Ministry of Justice in France.

The meeting was on the occasion of the Spanish Light CEPIC Congress 2000

organized by the Spanish Association of Press and Stock Picture Agencies.

In spite of its positive aspects, the law prohibits in France the publication of

two categories of photographs :

  • photographs showing people in hand-cuffs "who have not yet been

    convicted".

  • photographs showing the circumstances of a crime or of an accident

    which "gravely affect the dignity of the victim".

The Congress participants hold the opinion that these two provisions infringe

article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights which establishes the

pre-eminence of the right to inform. They wish to affirm their support of all

categories of the French Press, photographers, journalists, publishers, directors

of press & stock picture agencies, in this matter.

While the law only directly publication of photos in France at the moment, the

Congress participatnts believe this may set a dangerous precedent for the

photography business in general.

In agreement with all the French Press, the Congress participants from Europe and

from the rest of the world, gathered in Barcelona on this 2 June 2000 think that

these provisions constitute a major and dangerous attack on the freedom of

information.

Discussions of this issue have been going on for quite a while now in France.

Some major French publications, such as PARIS-MATCH, have already said, and

written, that they will resist the law and continue to publish the concerned

photographs. They have indicated that they will be happy to go to court if they

are sued for publishing such pictures.


Copyright © 2000 Jim Pickerell. The above article may not be copied, reproduced, excerpted or distributed in any manner without written permission from the author. All requests should be submitted to Selling Stock at 10319 Westlake Drive, Suite 162, Bethesda, MD 20817, phone 301-461-7627, e-mail: wvz@fpcubgbf.pbz

Jim Pickerell is founder of www.selling-stock.com, an online newsletter that publishes daily. He is also available for personal telephone consultations on pricing and other matters related to stock photography. He occasionally acts as an expert witness on matters related to stock photography. For his current curriculum vitae go to: http://www.jimpickerell.com/Curriculum-Vitae.aspx.  

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