The People’s Daily wants to lead a state media alliance to regulate photo licensing in the aftermath of a copyright row that forced the image licensing platform Visual China Group (VCG) into a temporary shutdown.
In a proposal published over the weekend, People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, said the country’s major media outlets should quickly set up a “cooperation mechanism” and form an “alliance” to “become an important force in the photo licensing market”.
People’s Daily was leading the wave of state media criticism of VCG, which came under fire for its profiteering practices and weak management.
“Can its business model withstand close scrutiny,” People’s Daily challenged VCG last Thursday after the latter was found to be selling images of China’s national flag and national emblem. Chinese law forbids commercial use of such pictures.
VCG, China’s largest stock image platform announced a “voluntary closure” last Friday.
People’s Daily has its own stock image platform, which according to its website “provides the most timely news photos, the largest photos archive, and the best quality picture services.”
Editor: Nadine Freischlad
