Demotix secures investment from media partner Corbis

Citizen newswire Demotix has received an undisclosed investment from its media partner Corbis Images following the signing of a distribution deal earlier this year.

According to a joint release, the investment will help Demotix grow its network of photographers and develop their technological support.

Demotix signed a worldwide distribution deal with Corbis Images in March this year, to offer an edited selection of its photography online.

The news wire, which launched in 2009, works by receiving images from photojournalists and then selling them on to media buyers. As part of the media partnership Corbis is now able to pick a selection of these images which are then distributed through its website.

"Our investment in Demotix illustrates not only the quality of Demotix's local photographers, but Corbis' commitment to providing global media outlets with an even deeper selection of exceptional breaking news imagery from sources that reach places where mainstream suppliers cannot offer coverage," Gary Shenk, chief executive of Corbis, said in the release.

Chief executive of Demotix Turi Munthe added that the investment "is a real stepping-stone" for the wire.

In July Corbis announced its acquisition of US entertainment news and photography agency Splash News, for an undisclosed amount.

Yesterday the company also announced a cross-distribution partnership with Associated Press.

Demotix's Turi Munthe will be speaking about business models in community-focused journalism at Journalism.co.uk's next digital journalism conference news:rewired - connected journalism. Find out more and buy tickets here.

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