News Analysis
This article examines in detail how search results are being delivered on Gettyimages.com. Both photographers and agencies that have images on the site will want to carefully consider this information and the changes that have recently taken place.
Jupitermedia Corporation has acquired all of Hemera Technologies Inc. for approximately U.S. $7.3 million in cash. Hemera sells RF images on CD and DVD as well as by download over the Internet, individually or through subscription, through its Ablestock.com and ImageExpress.com web sites.
Image Source in conjunction with Rex Features has developed a new rational for offering RF to Editorial buyers at lower than normal RF prices. They will be offering "one-time" use to RF images rather than "unlimited use" for what editorial users normally pay to license RM images.
Industry consolidation continues as Corbis, the second largest seller of still stock images, moves to acquire Zefa, the third largest seller. Gross revenue for Corbis in 2003 was about $140 million and they have projected $164 million for 2004. Zefa is reported to have had annual sales of about $43 million in 2003.
Jupitermedia has reported revenues for the third quarter of 2004 of $18.8 million compared to revenues of $13.3 million for the same period in 2003. Net income for the third quarter was $5.1 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $653,000 or $0.02 per diluted share, for the same period last year.
In this issue there are stories on: Stockphotofinder.com, Blend Images, SAA White Paper on RF, Klein Outlines Growth Plans, Picturearts Expands Creative Team, Digital Railroad, More Major Acquisitions??, Dynamic Graphics Buys IT Stock, New Getty Suppliers and Image Breakdown, GD:USA Annual Stock Survey and Getty Third Quarter Results
The New York Federal District Court has issued a ruling that will make it very difficult for photographers to make significant recoveries for unauthorized uses of their images unless the images were registered in advance. This ruling also makes it imperative for photographers to register their images prior to offering them for licensing. And finally, the ruling may encourage more unauthorized use because the penalties for such are less severe.
Jupitermedia has announced a new low-priced subscription service for Comstock images called Comstock 1700k Subscription. Customers may acquire rights to unlimited use of 20,000 Comstock images for an annual fee of $1,199.
Getty Images has announced the opening of the largest photo bureau operating in Beijing as well as the addition of six editorial image collections including Aurora, Christian Science Monitor and National Geographic.
Bahar Gidwani provides useful information on the stock industry on his blog at www.dimdump.com. In this article I have reprinted, with permission, a two part series on Business Abstracts and his story on Editorial vs. Advertising vs. Foreign to give you a flavor of what he has to offer.
This story includes items on: PACA Names Executive Director, Epison Visual Search in Photoshop Elements, Are Average RM Prices Climbing?, Are Digital Files TOO Sharp?, Index Launches Subscription Site, OnRequest And Index Partner, and Trade Association Conference Dates Set.
Photographers and small stock agencies have a new option to consider called tockPhotoFinder.com as they attempt to compete with Getty and Corbis. This search engine will out-Google Google when
Looking for pictures. Image suppliers receive 100% of the fee negotiated for the use of their
images. See why.
Getty Images has reported that third quarter revenue grew 17.4 percent to $153.5 million compared to $130.8 million in the third quarter of 2003. Net income for the third quarter was $26.7 million or $0.44 per diluted share, compared to $9.4 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the same quarter in 2003.
Included are short items on SAA Launches Investigative Study Using Picscout, RF Pricing, Getty To Launch "Royalty-free Zone", A21's Real Estate Move.
Included are stories on: Dynamic Graphics Buys IT Stock, Beateworks To Represent Garden Picture Library, Getty Supplier List and Image Statistics, Jupitermedia Acquires Megapixel.net and Workbook Releases Fine Art Catalog.
This contains a response to my comments about SAA White Paper:Understanding Stock Licensing Models, PACA 9th International Conference, Veer Modifies Strategy and SAA Cautions Photographers On Blend Split.
This article has short items on Selling Stock's New Classified Ad Service, Getty Offers E-Data Facts, Overseas Printers Competing for U.S. Printing Jobs, Life Magazine Back, SuperStock To Use PicScout, Getty Offering Editorial Grants,
and News From PhotoShop World Conference.
For 18 years Graphic Design:USA has published an annual Stock Visual Survey. Over 1200 surveys were mailed this year. This article summarizes some of the important findings of that survey.
A group of veteran stock shooters have partnered to form Blend Images, a Royalty Free production company with the aim of producing a contemporary, targeted collection of multi-ethnic people in business and lifestyle situations". However, this company does not intend to market any of these images directly to customers, but rather to rely on a network of distributors to handle the marketing.
This article has a Correction on the "Visual Search at Masterfile" story in the last newsletter, New 3rd Party Suppliers at Getty, new Media Bakery site and Stock Photo Advertisers in GD:USA.
Digital Railroad is offering a new online tool designed to help photographers manage their archiving and distribution workflow. Among other things it enables them to get keyworded digital files to their agencies in a more timely and cost effective manner. The agencies VII, AINA and Webistan, Reza's Paris-based agency, are among more than 200 early adoptors of the technology.
This story includes short items on: PACA Seeks Executive Director, SAA White Paper on RF, Klein Outlines Growth Plans, PictureArts Expands Creative Team and Copshots.com
This issue includes stories on: Zefa For Sale?,Amana IPO, JupiterMedia Q2 Results, Jupiter Acquires ThinkStock,A21 Second Quarter Results, Advertising Shift, Upper Cut Images, Getty Second Quarter Results, Reinventing Advertising, Visual Search At Masterfile, Digital Creation Or Film? and more.
There is certainly lots of unauthorized use of pictures found on the Internet, but much of it may be truly innocent because people don't understand what they can and cannot use. This story offers a suggestion that might make it easier to educate the masses.
In July, amana (parent company of Photonica) floated an IPO on the Tokyo "Mothers" market for 38.88% of its stock. They sold 485,000 of their 1,216,200 shares and raised about $100 million. Based on the share price in mid-July the company is valued at about $460 million.