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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 :
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.