This issue contains articles on: Margins or Profits?;iStockphoto Updates Site; Getty Moves to Micropayments; Getty Revenue Up For 2005; Photographer's Choice Survey Results; Jupiter Makes More Acquisitions; Increased Still Image Use; Grill on Return-per-image; Royalties Plunging; Trademark Bill Pending; Acquisitions and more.
This issue has stories on: Corbis Announces 2005 Revenue; Index Stock Hit By Check Scam; New TrendWatch Statistics; WireImageStock Expands Content; AP Photographers To Shoot Stock; Photononstop Leading Independent Agency in France; New Positions For Experienced Professionals.
Which is more important, Margins or Profits? I consulted a group of analysts who follow Getty Images and/or Jupitermedia and all but one who responded said PROFITS. Both companies are very focused on increasing margins, but here's why I think they may need to accept a slight decrease in margins in order to grow revenues and profits.
This edition includes items on: Picturesque Does Semi-Shutdown; Jupiter Acquires The Beauty Archive; Jupiter Pulls Brands Off Getty; Getty Images Changes Tune On iStockphoto; Royalties Plunging and Why Getty's Stock Price Has Fallen
This group of releases includes: ASMP Asks for Legislative Action on HR 683; OnAsia Images Announces Distribution Partnership with laif in Germany; Beateworks Announces IPN as Adobe Bridge Portal; OnAsia Digital's Keyword Database Sets Industry Milestone; Digital Railroad Names Ryall VP of Marketing; and ShutterStock Offers Footage.
This story gives a picture of the consolidation that has taken place in the industry over the last few years, provides a breakdown of the companies that have been acquired and the acquirer. It also outlines some of the effects acquisitions have had on photographers.
Getty Images has moved into the micropayment market for stock photography with the purchase of iStockphoto for $50 million. Industry sources estimate that iStockphotos gross annual revenue for 2005 was between $5 and $8 million. The fee for using an iStockphoto image starts at $1.00.
Tom Grill says when comparing RPI from one
agency to another, photographers must keep in
mind the number of selects along with the type
of material that is being selected. The overall
return from the shoot takes precedence.
Jupiterimages has acquired all of the shares of Stock Image S.A.S (www.stockimage.fr) for approximately U.S. $11.1 million in cash. This includes the Stock Image RM brand and its RF Pixland (www.pixland.fr) brand.
This group of releases includes: Jupiterimages Invests in Hungarian stock sites Stock.xchng and Stockxpert.com; Football Association Signs UK's Action Images as Photo Partner; IView and Alamy Reveal Pro-Photo Tool; PunchStock & UpperCut Opens New York City Office; SuperStock Opens New York City Office; and SAA's "Thinking Stock" Event In London.
This survey will attempt to measure the income and expense trends for photographers between 2004 and 2005, as well as the percent of income photographers are receiving from the three major brands relative to the income from all other stock agencies. There is also a separate survey for agencies and portals. Everyone can participate including non-subscribers.
Getty Images reported revenue for Q4 of 2005 of $185.8 million compared to $162.1 million for Q4 of 2004 and $184.5 million in the previous quarter. Investors are unhappy because Getty didn't meet analysts expectations.
This group of releases includes: Jupiterimages Names New Creative Team Leaders; ShutterStock Acquires Photosights.com; Media Bakery to Represent Index Stock RM; Index Stock Imagery Expands to the Czech Republic; Beateworks Announces Inclusion in Pearson Asset Library; ASPP Announces Sponsors of March 2006 Education Conference; The Trust for Public Land to Underwrite EcoPhotography's Next Book Project; and the UK's Capture, Ltd. Launches a New Online System.
This edition includes items on: PhotoAlto Produces RM Collection; iStockphoto Updates Site; Getty Or Jupiter; Picture House In Chicago; End of an Era for Nikon; More Acquisitions For Amana; Reuse Fees; PictureArts Images Removed From Getty Site; Newspaper Reading; and New Stock Photo Information Resource.
After reading Story 790 Jeff Burke of JupiterImages called to my attention that JIUnlimited.com in not JupiterImages primary web site. Rather, "Jupiterimages.com is the JI 'mothership' website" and currently has over 740,000 images on it. This story provides updated numbers for Jupiter and expanded information on other portals.
Our Photographer's Choice survey showed that photographers received an average of $236.56 per image for all the PC images they had on the Getty site in 2005. The sum of all income reported was $254,540 for a total of 1,076 images.
Is there likely to be increased use of still images? Not of the generic and concept type imagery that so many are shooting. In this article I explain why.
This group of releases includes: Amana Buys Japanese Stock Agency Orion; Jupiter Acquires Animation Factory; The Peter Arnold Group Grows as a Specialist Portal; Virtual Picture Desk will Distribute Italy's De Agostini Images; and John Birdsall Social Issues Photo Library uses TheDataArchive for Site Enhancements.
This issue has the following stories: Getty's Plans For 2006; Photographer's Choice Survey; RPI Going Down At Getty; Return Per Image; Photographer Income Trends; From Medio to Glow; Advertising Conditions Ahead; Jupiter 3rd Quarter and New Acquisitions; A21 Third Quarter; ISIA Online; PLUS Glossary; Adobe Adds 2 Brands; Hart To Head ImageState; and Photospin International Strategy.
This edition contains stories on More Jupiter Acquisitions; Correction Concerning Black Star; Photographer's Choice Survey Clarifications; ISIA Online - New Association; and Adobe Adds Two More Brands
A few photographers have provided me with detailed income figures that point to some surprising and disturbing trends including: selling RF can actually earn you more than RM;
search order positions impact; and declining revenue from Photographer's Choice.
Getty Images has announced that the company expects 2006 revenue of approximately $820 million to $840 million and earnings per diluted share in the range of $2.70 to $2.85. In addition the company has outlined its plans for 2006 for investment analysts.
Anecdotal information indicates that the average return-per-image of Photographer's Choice images on Gettyimages.com has been dropping. I've prepared a survey to give a clearer understanding of the degree to which this might be happening. All responses to this survey will be anonymous.
This package of releases includes: Business Conditions Ahead from TWGA; PhotoSpin "Franchises" International Distribution; Corbis Expands Partnership With PicScout; PictureHouse Starts Monthly Promotion; Purestock Grows To 16,000 Images; SuperStock Supports UK Expansion; and Veer Receives Record Number of Awards.
With most photo news being handled by large wire-service and Internet conglomerates, some smaller independents, such as Polaris, WPN and ZUMA, are making waves in the industry.