MicrostockGroup

hmmm, so withholding images from an agency pp has for the first time been officially confirmed as a legit way to put enough pressure on an agency to get them to raise commissions! So it is also official that the 25cents was not what they could reasonably afford to pay to keep the program sustainable as they always claim with all the rates, but was the lowest price they thought they could get away with paying us.  So we can also be certain that the new price structure was just pulled out of thin air as well. Well I must humbly apologize to those folks who held strong and opted out as I thought it would make no difference so I opted in way back, I wonder if holding out longer will increase it more?

JJRD's comment "Thanks to you for fighting, KK." seems to suggest that KK wanted to raise PP payouts, but somebody above him needed convincing.

I think it was simply an honest reply. it's not a guarantee and frankly I would like one, as unrealistic as that is. but those posts calmed some of my more recent concerns. certainly not with hard facts, as facts weren't offered and that much was said, but, I respect the sincerity of the message that was given and repeated. I have an obvious stake in iStock's success as an exclusive. I admittedly want to hear that TPTB are aware of the value that iStock represents and that the iStock brand=its content/contributors above all else. so it was good to see that put out there so boldly. anyways. I expect a good deal of disagreement, which is fine. I'm just expressing my impression of the exchange. information about their investment in the future of iStock is certainly a better carrot than pennies here and there in pay raises.

I was amazed to see something approaching a direct statement - that they want more content in the partner program than they currently have and a tacit admission that their lowball payout scheme has cost them that content.

The pathetic offer of a small amount of additional cash changes nothing. Admitting that that they're willing to change things in contributors' favor should only encourage people to hold out for something decent.

In spite of the fact that they're mandating 'lypse content (Japan and the April in London one) goes to the partner program, they haven't got to the flow of good new images they need to keep buyers happy. The risk would be that at some point they'd drop the opt out (like they did for Vetta/Agency on Getty).

I'm fairly certain JJRD believes what he's saying, but even sincere nice people can be very wrong sometimes. They can believe that what they're being told by their management is true and pass it on. The fact remains that what's in Getty's best short term interests may not be in IS contributors' long term interests. H&F is a Carl Icahn-like entity that will happily cripple a business if they can get the cash they want in the process - they're not in it for the long haul.

I urge anyone who is thinking about their stock portfolio's long term success to leave the partner program alone. That little bit of extra cash now is destructive to your ability to earn the same or higher royalty rate next year (no RCs for PP sales) and for independents is chipping away at the leader in microstock subs - Shutterstock. Shutterstock pays better (and lets you earn higher payouts the more you earn, something the PP does not) and while it may have skipped raises, hasn't shafted its contributors the way other sites have done.

Starving the partner program sites of good content is the only way to get any changes in the terms offered.

I was thinking exactly that as well.
Is it possible to opt out after one has already opted in?
If so, when they lower commissions once again, there could be a mass opt out done in protest.