Member Mixer — Getty + Shutterstock: Who Really Wins?
The biggest story in photography right now isn’t a new camera — it’s a merger that could reshape how photographers get paid. Tonight we’re diving into the proposed combination of Getty Images and Shutterstock, the world’s two largest stock agencies.
The Getty + Shutterstock Merger
The deal would give a single entity control of an estimated 70-80% of the global premium stock image market. Both the US Department of Justice and the UK Competition and Markets Authority have opened formal investigations.
CMA opens formal probe → PetaPixel
What It Means for Photographers
Advocacy groups including the NPPA and ASMP have filed formal objections. The concern: a monopoly would devastate royalty rates for independent contributors while pushing licensing fees up for buyers. Or will it? We’ll hear both sides.
The AI Angle
Getty and Shutterstock argue the merger enables bigger investment in AI tools and broader licensing. Critics say it removes the last major alternative for photographers who feel squeezed by either company’s existing royalty structures.