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RANDOM THOUGHTS 104
June 6, 2005
Jupiter Acquires Goodshoot
Jupitermedia Corporation has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary JupiterImages Corporation has acquired all of the shares of Goodshoot S.A.S (www.goodshoot.com), for approximately U.S. $9.8 million in cash. Goodshoot, based in Annecy-le-Vieux, France, is a leading resource for royalty free digital images for business users and creative professionals.
JupiterImages, now has over 7.0 million images online serving creative professionals. In the last year or so it has acquired many brands including: Comstock Images, Creatas Images, PictureQuest, Liquid Library, Thinkstock Images, Thinkstock Footage, Goodshoot Images, Photos.com, HemeraImages.com, Ablestock.com, PhotoObjects.net, Clipart.com and Animations.com; and JupiterWeb, the online media division of Jupitermedia which operates five distinct online networks: internet.com and EarthWeb.com for IT and business professionals; DevX.com for developers; ClickZ.com for interactive marketers; and Graphics.com, for creative professionals.
Alan M. Meckler, Chairman and CEO of Jupitermedia Corporation said,"The acquisition (of Goodshoot)adds another high quality collection of wholly-owned digitized stock photos to our image offerings, increasing our position as the largest owner of wholly-owned digitized images in the world. Goodshoot's operations in France complement our existing direct sales operations in the U.K. and Germany, and will enable further expansion of our JupiterImages business throughout Europe."
Goodshoot's 2003 revenue was around 2 million euros. 2004 revenue is believed to have been about 3.2 million euros or nearly $4 million U.S. This means that the $9.8 million sale price was about 2.5 times annual earnings. Most stock agencies that wholly own their imagery, as Goodshoot does, have been selling for around 2 times annual earning.
It is believed that Philippe Bigard, founder of Goodshoot, will continue to provide imagery for Goodshoot and JupiterImages.
Masterfile to Handle WireImageStock's Collection Internationally
Recently WireImageStock made an agreement with Masterfile for Masterfile to be its exclusive international sub-agent and co-licensor for its rights-managed collection. This distribution agreement makes the collection available in selected markets around the globe through Masterfile's main website (www.masterfile.com), as well as through its foreign-language websites and international sub-agent network. The collection is expected to be available on Masterfile's main website by mid-summer 2005.
WireImageStock.com, launched about a year ago has grown its collection to roughly 18,000 images. Its "Trend Bit" reports posted on its website have been a hit with art & creative directors and greatly improved brand recognition and sales revenues. They have 240 contributing photographers, ranging from the most established to emerging talent; and distributed their first catalog, "WireImageStock...we are what America looks like" to 20,000 art buyers around the country.
SuperStock Names Susan O'Brien VP
SuperStock, Inc. has named Susan O'Brien as Vice President of Global Channel and Product Management, a new position within the company.
Ms. O'Brien joins SuperStock from ChannelRevenue, a digital content consultancy she founded to assist stock agencies in developing and implementing international channel business strategies. She was also Business Development and International Channel Manager for Stockbyte where she increased its global roster of distributors to more than 100 partners.
Getty Production In India
Rumors are flying around Seattle that Getty Images has contracted with Visage Media Services to produce 50,000 new images in the next 12 months. Visage Media is expected to use all Asian photographers for this project -- mostly Indian. According to the rumors the photographers will work from shoot lists provided by Getty and will be under the supervision of Getty art directors. American photographers fear that the vast majority of these images will be designed specifically to compete in the U.S. and European markets.
But, the official word from Getty Images is as follows:
"Getty Images has signed a master delegate agreement with Visage Media Services, and as such we are encouraging Visage to create Indian content for the Indian market, as the local market needs a quality and quantity of local content that does not yet exist. However, our support is somewhat indirect. Visage will be doing their own research, art direction and editing, whilst we will be providing some insight and consultation on the process around these functions."
"In time we may take some of these images and license them via gettyimages.com to meet our customers' growing needs for Asian content; however, the bulk of the imagery that Visage will be creating will be designed specifically for the local market."
"We believe Visage will develop the market, driving a desire in customers for a new quality and range of imagery, both local and international. For photographers from other regions, this development of the Indian market will provide them with further opportunities to sell their imagery in a rapidly growing market."
Despite these assurances Western photographers, under contract to Getty, are concerned about the heavy competition they may eventually face from Indian photographers who can afford to work for much less than what a U.S. photographer needs to sustain a business.
They are also fearful because in the last year of so Getty editors have been accepting so few new images produced by these contract photographers and concentrating on getting an ever larger share of new imagery from 3rd Party agencies.
In addition in over three years Getty contract photographers have only been able to place 21,892 images into Photographers Choice even though they pay to participate in that service.
Picturearts Expands Nonstock Offering
PictureArts has announced an exclusive worldwide partnership with Untitled, a rights-managed picture company based in Kent, UK. Untitled is represented on the PictureArts website as a featured contributor within the Nonstock collection, and through selected agents worldwide.
Founded by UK photographer and filmmaker Nick Veasey, Untitled initially began with a collection of images that blurred the lines between science and photography. "We are extremely excited to partner with a strong and growing company like PictureArts," says Veasey. "From the unusual to the ethereal, the bizarre and the beautiful, Untitled is a truly unique collection that will benefit from PictureArts' distribution as a part of Nonstock."
"Untitled is from a group of eclectic photographers whose eye for modern imagery fits perfectly with the new direction for Nonstock," says Amy Osburn, Senior Director of Imagery for Nonstock.
Imagestate Signs Distribution Deal
Imagestate has signed a distribution deal with Hachette Filipacchi Photos. Imagestate will market and distribute photography from Hachette's historical, editorial and news collections and Hachette will distribute Imagestate's photography in France.
Under the terms of the agreement, Imagestate has been named the exclusive licensee for the stock images provided by Hachette in the U.S., Canadian and UK markets.
Finding Fine Art Photo Dealers
Photographers interested in selling their work as Fine Art might want to check out the site of The Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) at (www.photoshow.com). This organization was established in 1979 and is headquartered in Washington, DC.
On its site is a list of about 150 member dealers, not only in the U.S., but from around the world.