Photo agency Corbis has acquired open photo news platform Demotix following a successful investment and global media distribution partnership between the two companies announced in 2011.
Exact terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
They say: “Today’s announcement underscores our commitment to providing our media customers access to an exceptional selection of breaking news imagery — from premium news sources to alternative coverage outside of the scope of the mainstream newswires,” said Gary Shenk, CEO of Corbis. “Demotix helps build out Corbis’ unmatched portfolio of news and entertainment imagery that cannot be found anywhere else.”
Demotix has been recognized with numerous global awards, including the Media Guardian Innovation Award for Independent Media 2009 and a Webby (News) 2011. Its images are featured daily all over the world, and have made front page of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and many others, as well as CNN, NBC, the BBC, and other national news outlets.
Launched in 2009, London-based Demotix is recognized as a source for breaking news photography from locations that many mainstream media struggle to reach. Demotix has a community of more than 6,500 active freelance professional and semi-professional photographers and videographers, who contribute nearly 50,000 images monthly.