NEWS

Artificial intelligence was a prominent topic at this year's 36th Visa pour l'Image festival in Perpignan, following its discussion at the previous CEPIC conference. Gilles Courtinat, a journalist for the French magazine 'Le oeil de l'info,' and Paul Melcher, a well-known expert in visual technology, initiated a well-attended debate on the subject on Friday at the festival.

During the four intensive days at Visa pour l'image, the leading photojournalism festival in Perpignan, France, the event demonstrated its high professionalism and broad appeal, though it has somewhat lost its local connection. Amidst rising controversies, including the mayor’s refusal to present a festival prize over political disagreements, the festival courageously spotlighted global miseries and overlooked crises, from wars to social issues rarely seen in the media. Insights and images by Philippe François, Belga Images & CEPIC board member, highlight the power and challenges of modern photojournalism.

A groundbreaking interdisciplinary study titled “Copyright & Training of Generative AI – Technological and Legal Foundations,” presented on September 4th at the European Parliament, reveals that the training of generative AI models involves copyright infringement. Commissioned by the Copyright Initiative, the study was conducted by Prof. Dr. Tim W. Dornis (University of Hannover) and Prof. Dr. Sebastian Stober (University of Magdeburg).

The Swiss Association of Picture Agencies and Photo Archives (SAB) has just released the highly anticipated SAB Price Recommendations Edition 2024. This updated 44-page brochure offers an essential resource for picture agencies, buyers, and photographers alike, providing transparent guidance for image licensing negotiations.

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Amos Struck on 24th August 2024, at the age of just 43. Amos was a beloved member of CEPIC and a driving force in the stock media industry. His passion, open-mindedness, and boundless enthusiasm left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

In a context where regulating the GAFAM is crucial to preserving the integrity of democratic processes, such attitudes are not only irresponsible but also represent a threat to global political stability. The Open Internet Project expresses its deep concern over the recent actions of Elon Musk, head of the platform X, who chose to respond insultingly to a European political authority after receiving an official letter from Thierry Breton, a member of the European Commission.

Today, CEPIC are sharing the unfortunate news of Etienne van Den Heever's recent passing. Etienne van Den Heever, co-founder of Greatstock, passed away at his home on 09th August 2024 after a brave battle with cancer. An acclaimed director of photography and film director, Etienne was a pioneer in the South African creative and stock media industry. From all of us at CEPIC, we extend our deepest sympathies to Etienne's family during this difficult time.

We are delighted to announce that ANSA has joined CEPIC as our newest member, they are the leading news agency in Italy and one of the top-ranking in the world. Headquartered in Rome since 1945 they have been collecting, publishing and distributing news and in-depth analysis in a variety of methods and on all transmission platforms.