This week’s announcement that Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Getty Images are teaming together has drawn some interest in the photojournalism community.
This isn’t quite the case of a guppy swallowing a whale, but it certainly does present a new option for news photo editors.
‘”We know that folks are watching us,” said Michael Sargent, vice president for news services at Getty. “People out there say, ‘Let’s see what Getty has.’
“This is a partnership and not a merger. We both have bigger baskets of coverage … and (can) take the best that each has to offer. We are expanding our resources.”
Karl Kuntz, managing editor of the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, said the partnership is an encouraging development. “Given that we are a smaller paper, this gives us a new resource. We have considered AFP via Newscom, and we really like the Getty Images’ war coverage a lot,” Kuntz said. “Generally, this is a very good thing. We will have more access to a broader report beyond AP and KRT. This opens up our photo report with a better (photographic) view of the world.”
Pancho Bernasconi, national photo editor at the New York Times, said that “if AFP becomes more of a domestic service, this gives us options and it is always good to have more options.”
AFP, first established in 1835, provides its customers with a global reach and has a long-established reputation for reliability and speed. It offers services in eight languages, on all platforms. More than 300 staff photographers and hundreds of stringers produce AFP’s international news photo service, which was launched in 1985. AFP has earned numerous awards, notably the World Press Photo 2000.
In the past few years, Getty Images has made a concerted effort to build its news, sports, and entertainment photography business. Its philosophy is to focus on the top five news stories every day with enhanced business and feature coverage.
“Every day is a new day in the news business and I encourage (the photographers) to think outside of the box,” Sargent said.
Sargent wants to make it clear that Getty is not like AP or Reuters, and said he tells his team regularly, “Don’t be afraid to take chances.”
Getty Images works with more than 250 staff and freelance photographers around the world. In the past two years, its photographers have been honored with more than 30 photojournalism awards. Getty also has created an all-digital offering from the point of capture to the desktop of the customer and a very powerful website.
The agreement is pending regulatory approval and is expected to be implemented during the second quarter of this year.
Combining Forces: AFP and Getty Team Up
More News
A pink slime site used AI to rewrite our AI ethics article
Even Poynter’s guide for using generative AI ethically isn’t immune from those who won’t.
March 27, 2024
Opinion | NBC News will part ways with Ronna McDaniel, but that won’t end the drama
While it’s never too late to do the right thing, this is going to leave a scar at NBC News
March 27, 2024
Baltimore’s mayor asked journalists to stop airing footage of the Key Bridge collapse. Should they?
What responsibilities do news organizations have when showing dramatic images of disasters?
March 27, 2024
How politicians abuse language to magnify fear and reflect grievances
Orwell, Trump, and the zombie apocalypse: An essay about diss, dys, and dat
March 27, 2024
Gannett sheds three news executives
A spokesperson said the moves should not be viewed as a news side cutback, but rather ‘strategic decisions to mitigate redundancies’
March 27, 2024