Photography, illustration and archival images
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01 April 2003 Getty Images and Agence France-Presse (AFP) Enter Into Partnership to Increase Breadth, Depth, Reach and Quality AFP and Getty Images join forces to cover the world in pictures Getty Images (NYSE: GYI), the world's leading imagery company, and Agence France-Presse, the worldwide multilingual and multimedia news agency, today announced a strategic relationship to provide customers around the world with a comprehensive news photography service that leverages the complementary strengths and experiences of the two partners. The goal of the agreement is to increase the breadth, depth, reach and quality of services provided to their customers. The agreement is pending regulatory approval and is expected to be implemented during the second quarter of this year. Over the past few years, Getty Images has made a concerted effort to build its news, sports and entertainment photography business. The growth of this part of the Getty Images portfolio has been based on a strong focus on the highest quality photography, the creation of an all-digital offering from the point of capture to the desktop of the customer and a very powerful web site. This blend of news agency quality, combined with wire service speed, relevance and accessibility, has led to awards, newspaper and magazine covers around the globe and a distinct and compelling look at the news of the day. Today, Getty Images works with more than 250 staff and freelance photographers around the world covering the top news, sport and entertainment stories each day. This team moves between 700 and 1,000 live photos each day through picture desks in New York and London that operate 24/7. In the past two years, Getty Images News and Sport photographers have been honored with more than 30 awards from the top photographic bodies around the world. First established in 1835, AFP made its mark in history by breaking many important news stories during the 20th century. AFP is one of only three world news agencies with a genuine global reach, and has a long-established reputation for reliability and speed. It offers services in eight languages, on all platforms, using the most advanced technologies available. AFP's international news photo service, launched in 1985, is produced by more than 300 staff photographers and hundreds of stringers. Every day, 1,000 top quality news photographs are available on the photo wire or the web-based database ImageForum, capturing war, turmoil, sport, fashion, celebrities and the simple day-to-day lives of ordinary people around the world. The Agency's coverage of events is consistently on the front pages of newspapers and magazines around the globe and has earned AFP numerous awards, notably the World Press Photo 2000. Under the terms of the agreement, Getty Images will have exclusive rights for the marketing of AFP images in North America and the United Kingdom. AFP will market Getty Images' photography covering North America to its daily newspaper subscribers in the rest of the world. The two companies have also agreed on an enhanced offer of single image sales, through their own offices and a network of third-party sales agents. Getty Images will for the first time be able to market to its United States clients truly comprehensive photo coverage of world events, to complement its own focus on superior quality imagery of the top news stories. AFP has built a reputation second to none over the last 15 years for its breaking news photo services, and is especially known for the depth with which it covers world affairs, especially in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific region. With access to images produced by Getty Images, AFP will be able to expand its coverage of North American sports, news and personalities, areas in which Getty Images has excelled and thrived. "This agreement is of major importance for AFP," said Bertrand Eveno, Chairman and CEO of Agence France-Presse. "Internationally, AFP is second-to-none in the photo coverage of breaking news. The AFP credit appears every day on front pages around the world, as most recently confirmed by AFP coverage of the war in Iraq. Getty Images' superb coverage of North America, including sports and celebrities, is the perfect complement, and will strengthen AFP's position as a major actor in photo news, servicing top newspapers worldwide and especially in Europe." "Getty Images is proud to be associated with AFP and its rich history of journalistic excellence," said Jonathan Klein, co-founder and chief executive officer of Getty Images. "We view their choice to partner with us as a powerful endorsement of the progress that we have made in building our news, sport and entertainment photography businesses. It is also a great endorsement of the power of our distribution in the key Getty Images markets of the United States and the United Kingdom. We believe that this agreement is to the benefit of all - allowing Getty Images to expand our reach, AFP to optimize its resources and customers to receive a truly rich and comprehensive news photography product." AFP AFP is an international news agency providing general news, sports and economic coverage of the world, in multiple languages and across multiple platforms. It has offered an international photo service to thousands of clients - mainly newspapers - since 1985, delivered by satellite as a "photo wire", or accessible on a web-based database called ImageForum. AFP is present in 165 countries with more than 1,200 full-time staff reporters, 200 photographers, and 2000 stringers. Agence France-Presse provides services in eight main languages (French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese), in the form of photos, graphics, text, video, audio, and multimedia packages. A presentation of its services is available on www.afp.com. Getty Images Inc. Getty Images is the world's leading imagery company, creating and providing the largest and most relevant collection of still and moving images to communication professionals around the globe. From sports and news photography to archival and contemporary imagery, Getty Images' products are found each day in newspapers, magazines, advertising, films, television, books and web sites. Getty Images' Web site, www.gettyimages.com, is the first place customers turn to search, purchase and download powerful imagery. Seattle-headquartered Getty Images is a global company, and has customers in more than 50 countries.
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 200128025-001 Matthias Clamer |
