Live news

[N Quarmby 10]

9 hours ago, Sultanpepa said:

 

I have stated my case but I'm not holding out much hope. I fear they have already made their minds up on who stays and who goes.

Just wondered if you had heard anything yet?

[AndrewP 28]

It seems that Alamy has 2 types of Live News shooter - the ones who submit regularly and make regular sales and the ones like myself who submit occasionally and make occasional sales. I’m still deciding if it’s worth reapplying and my main reason in doing so would be for those times when I’m in the right place at the right time for something newsworthy. Things like a landmark building in snow, a spectacular sunset, a building fire etc. Previously Alamy have tweeted requests for photos of a breaking news story in a particular location but presumably they will now just email the ones they know have upload privileges.

[Keith Douglas 469]

9 hours ago, Colblimp said:

The 1 hour thing isn't set in stone.  I agree that providing a tear sheet is ridiculous - Alamy has a record of all sales through it.  Why can't the staff just have a look at your sales record?!

Yes, I don't know why contributors are so fixated with the one hour limit when it's clear, and Alamy have said it, that it's an indication of what we should be aiming for, and not a hard limit. However, it is a reminder that speed is of the essence with News and I'm changing my workflow around News to get a much faster turnaround where it's needed.  

 

If Alamy, and its contributors, want to compete effectively on News against other agencies then they need to work to the same standards and requirements as those other agencies. But on the one hand Alamy appear to want to make their offering to Client's more professional, while at the same time actively encouraging anybody to become a contributor. Are we seeing a shift from the latter to the former?

 

With regards to tear sheets, perhaps it's to give an opportunity to contributors who don't meet the criteria through Alamy alone, but may have had news images published via other routes.

 

Keith

[losdemas 1,963]

30 minutes ago, Sally said:

I fully understand the sentiments and views of those who have had their privilege revoked. 

However these “everyday” weather pics sell, and sell by the cart load. Just take a look at The Sun or Mail, even the Times publishes weather pictures. Yes, the quality is sometimes somewhat dubious. But if that’s what the papers want, and they sell within the Live News period, they command much higher prices. A stock sale of $5-10 is very different than a news sale of $50-150. So, yes they are ‘News’ whether we like it or not.

+1

They sell, they are what Alamy has asked for. 

 

It seems that Alamy are trying to get the best images, in the fastest time, with all the correct IPTC and Alamy requirements. but they are making Theresa May look like a role model for PR/HR. Very poorly communicated and handled. Almost everything they do has the appearance of divide and rule and ultimately pleases no-one. 

 

It may well be that certain Live News  contributors who sell well have made complaints to Alamy regarding the feed and that Alamy both want to protect their best sellers and improve quality. I understand, but Alamy have to tread very carefully here - if they chuck the baby out with the bath water, then all the relations are going to be very upset. 

[Pete Snelling 10]

14 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

Does anyone have opinions on today's news feed pictures?  

 

I came across "Japenese Blossom Tree in bloom" yesterday lunchtime, How the hell is that Live News??

 

I fully understand the need to make LN about news events & soft news and weeding out those who  use it as a short cut to getting stock listed quicker, but advanced warning would of been better.

So whilst I await the review of my application, any breaking News that comes about will have to go elsewhere

[imageplotter 230]

21 hours ago, Foreign Export said:

I just photographed Lord Lucan on Bondi beach - where do i send the image?

Go direct to the Sun and don't even think of giving a cut to agencies. 😂

[Lynchpics 37]

18 minutes ago, Pete Snelling said:

 

I came across "Japenese Blossom Tree in bloom" yesterday lunchtime, How the hell is that Live News??

 

I fully understand the need to make LN about news events & soft news and weeding out those who  use it as a short cut to getting stock listed quicker, but advanced warning would of been better.

So whilst I await the review of my application, any breaking News that comes about will have to go elsewhere

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/cherry-trees-blossoming-around-world_n_5ca614cce4b0409b0ec4e7d6

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/japan-cherry-blossom-season-sakura-when-where-flowering-a8850451.html

Edited April 5 by Lynchpics

[Janet 29]

So - really I think Alamy should tighten up their criteria as to what qualifies as Live News, not tighten up who can contribute to it.  Agree to that

I also have a problem that I have no news sales so no PDF to upload. As others have said very sad way to work and who will miss out us or them or even both

[andremichel 226]

21 hours ago, RedSnapper said:

 

 

where? missed those.....

 

km

Maybe he meant Starlings?

 

Soft or hard news doesn't appear to be a criteria for whether you are in or out. There is certainly a lot of soft news coming out of Aberystwyth but as long as it keeps selling Alamy are happy. 

[Matt Ashmore 893]

4 hours ago, Lisa said:

Cut off from Stockimo News a week before Coachella Music Festival?! #SoSad

 

My understanding is that Stockimo News is unaffected by this change and still active.

[Foreign Export 277]

30 minutes ago, imageplotter said:

Go direct to the Sun and don't even think of giving a cut to agencies. 😂

 

Ha - yes i will - good idea😀

[JamesC 28]

19 minutes ago, Foreign Export said:

 

Ha - yes i will - good idea😀

Seems to be the obvious way forward.  In reality there's only a handful of newsdesks to email pics to anyway.

[Graham 153]

Alamy are not unreasonable about this.  I am an occasional Live News contributor and I know I have sold at least one the next day as a direct consequence (as a result of the vigilance of some kind soul in one of the "Have you found any images in..." thread).

 

Yesterday evening I was coming home over London Bridge and by chance came across a protest by minicab drivers against Sadiq Khan and the imposition of the congestion change on minicabs.  I always have a camera with me and I enthusiastically snapped 100 or so pictures of what was going on, and headed for my train home with great anticipation, planning to upload some to Live News.  It takes me nearly 2 hours to get home, and as I was uploading the pictures to my computer, I checked my emails - what a day to find the notification from Alamy that Live News uploads were no longer possible!

 

A quick call to Alamy resulted in the suggestion that I email Live News with a sample picture, which I did.  They came back shortly afterwards and temporarily restored my Live News upload capability, as a result of which I was able to upload 19 images.  The images were up about 4 hours after they were taken. 

 

I will be looking later today to see whether any of them made the newspapers.  So far as I can see, there were no other Live News uploads covering the same subject yesterday (although there have been similar previous protests, which may mean that newspapers are less inclined to cover a repeat event).

 

Come what may, Alamy were certainly not dogmatic about this and found a way to help when there was an immediate and genuine Live News type event.

 

Graham

[spacecadet 2,475]

5 minutes ago, Graham said:

 

Come what may, Alamy were certainly not dogmatic about this and found a way to help when there was an immediate and genuine Live News type event.

 

Graham

They were pretty dogmatic about not telling contributors about it.

Edited April 5 by spacecadet

[JamesC 28]

1 minute ago, Graham said:

Alamy are not unreasonable about this.  I am an occasional Live News contributor and I know I have sold at least one the next day as a direct consequence (as a result of the vigilance of some kind soul in one of the "Have you found any images in..." thread).

 

Yesterday evening I was coming home over London Bridge and by chance came across a protest by minicab drivers against Sadiq Khan and the imposition of the congestion change on minicabs.  I always have a camera with me and I enthusiastically snapped 100 or so pictures of what was going on, and headed for my train home with great anticipation, planning to upload some to Live News.  It takes me nearly 2 hours to get home, and as I was uploading the pictures to my computer, I checked my emails - what a day to find the notification from Alamy that Live News uploads were no longer possible!

 

A quick call to Alamy resulted in the suggestion that I email Live News with a sample picture, which I did.  They came back shortly afterwards and temporarily restored my Live News upload capability, as a result of which I was able to upload 19 images.  The images were up about 4 hours after they were taken. 

 

I will be looking later today to see whether any of them made the newspapers.  So far as I can see, there were no other Live News uploads covering the same subject yesterday (although there have been similar previous protests, which may mean that newspapers are less inclined to cover a repeat event).

 

Come what may, Alamy were certainly not dogmatic about this and found a way to help when there was an immediate and genuine Live News type event.

 

Graham

That's good, but operating that way stinks of Alamy trying to have its cake and eat it.

 

If they can't treat contributors with respect then why would we want to go around the houses to get a good news set to them.

[Foreign Export 277]

7 minutes ago, Graham said:

Alamy are not unreasonable about this.  I am an occasional Live News contributor and I know I have sold at least one the next day as a direct consequence (as a result of the vigilance of some kind soul in one of the "Have you found any images in..." thread).

 

Yesterday evening I was coming home over London Bridge and by chance came across a protest by minicab drivers against Sadiq Khan and the imposition of the congestion change on minicabs.  I always have a camera with me and I enthusiastically snapped 100 or so pictures of what was going on, and headed for my train home with great anticipation, planning to upload some to Live News.  It takes me nearly 2 hours to get home, and as I was uploading the pictures to my computer, I checked my emails - what a day to find the notification from Alamy that Live News uploads were no longer possible!

 

A quick call to Alamy resulted in the suggestion that I email Live News with a sample picture, which I did.  They came back shortly afterwards and temporarily restored my Live News upload capability, as a result of which I was able to upload 19 images.  The images were up about 4 hours after they were taken. 

 

I will be looking later today to see whether any of them made the newspapers.  So far as I can see, there were no other Live News uploads covering the same subject yesterday (although there have been similar previous protests, which may mean that newspapers are less inclined to cover a repeat event).

 

Come what may, Alamy were certainly not dogmatic about this and found a way to help when there was an immediate and genuine Live News type event.

 

Graham

 

To me your point makes the argument not to restrict who can upload - but to control what is uploaded

[Sultanpepa 845]

Temporary capability? Words actually fail me! 😥😖

[Pearl 867]

Maybe this is punishment for opting out of stuff this April.

 

Pearl

[Sue Norwood 83]

14 minutes ago, Foreign Export said:

 

To me your point makes the argument not to restrict who can upload - but to control what is uploaded

 

I agree.  An infrequent news uploader is possibly someone who uploads only when they have something which they think may be of interest, is a bit different or eye catching.  

[Harry Harrison 113]

30 minutes ago, Graham said:

and found a way to help

I too think you are being very charitable here which is your prerogative of course, they found a way to help you get around the huge obstacle they had put in your path with absolutely no notice, and only temporarily.

 

Phew!

[Harry Harrison 113]

Much has been made of the '1 hour' and I think we all know that this is a guide, however if you have been blocked and have to reapply then the form page asks "Are you able to file IPTC ready images to us within 1 hour of them being taken?". That actually seems quite fair, have you the means to do so?

 

By a rather sad irony when I received the dreaded email I'd just finished researching what I would need to get in order to be able to do so and I found a great deal of useful information on this forum, looks like I won't be needing that for the time being.

[Sultanpepa 845]

Having a look at the news feed this morning, I'm wondering why this is acceptable and others not? Farm work, Spring, China

[Pearl 867]

2 minutes ago, Sultanpepa said:

Having a look at the news feed this morning, I'm wondering why this is acceptable and others not? Farm work, Spring, China

Goodness gracious it's sunny in Sheerness.  Wow that should hit the headlines!!

 

Pearl

[Andy G 8]

11.20 am and only 8 UK submissions on the live news feed says it all really, if you dont have it you cant sell it !

[Sprocket 1,301]

Perhaps a more constructive approach would be to restrict access to the existing News, Sport, and Entertainment tabs but add an extra tab for topical or soft news images with access for all. This would prevent the weather and blossom images from cluttering the hard news categories without shutting out contributors who wish to develop their photo-journalism  skills. A limit on the number of images that could be uploaded per month might encourage people to edit more carefully and not to use it as a route to avoid QC. Just a thought...