Alamy Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 PA Media Group, the UK-based news and information business, has acquired Alamy, a leading supplier of stock imagery. Founded 20 years ago, Alamy has one of the world’s most diverse creative and editorial stock imagery collections, comprising almost 200 million photographs, vectors and 360-degree panoramic images. The business has close to 100,000 customers in more than 150 countries, working across a range of sectors including publishing, design, advertising and broadcast. The acquisition sees the PA Media Group enter the stock imagery market for the first time. It also supports the Group’s long-term strategy to diversify its business and consolidate its position as the UK’s leading provider of cross-platform news, sport and entertainment data, content and services. Alamy will complement PA Media Group’s editorial picture syndication business, PA Images, whose archive charts more than 100 years of British history, along with royal, entertainment, sport and news photography. Clive Marshall, Chief Executive of PA Media Group said: “This transformational acquisition will significantly increase our customer base and provide the PA Media Group with a strong presence in the international market for the first time. “Alamy has created a fantastic ecosystem of content creators and content users around a superior e-commerce platform. The acquisition adds real scale and diversity to PA Media Group’s photo services. As a result, customers will have access to a wider, richer image portfolio which combines great editorial and stock imagery, accessible through a global platform. “In addition, this acquisition will further strengthen the financial performance of the company and help secure the future of our core news agency business.” James West, co-founder of Alamy, said: “PA Media Group is a natural home for Alamy. As well as having one of the UK’s most comprehensive photo archives, PA shares our ethos of integrity and quality, and has an excellent reputation built over 150 years. “Alamy can look forward to a fantastic future as part of the PA Media Group.” Here's a short video from James West: Here are some answers to some initial questions you may have: Does this acquisition change anything for me? In terms of commission rates/contracts/processes, etc? No, it doesn’t. Alamy continues to operate as usual. Alamy prides itself on offering a better commission rate than most other agencies. Will PA Media Group continue to offer the same commission rates to Alamy’s existing contributors? There are no plans to change that. How do PA Images’ commission rates compare with Alamy’s? The two businesses operate different models – for instance, PA Images’ relationships are mainly with agencies while Alamy works with a wider community of individual photographers. As such, there is no like-for-like comparison between the two business’ payment structures. Are there plans to reach parity? If so, in what direction? There is no like-for-like comparison between Alamy’s and PA Images’ payment structures. The two businesses continue to operate separately. Are Alamy’s contributor images going into the PA Images archive? Alamy’s and PA Images’ archives will sit alongside each other. There are no plans to add Alamy’s portfolio to the PA Archive. Will Alamy’s contributor images be distributed via the PA newswire? There are no plans to distribute Alamy’s contributor imagery via the PA newswire. Will Alamy content be sold by PA Images? At present, Alamy contributor sales continue to be managed within the Alamy platform and via Alamy’s distributors. However, ways of working will be reviewed over the coming months and we will consider what elements to integrate and which to keep separate. Will there be any change to the way rights are managed? No, there will not. The PA Media Group has long history of building successful relationships with photographers and photography agencies and ensuring that rights are managed. For the full FAQ on the above announcement, please visit the following page: https://pamediagroup.com/faqs-pa-media-group-acquires-alamy/ We have sent notice of this out to you via email, but if you have opted out of marketing emails from us then you won't receive this. You can update your email preferences via the account details section of your contributor dashboard. Best, Alamy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Masterton Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 How will this affect our commission ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 minutes ago, Iain Masterton said: How will this affect our commission ? Not good. Not good at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_rabe Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 It's a bit early to say what impact there will be on commissions. But, certainly, all bets are off concerning previous assurances/promises made. Could this potentially improve sales volume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Masterton Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWeLd1clK5s 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 6 minutes ago, Iain Masterton said: How will this affect our commission ? +1; and how will it overall affect Alamy in the years to come? Kumar 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Ashmore Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 minutes ago, Doc said: +1; and how will it overall affect Alamy in the years to come? Kumar For now at least.. all answered here: https://pamediagroup.com/faqs-pa-media-group-acquires-alamy/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Quist Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 3 minutes ago, Matt Ashmore said: For now at least.. all answered here: https://pamediagroup.com/faqs-pa-media-group-acquires-alamy/ but things can rapidly change. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Clemson Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 4 minutes ago, Matt Ashmore said: For now at least.. all answered here: https://pamediagroup.com/faqs-pa-media-group-acquires-alamy/ Useful link Matt, thansk for that. Nothing changes, until something changes..... Have we fallen into the lap of a beneficient host, or a voracious one? What do people think of PA Media? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Ashmore Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 1 minute ago, Joseph Clemson said: Useful link Matt, thansk for that. Nothing changes, until something changes..... Have we fallen into the lap of a beneficient host, or a voracious one? What do people think of PA Media? The post at the top of this post thread has been updated with the same information now too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BobD Posted February 11, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2020 Just goes to show that the recent cut in commission so Alamy could invest more was all BS after all. 1 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gordon Posted February 11, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2020 (edited) At least its not GETTY ! Edited February 11, 2020 by Gordon 5 1 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 "Please be assured that it’s business as usual at Alamy" I've never heard that one before 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 3 minutes ago, BobD said: Just goes to show that the recent cut in commission so Alamy could invest more was all BS after all. Yep - done to make Alamy more financially palatable for sale. 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avpics Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 17 minutes ago, LawrensonPhoto said: What about live news? We're often competing with PA photographers whose wages need to be covered. I can't see us being favoured 😞 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gina Kelly Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 With dwindling sales and lower prices for images I do feel some kind of shake up was needed, but still. . . this is unsettling news. "no current plans to change prices or terms" is not reassuring. Scary. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Ashmore Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 1 minute ago, Gina Kelly said: "no current plans to change prices or terms" is not reassuring. Scary. It could be argued, however, that this would still have been the case even if PA hadn't bought Alamy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Tadman Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 I think the only certainty from this announcement is that the Chairman and & CEO will depart. "Advisory" roles don't tend to last too long once the new team are established. I don't feel over-confident about the carefully worded "In the immediate term....." but time will tell. It's now PA Media's train-set and so they can do with it what they will but it will be a rare event indeed if changes aren't afoot before long. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelshots Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 10 minutes ago, Gordon said: At least its not GETTY ! Thank God! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avpics Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 minutes ago, LawrensonPhoto said: ..... cheap! Free! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 I wonder if there will be any answers at The Photography Show next month? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abiyoyo Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 When there is a merge always there are changes. Of course at the beginning they say business as usual, but in months we will see changes, and I am not very optimistic. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 It's been good while it has lasted, but all things crossed for the future.... 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colblimp Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 4 minutes ago, ChrisC said: I wonder if there will be any answers at The Photography Show next month? I'm not going ner the Alamy stand this year in case I say something I regret 🤐😡 This is the beginning of the end... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Masterton Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 minutes ago, Colblimp said: This is the beginning of the end... I expect it will be for me. PA will be looking to milk Alamy and there is only one place I see that cash coming from... Will have to start selling directly to clients a lot more. Seems stupid to put your future income in the hands of others 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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