AP vs LPGA - photo rights

wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
edited February 24, 2006 in The Big Picture
As of Thursday, the Ladies Professional Golf Association had so managed to piss off the Associated Press that their season opening tournament in Hawaii was not being covered nor photographed.

The LPGA has screwed the pooch so badly that even the two Honolulu newspapers who are sponsoring the event, aren't covering it!

The LPGA is trying to force all reporters and photographers to sign a credential form giving the LPGA unprecedented control over images and reports of its tournaments. And guess what? Photographers and reporters are refusing to do so. The LPGA isn't exactly rolling in publicity and cash - talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

Here are some of the demands the LPGA is making.


* The LPGA demands the right to use, free of charge, all images and all reports from any of their tournaments, for "non-commercial" applications. In perpetuity.

* The LPGA demands a 20% discount on any images it chooses to use for commercial use.

* The LPGA will only permit photos and reports of an event to be used in connection with that event. It prohibits use of the photos for any use other than reporting on that single, specific tournament. In other words, no use of the images as "file photos."



In essence, the LPGA wants use of the photos for free. And they want to restrict the ability of news organizations/photographers to use their own shots.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin ran a story Thursday that explained it did not have any stories or photos from the Fields Open because of the credential dispute.

"The LPGA would require us to let them use our photos forever, for free,'' Star-Bulletin editor Frank Bridgewater said, "and we would have to ask its permission if we wanted to use our own photos in the future.

"We will not sign a form that places limits on how we can use our own photos or that allow others to have any control over our stories,'' he said.



Bottom line, the LPGA loses. They're not big enough to take on the Associated Press. And they have no hope of surviving a print/online media boycott. Just stupid, really stupid.
Sid.
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au

Comments

  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,245 moderator
    edited February 24, 2006
    Not a good precident, but then it is written a little heavy handed. Can't blame the media for the protest and no-show. Their (LPGA) loss, and they created their own problem. Too many lawyers.
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited February 24, 2006
    Just leads to the question, if a LPGA tour event takes place and nobody is there to document it, did it really happen? More importantly for the LPGA is, will the public notice or care.

    Any organization that tries this is gonna realize that the "free" publicity they get through the media is the trade off for lack of control on the reporting and images. Most organizations realize this. Can you imagine if the NFL tried to do something like this. And they only let one outlet who agreed with their policy to publish and cover it. I think they would have to rename themselves the NHL. (No offense to you hockey fans)
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
  • Bob BellBob Bell Registered Users Posts: 598 Major grins
    edited February 24, 2006
    I read about this on sportsshooter the other day. I think a lot of people are trying this. I had a company email me for a product shoot that was going to take 6 weeks. In the contract they wanted 100% of the rights and usage with no future royalties. It was crazy but I see people taking those jobs all of the time so photographers are hurting themselves. So I really applaud AP and the other large organizations not signing that contract. I believe even the local hawaii papers are not signing.
    Bob
    Phoenix, AZ
    Canon Bodies
    Canon and Zeiss Lenses
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited February 24, 2006
    The LPGA has backed off, mostly.

    They've rescinded the demand for editorial control of the images. Still unresolved is the LPGA's demand that it can use all images and stories, free of charge, to promote itself.

    They've tabled that one for this tournament. I can't see anyone going for this extreme demand, either. the LPGA simply doesn't have enough beef to pull this off. The NFL, however....

    And FIFA is trying to cram stringent restrictions down the throats of media outlets covering the World Cup. Barring a legal challenge, FIFA will win. They have the muscle.
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
    http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
  • Shay StephensShay Stephens Registered Users Posts: 3,165 Major grins
    edited February 24, 2006
    I think a similar backlash is going to start happening with a lot of things similar to this like DRM, predetory patents, and crazy copyright lifespans and restrictions.

    Like Popeye would say, that's all I can stands, I can't stands no more.
    Creator of Dgrin's "Last Photographer Standing" contest
    "Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
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