SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ - Spy Media announced today the launch of the first news photo marketplace for everyone to buy and sell news photos. Starting today, the site is available for uploading uncensored news photos. Uploading will be free for the month of October.
Uploaders must be the original author, provide written expression, structured profile information and adhere to strict journalistic guidelines to post their material. Uploaders set their own price and agree to sell their material on pre-established terms that allows them to choose how the photo will be used. The site is at: www.spymedia.com.
"There is a tremendous paradigm shift in the news business since digital media and the Internet have come of age," said Bryan T. Quinn, president and co-founder of Spy Media. "Spy Media's mission is to give every consumer, together with all amateur and professional photographers, a level playing field to reach international media outlets for the sale of their news photographs. There is enormous potential for sellers to make a great deal of money as they tap into the multi-billion dollar news photo market."
Spy Media advances the burgeoning citizen journalism movement by offering the first fully automated consumer commerce Web site for news exchange. Users can upload and sell electronic photos from their cameras and phones in less than 90 seconds. Sellers can then sell their photos at a price they set through the site. Spymedia.com will eventually offer media outlets the quickest route to the largest pool of uncensored news photos.
The Spy Media site was designed to support unlimited bandwidth and international exposure. The site will promote coverage of top international events, local news, sports and celebrity stories. Spy Media will also support commerce exchange for blog entries, as well as news articles.
Spy Media today also announced the launch of a worldwide photo contest. As part of its launch celebration, Spy Media will offer monetary awards to the top ten photos submitted from countries worldwide from October 3, 2005 through December 31, 2005. In addition, Spy Media will award a "Best of Show" monetary prize to one of the top ten photos selected. More details on the photo contest will be available on the Spy Media site.
Specific guidelines for posting and selling photos can be found on the site. The Spy Media site is scheduled to go "live" for commerce trade in November, granting anyone with newsworthy material exposure to more than a quarter million news media agencies around the world.
