Home > News > Press Releases > ASMP, EP, Nielsen Reach Accord
For more information, contact:
Eugene Mopsik, Executive Director
American Society of Media Photographers
Phone (215) 451-2767
Email mopsik@asmp.org
New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA (April 16, 2007) -- Nielsen Business Media (formerly VNU Business Media, Inc.), The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and Editorial Photographers (EP) announced that they have reached accord on a new Nielsen Photographer/Artist License Agreement. The new contract provides greater flexibility in the distribution, sales and licensing of Nielsen Business Media publications, while meeting the distinct needs of the company's contributing artists and photographers.
ASMP, EP and Nielsen, which publishes Photo District News (PDN) magazine, worked closely together to create this revised contract, an update to an existing photographer/artist agreement, to better reflect the priorities of each party. The new agreement allows Nielsen to serve its customers' growing desire to receive its publications' content on multiple platforms, while providing compensation to photographers and illustrators for expanded usage of their work on these platforms.
Lauren Wendle, the publisher of PDN, who was instrumental in working with all parties to create the new contract said, "We value the exceptional work and creativity that our photo partners bring to our publications -- not just for PDN, a showcase for the photography business, but for all Nielsen publications. I'm pleased that we were able to reach common ground on an agreement that respects the contributions of freelance artists. It's a win-win situation for everyone."
Eugene Mopsik, Executive Director of ASMP, said, "We deeply appreciate Nielsen's sensitivity to the needs of photographers and its willingness to come to a mutual agreement. We hope that this will serve as a model for other publishers."
Among the specific changes are:
Standard use rights are more clearly defined.
The contract provides for a prepaid supplemental 15% fee to cover expanded usage of the images, such as when Nielsen publications are supplied to database content aggregators and editorial licensees of Nielsen content.
The agreement does not convey usage rights retroactively; it covers only uses going forward.
Promotional reprint rights are separate, and fees for using images in reprints will be negotiated case by case between the photographer or artist and the reprint vendor.
In addition, the agreement no longer calls for photo and art contributors to indemnify Nielsen in the event of a third-party lawsuit. Instead, it provides that contributors will cooperate fully with Nielsen if a lawsuit involving an image is brought against the company.
About ASMP
Founded in 1944, the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is the leading trade association for photographers who photograph primarily for publication. ASMP promotes photographers' rights, educates photographers in better business practices, produces business publications for photographers, and helps buyers find professional photographers. It has more than 5,000 members, including many of the world's greatest photographers, in 40 chapters nationwide.
About EP
Editorial Photographers (EP) is an organization of nearly 2,000 of the top magazine photographers and news photojournalists from around the world. EP advocates for fair contracts from publishers and promotes the position that both photographers and publishers must maintain a healthy symbiotic relationship in which both sides can prosper and profit. EP's goal is to find positive solutions to issues confronting all of us in this rapidly evolving industry.
About Nielsen
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek), trade shows and the newspaper sector (Scarborough Research). The privately held company has more than 42,000 employees and is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.
About Nielsen Business Media
Nielsen Business Media, a division of The Nielsen Company, is a leading market-focused provider of integrated information and sales and marketing solutions, helping businesses go to market more effectively and efficiently.
Serving seven major market groups and 30 industries spanning the entertainment, media and marketing, retail, travel and performance, design, and life sciences industries, Nielsen Business Media provides business-to-business products and services in print, online and in person.
With 42 publications, over 60 trade shows and 185 digital products and services, Nielsen Business Media offers insight, analysis and face-to-face contacts to help professionals better understand their markets, serve their customers and grow their businesses.