Firecracker PR, a virtual PR firm offering creative public relations services at affordable rates, today released a new free report outlining some of the biggest changes in the field. The report titled “PR 2.0: Six Changes in Public Relations that Will Change Everything” is full of valuable information sure to be of use for those struggling to keep up with the recent pace of change.

The report includes the following:

— the seismic shifts going on in traditional media
— what new avenues are emerging and who the major players are
— why you can’t ignore Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your PR
efforts any longer
— the biggest mistake that newcomers (and even veterans) of PR make, and
how that can backfire in a huge way
— the one most important thing you need to do right now for your PR and
marketing
— what is “virtual PR” and how can it reduce your PR budget by up to
half

“As the pace of change in media accelerates, it’s only natural that to be successful in public relations will require a new way of thinking,” says Edward Yang, partner at Firecracker PR. “While traditional agencies are still stuck in the old ways of doing things while billing at rates that the market no longer finds acceptable, new PR agencies like Firecracker are finding ways to deliver better value by adapting to these changes.”

In recent years, traditional media outlets including newspapers with decades of history have been forced to shut down due to twin pressures from a migration of information to the Internet and the recession. Simultaneously, upstart companies have given rise to new avenues for people to both access and provide information, once the exclusive domain of a handful of media companies.

To download the free report, please visit www.FirecrackerPR.com/PR2.0

About Firecracker PR
Firecracker PR, located in Los Angeles CA, is a virtual public relations agency which provides companies with creative PR services at rates up to 50% less than traditional agencies. Firecracker leverages the latest changes in technology to secure media coverage for its clients. Visit www.firecrackerpr.com.

Bigmouthmedia has welcomed the launch of Microsoft’s Bing search engine for introducing renewed competitive impetus and consumer choice to a marketplace currently dominated by Google.

Europe’s largest independent digital marketing agency praised the new service, due to be unveiled on the back of a reported $100million promotional campaign, as a potentially crucial landmark in the online search sector’s development. Citing Microsoft’s pan-European approach and collaboration with key agencies in advance of the launch, bigmouthmedia believes that Bing could add a refreshing new dynamic to the industry.

“Competition is always welcome. It has been some time since the search industry had a realistic alternative to Google, and if Microsoft’s new engine can provide that then it will be of obvious benefit to both digital marketers and consumers alike” said bigmouthmedia CEO Steve Leach.

“Only time will tell how successful Bing will be, but if Microsoft can show the average household searcher that there really is an alternative, then this could be a pivotal moment in our industry’s evolution”

Praising Microsoft for its willingness to work closely with key SEO agencies in advance of the launch, bigmouthmedia expects the Redmond giant to get a number of things right. While services such as Yahoo do not treat large parts of Europe as distinct territories, Bing is expected to see its European launch followed by the introduction of a range of country-specific services. Similarly, it is expected that we will also see Bing evangelists active in Europe and not just the US.

Bigmouthmedia’s initial assessment of the new service is that in its initial incarnation Bing will do enough to generate coverage and interest but be familiar enough not to scare users away. Microsoft also clearly understands the importance of searcher confidence in relation to the perception of good search results.

“While the search sector is excited by the prospect of a new service, only time will tell if Bing is to have a permanent impact. The industry has seen numerous new engines launched over the years – including several by Microsoft – and it’s fair to say they haven’t been hugely successful” said Andrew Girdwood, Head of Search at bigmouthmedia.

“There are some tough questions that Microsoft has to answer. Just how are they going to get average household searchers to try Bing for the first time, and how long will the company be willing to support their current Bing strategy if progress is slow? Until we know the answers, the jury will still be out on this one”

About bigmouthmedia
Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia is Europe’s largest independent digital marketing agency. With a team of over 200 staff located across 13 offices in 10 countries on 3 continents, the company maximises exposure for major brands online through a variety of fully integrated digital marketing channels: Search Engine Optimisation, PPC, Online Media Planning, Affiliate marketing, Social Networking, Brand Monitoring, Online PR and Web Analytics. Bigmouthmedia also provides up to date daily digital marketing news to ensure clients are fully informed and aware of all industry developments.

For further media information please contact
Iain Bruce
Media Strategist
bigmouthmedia
51 Timberbush
Edinburgh
EH6 6QH
(44) 131 555 4848
www.bigmouthmedia.com

LSF Interactive, the leading global online performance marketing and advertising agency, has announced that it is a media sponsor of 140: The Twitter Conference.
The 140 conference is the world’s first event dedicated to both the business users of Twitter and the developers who build for the platform. 140 will include presentations by four current Twitter developers and a preview of seven new Twitter applications.
“As an online marketing agency, we recognize the significant impact that Twitter is having on advertising and communication. Our approach is based on minimizing risk and maximizing results for advertisers and we support Twitter as an innovative way for people to connect,” said Daniel Laury, founder, president and CEO of LSF Interactive.
Twitter is the popular service that lets millions of users send frequent, short (140 character) updates to “followers.” Twitter currently has over six million users and a triple-digit growth rate.
Twitter has become increasingly important in today’s challenging economy, in which marketers face shrinking budgets and need to reach consumers in cost-effective ways.
According to Forrester Research, Twitter is “uniquely valuable to marketers because it’s more immediate and interactive than any other digital channel.”
David Peck, New Media Strategist at LSF Interactive and avid Twitterer (@davepeck), will join the best practices panel, “I am a Twitter God(dess) and So Can You.” In this session, experts will discuss the strategies, tactics, and tools that have taken them to the top of the twitosphere.
Alex Payne, API Lead at Twitter, Inc., will give the opening keynote, “The Business Value of Twitter,” and will provide several real-world examples of how the Twitter API is delivering results for organizations of all sizes.
The conference will be held on May 26-27, 2009 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. More details can be found online at http://parnassusgroup.com/twitterconference/
About LSF Interactive
LSF Interactive is the leading global online performance marketing and advertising agency. We help clients leverage the Internet using a proven pay-for-performance model that minimizes risk and lowers marketing expense while it delivers substantially higher volumes per campaign and maximizes online conversions. Our clients are as diverse as automotive, consumer packaged goods, home improvement, medical, pharmaceutical, consumer electronics, publishing, and travel. The company employs 90 people worldwide, is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, and has offices in Boston, MA, Paris, France, and Hyderabad, India. For more information visit http://www.lsfinteractive.com.

Minicom Digital Signage, the leader in “last mile” player-to-screen connectivity platforms for the Digital Signage marketplace, in conjunction with Peerless Industries, announce this week the bringing of the successful “Digital Signage Expert Tour” to InfoComm 09, helping visitors understand and experience the digital out-of-home industry in the US. The “tour” is a free service during the show, June 17-19, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL.

This free tour will provide an overview of all companies participating in the show and present how they fit into the overall Digital Signage puzzle. “This is a great opportunity to learn about the Digital Signage industry from industry experts at no cost whatsoever,” says Ronni Guggenheim, CEO Minicom Digital Signage. “We are happy to share our long experience in the market with visitors to Infocomm 09 by giving them a first hand account of how a real life application is constructed and which companies presenting at the show can best help them deploy their project.”

According to Dale Smith, Senior Director of Business Development, “Peerless Industries is proud to be a sponsor of this Digital Signage Experts Tour at Infocomm 2009. Digital Signage is one of our fastest growing market segments and this kind of information sharing among experts is a great way to take full advantage of the opportunities that exist. Peerless mounts are a perfect piece of the solution set for any Digital Signage or Public Display project.”

To participate in this free tour participants are requested to sign up at the following web address www.minicomdigitalsignage.com/events/infoComm09.cfm. Participants should hurry as space on the tours is limited. The “tours” start at the Peerless booth (5441), a leader in audio and video mounting solutions and value added partner of Minicom.

About Minicom Digital Signage
Minicom Digital Signage is the world leader in the manufacturing of advanced multimedia platforms. The company’s award winning solutions enable transmitting rich content from a media player to multiple digital displays located hundreds of meters/feet away. They also keep network costs down by reducing equipment and licensing requirements and better preserving your system. Today over a quarter of a million screens worldwide run using Minicom technology. A private company with over two decades of experience in providing innovative technology solutions, Minicom Digital Signage is exclusively dedicated to the manufacture of digital out-of-home multimedia platforms. As a result of its success, Minicom became an Intel Capital portfolio company and was selected as a Deloitte Technology Fast 500 company.

About Peerless Industries, Inc.
Peerless Industries, Inc. US corporate and BBG, Watford, England, designs, manufactures, distributes and sells innovative solutions in support of its customers A/V needs worldwide. Peerless leads the way with quality and innovative products that include flat panel mounts, projector mounts, A/V carts/stands, A/V furniture, A/V cables, screen cleaners and a full assortment of accessories for the commercial and retail markets. For over 45 years, Peerless has set the industry standard and created first-in-category solutions that support and enhance the functionality and enjoyment of A/V technology. Furthermore, Peerless’ commitment to safety is unmatched, having driven the establishment of US safety standards for A/V mounts over a decade ago with UL. Today, Peerless runs one of only two dedicated in-house UL testing facilities in the US.

OnlineClock.net, the website known as the internet’s favorite alarm clock, officially declares the start of the Web 5.0 era.

In a typically brash move, the website known as the world’s most popular web-based alarm has announced that it is heralding in a new era known as “Web 5.0”.

Known to millions, the term Web 2.0 has become synonymous with the rise of web start ups and innovative companies which have spread across the internet in recent years.

Web 2.0 has been known to stand for a lot of different concepts, but central among them is the rise of user-generated content, communities and social media networks.

Several web commentators and researchers have mentioned that we are now currently in the age of Web 3.0, which is characterized by the Semantic Web and developments enabling machines to better communicate with structured data found on the internet.

Which brings us to the present: why is OnlineClock.net, a website devoted to online alarm clocks, timers, stopwatches and countdowns, suddenly proclaiming the rise of Web 5.0? And whatever happened to Web 4.0?

“Well, it’s partially meant as a marketing gimmick and partially meant as something quite serious, really,” said OnlineClock.net creator and owner Tom Churm recently, “…what we’re talking about with Web 5.0 is the introduction of a new dimension in the the web equation: everything having to do with time, and web services which all revolve around time and bringing time-based services to the user, via whatever new methods happen to be available.”

As if to demonstrate his point, Mr. Churm then highlighted Online Clock’s recent invention of its Clock Radio for the web browser, as an example of taking a time-related service and translating it into the still relatively new medium known as the World Wide Web. “Now that,” Mr. Churm said, “is a perfect example of Web 5.0”.

“With the creation of our clock radio for your web browser, OnlineClock.net has succeeded in taking a seemingly mundane, offline device such as the clock radio, and transforming it into something new for the 21st century. We have made the clock radio free for everyone with an internet connection; we’ve made it available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and we’ve simply transformed it into a ubiquitous web service.”

After having invented the online alarm clock, the web clock radio and now having started this new wave of Web 5.0 services, one might ask – what’s next for OnlineClock.net?

“We want to wake people up – not just literally, but also metaphorically. We want to wake them up to the fact that time is NOW and that there is not a minute to waste in life. If our time-related web services can bring people this message, and make them consciously enjoy the current moment a little bit more than before, then we’ve done our small part to make the world a better place.”

With words as lofty as these, it’s easy to see why OnlineClock.net is more than just an online alarm clock.

Goldstein Media LLC has partnered up with mobile marketing startup Phindme to provide mobile marketing solutions.
With these new offerings, Goldstein Media aims to provide affordable mobile marketing solutions to small and mid-sized companies. The hope is with these new opportunities to promote company events (eg. Sales, parties, special), companies will be able bring in more revenue and increase profits.
Some of the features include:
• RSVP for events, respond to your ads, submit contact info for a sales follow up, and more!
• Learn all about your business on an iPhone, web-enabled mobile phone and computer
• Read articles and product information while away from home or office
• Contact you immediately by clicking on your phone number
• Sign up to receive text-messages or emails
• View maps and driving directions on the go
Our platform also includes a built-in set of text-message marketing tools and uses iPhone web app technology that displays your mobile web pages in practical and visually appealing layouts on each type of mobile phone.
How Do We Do This?

EVERYWHERE WEB PAGES
We build individual web pages or entire web sites that look good on computer screens, iPhones and mobile phones. Use everywhere web pages for:
• Informative web sites
• Email landing pages
• Product brochures
• Event promotion pages
• Maps & directions
• Forms to collect customer and prospect information

MESSAGING SERVICE

Our platform includes a built-in messaging system you can use to sign people up and send them:
• Coupons and special offers
• Alerts, news, and reminders
• Product information
• Directions and instructions
• Links to web pages, downloads, and files
• Event invitations

Customer Management

Our platform includes a built-in customer management system you can use to organize and contact people:
• Tag users with labels
• Track users by sign up date
• Send messages to individual users or per category
• Store notes about users
• Collect users demographic information via the web.
• Export users via .CSV to other tools like Constant Contact or Salesforce

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release, contact Seth Goldstein or visit www.goldsteinmedia.com.

About Goldstein Media LLC:

Goldstein Media has been at the forefront of the Web design community in Philadelphia for more than 10 years. Started in 1998 by Seth Goldstein only building Websites, Goldstein Media’s offerings have grown to include search engine optimization, internet marketing, social media marketing, viral marketing and mobile marketing.

intelectasia™ Consultancy, a premier public relations learning and development company has recently launched its Media Relations Workshop.
Besides having experienced public relations practitioners as trainers, award winning journalists and editors from the local media agencies have also been roped in as facilitators for this workshop.
“For us, the media relations workshops act as a platform to share our knowledge and expertise in this field. By doing so, we hope that many more organizations will understand the key elements of media relations such as creating newsworthy stories and optimizing the new media as a channel to reach out to stay ahead in today’s competitive environment.” says Manminder Kaur Dhillon, CEO of intelectasia™.
The two day workshop focused on various media relations strategies, attention grabbing press release writing, pitching, crisis communications and most importantly the use of new media as tool for media relations.
According to Manminder, constant presence of an organization in the various electronic, print and more recently, the new media, is vital to increase the confidence of stakeholders and public towards the organization.
“Media relations has always been an important element for most organizations, but during these trying times, more emphasis should be given to create presence by maximising the potential of the new media.”
Manminder cites Coca-cola as good example on how an organization should embrace the new media. By simply realising the potential of Facebook, the soft drink giant used the social networking site to communicate with millions of consumers. And this story was picked up by major news channels all over the world, automatically generating news for the brand.
“The old school of thought by sending press releases and hoping media to cover an event especially in Malaysia has to end. Everyone is jostling for the media’s attention. Why not create your own news? Use blogs, forums, social networking sites to communicate, use Youtube to upload interesting videos, use Twitter to update fresh stories. Editors and journalists are picking up stories from these sites to have a fresh take on things. Don’t bore the media with launches and events.” adds Manminder.
Manminder should know. Being on both sides of the fence, as an ex-broadcast journalist with a local news channel before joining a public relations firm as a consultant, Manminder believes that most organizations still depend heavily on traditional media to reach out to stakeholders and often overlook the whole idea of creating newsworthy stories.
For more information on the media relations workshops by Manminder and her team, log on to intelectasia-mediarelations.blogspot.com

About intelectasia™ Consultancy
intelectasia™ Consultancy was established in January 2009 with the sole objective of providing high quality workshops and training in the field of public relations in Malaysia. From a small team of three partners and founding members, intelectasia™ Consultancy grew from strength to strength and subsequently increased its pool of trainers, most whom were award winning journalists from prominent local media agencies and television stations as well as experienced public relations practitioners. intelectasia™ Consultancy’s core training programs include media relations and crisis communications workshops. Besides providing high quality workshops for the corporate sector, intelectasia™ has been selected and identified as one of the main public relations training provider for government agencies in Malaysia. The tagline, ‘the communications experts’ embodies the mission and vision of intelectasia™ Consultancy which aims to be a global power house in public relations learning and development programs.

Fax : +603 7728 6073
Mobile : +6012 652 3868
Address: Suite B.8.3, Ritze Perdana,
Jln PJU 8/2, Damansara Perdana,
47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor DE

Webpage: www.intelectasia.com
Blog: intelectasia-mediarelations.blogspot.com

Organizations should continue to make and build their presence despite the economic downturn by using the new media such as Faceboook, Twitter, Youtube, podcasts and blogs as the main communication channels.
According to Manminder Kaur Dhillon, CEO of intelectasia™ Consultancy (pic), constant presence of an organization in the various electronic, print and more recently, the new media, is vital to increase the confidence of stakeholders and public towards the organization.
“Media relations has always been an important element for most organizations, but during these trying times, more emphasis should be given to create presence by maximising the potential of the new media.”
More importantly, says Manminder, the use of the new media such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, podcasts and blogs should be given particular attention by organizations to create a positive relationship with consumers, stakeholders and the public.
According to Manminder, Coca-cola is a good example. By simply realising the potential of Facebook, the soft drink giant used the social networking site to communicate with millions of consumers. And this story was picked up by major news channels all over the world, automatically generating news for the brand.
“The old school of thought by sending press releases and hoping media to cover an event especially in Malaysia has to end. Everyone is jostling for the media’s attention. Why not create your own news? Use blogs, forums, social networking sites to communicate, use Youtube to upload interesting videos, use Twitter to update fresh stories. Editors and journalists are picking up stories from these sites to have a fresh take on things. Don’t bore the media with launches and events.” adds Manminder.
Manminder should know. Being on both sides of the fence, as an ex-broadcast journalist with a local news channel before joining a public relations firm as a consultant, Manminder believes that most organizations still depend heavily on traditional media to reach out to stakeholders and often overlook the whole idea of creating newsworthy stories.
By having award winning journalists and experienced public relations consultants on her team, Manminder recently started a series of media relations workshops for corporate companies and government agencies.
“For us, the media relations workshops act as a platform to share our knowledge and expertise in this field. By doing so, we hope that many more organizations will understand the key elements of media relations to stay ahead in today’s competitive environment such as creating newsworthy stories and optimizing the new media as a channel to reach out.”
For more information on the media relations workshops by Manminder and her team, log on to intelectasia-mediarelations.blogspot.com

intelectasia™ Consultancy was established in January 2009 with the sole objective of providing high quality workshops and training in the field of public relations in Malaysia. From a small team of three partners and founding members, intelectasia™ Consultancy grew from strength to strength and subsequently increased its pool of trainers, most whom are award winning journalists from prominent local media agencies and television stations as well as experienced public relations practitioners. intelectasia™ Consultancy’s core training programs include media relations and crisis communications workshops. Besides providing high quality workshops for the corporate sector, intelectasia™ has been selected and identified as one of the main public relations training provider for government agencies in Malaysia. The tagline, ‘the communications experts’ embodies the mission and vision of intelectasia™ Consultancy which aims to be a global power house in public relations learning and development programs.

Tel : +603 7728 6073
Fax : +603 7728 6073
Mobile : +6012 652 3868
Address : Suite B.8.3, Ritze Perdana,
Jalan PJU 8/2,
Damansara Perdana,
47820 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan,
Malaysia.
Email : [email protected] or [email protected]
Webpage : www.intelectasia.com
Blog : intelectasia-mediarelations.blogspot.com

Recession or no recession, Dot Com Infoway is going strong. The company is on an expansion spree, the latest in the agenda being its plan to expand in the U.S. market using resellers. Already in the process of reviewing several resellers’ proposals, the company is right now on the look out for potential resellers for the U.S. market.

Many companies prefer staying put to investing in unchartered territory. But, recession or no recession, Dot Com Infoway is going strong. The company is on an expansion spree, the latest in the agenda being its plan to expand into the U.S. market using resellers. Already in the process of reviewing several resellers’ proposals, the company is right now on the lookout for potential resellers who can help it establish its brand in the U.S. market.

As recession sucks courage of out corporate giants, curbing expansion and forcing contraction, many companies choose the ‘play-safe, be-safe’ mode. With the big ones playing it safe, most of the not-so-big and small ones tend to follow suit. Indeed, not many companies dare to expand during tough times. More so when it comes to plunging into the U.S. market which is neck-deep in economic crisis. But Dot Com Infoway, ever a pursuer of the wild card, plays it differently. The company is planning to expand into the U.S. market in the next few months.

Meltdown or windfall, with Dot Com Infoway, it is always a thumbs up when it comes to expansion. Pursuing an aggressive global expansion plan, Dot Com Infoway is intent on gaining edge in the U.S. market. Resellers, who will be the key players in this strategic initiative, will market the company’s IT services to all prospective companies in the U.S. Topping the expansion-itinerary is the Small-and-Medium Business (SMB) sector which, the company opines, has a lot of potential for information technology outsourcing.

Dot Com Infoway’s reseller programs are mutually-beneficial and insist on hiring experienced, industry-intelligent resellers. With already well-established client-bases in the U.S., U.K., Europe and Australia, this new expansion agenda will open newer avenues and greater opportunities for the company. Brand Dot Com Infoway would gain reputation as a premier IT company offering high-quality services in cost-effective ways. Though still on the lookout for authentic, successful resellers, the company is currently in the process of reviewing the proposals it has already received.

Dot Com Infoway is a premier provider of IT and IT-enabled services to clients worldwide. The company offers a whole gamut of IT-related services of which the prominent ones include application development and internet marketing services. Offerings under the company’s application development category include web application development, mobile application development, enterprise application development, website development, eCommerce and Open Source solutions, widget development, CMS solutions, community website and portal development. Under Internet Marketing, the company offers search engine optimization, search engine marketing, social media marketing, SEO copywriting, Google Analytics and Pay Per Click marketing services. Endowed with vast knowledge and experience in IT, the company applies high-end technology to meet its clients’ needs. In brief, quality solutions delivered in cost-effective ways has always been Dot Com Infoway’s USP in the IT domain. To know more about the company, visit www.dotcominfoway.com

Dot Com Infoway is an Offshore Application Development and Outsourcing Company having a team of 300+ developers. Services include Software Development, Web Development, Web Design and Internet Marketing. Dot Com Infoway has mastered the nuances of the business world and a company that understands every hue of customer requirements. We have chosen a strategic global model that delivers ace service and premium quality products to our clients at affordable prices. We are committed towards building lasting partnerships with our clients by ensuring satisfaction and success.

KWizCom is proud to announce that all new releases of KWizCom’s SharePoint and Dynamics CRM add-ons are compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Standard (WCAG). KWizCom’s VP Sales & Marketing Nimrod Geva says: “Each new product we release will be upgraded to ensure that it is accessible to everyone. We want all members of the community to be able to fully realize the potential of KWizCom solutions. Now the disabled will be able to benefit as well!”

Toronto, Canada – May 5th, 2009
KWizCom products have always been on the cutting edge of innovation. Now KWizCom has taken a step further, combining commitment to community and technology to make all Microsoft SharePoint and Dynamics CRM add-ons compliant with the WCAG standard of web accessibility for the disabled.
WCAG is the standard defined by the W3C, (World Wide Web Consortium) that when upheld, ensures that the website in question is accessible to people with disabilities as well as to the general population.

KWizCom has made WCAG the standard for more than just the official KWizCom website. Now KWizCom is taking strides to ensure that all products are WCAG compliant as well!

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, interact with and can contribute to the Web.
People using a slow Internet connection, people with “temporary disabilities” such as a broken arm, and people with changing abilities due to aging benefit as well.

Nimrod Geva, KWizCom’s VP Sales & Marketing, explains: “We want everyone to be able to utilize the full potential of KWizCom solutions. Making sure that all our products comply with the web content accessibility guidelines is one of many steps we are taking to ensure that our company can give maximum benefit to the community, including the disabled.
Our products are web components so they need to be accessible to the disabled, just like our site is. Now with each new release we produce KWizCom is ensuring that full accessibility is the reality. ”

Soon visitors to the KWizCom website (www.kwizcom.com/) will see the WCAG compliant stamp on all product pages (KWizCom is upgrading the products to the WCAG standard per new add-on that is being developed and released).
*******************
To download and try KWizCom products go to: www.kwizcom.com/
For SharePoint and Dynamics CRM resources please visit: kwizcom.blogspot.com/

PantherMedia (panthermedia.net), the leading and rapidly growing marketplace for royalty-free photography, today announced that the agency will offer its over one million images also at microstock price levels and invites new photographers to participate in the new microstock offering. PantherMedia introduces also “credits” for single image sales and a flexible image subscription plan which is optional for photographers.
The outstanding feature of the new image subscription plan: it is not based on the “Images-per-Day” model like elsewhere, but on the new “Credits-per-Day” model. This allows picture buyers to scale the subscription plan to their individual needs.
Besides the purchase on credits or via the subscription plan, the purchase of single images on invoice will remain. “PantherMedia is by far the biggest native German mid- and microstock agency”, explains Robert Walters, CEO of PantherMedia. “We pursue a strategy of sustainability and fairness. In the future, photographers will only keep on delivering high quality images if they are treated in a fair and respectful manner and earn appropriate money.

New Microstock Offering From PantherMedia
Depending on the resolution the prices for images for web use will start in the very near future at $1,90, $2,90 and $4,90 (all excluding VAT). These images can be purchased on invoice (single image purchase) or through so-called credits. Credits can be bought in different packages and sizes. This way, the image buyer can instantly download images and does not need to use the shopping cart or to pay single invoices any longer. A comprehensive overview about Panthermedia´s new microstock offering for photographers can be found here:
www.panthermedia.net?contributornews

New Credits-Per-Day Based Image Subscription From PantherMedia
In contrast to almost all other microstock agencies which offer a fixed amount of images for a fixed period of time for a fixed price (so-called “images-per-day” or image-based subscription model) and consequently pay their photographers only a few cents per image, PantherMedia has created the new Credits-per-Day image subscription plan.
This new image subscription plan guarantees a potentially higher commission for photographers as well as a flexible subscription plan for image buyers which can now configure individual packages which fit their needs.
“This way PantherMedia guarantees that photographers do not only receive very few cents per image sold. The full revenues of the Credits-per-Day image subscription plan will be shared with our photographers equally. Our priority is clearly a win-win-situation for photographers and image buyers”, explains Robert Walters.
Also in contrast to nearly all other microstock agencies, the participation in PantherMedia´s new Credits-per-Day subscription is optional for photographers. “We are very happy that over 95% of our photographers have decided to offer their images in our new Credits-per-Day subscription. A clear sign of acceptance and trust”, added Robert Walters.
PantherMedia´s new Credits-per-Day subscription starts at $75 net per month.

PantherMedia Welcomes New Photographers
PantherMedia’s new microstock offering and the new Credits-per-Day image subscription plan are currently open for all existing as well as for new photographers of the stock agency.

The new microstock offering and the new Credits-per-Day image subscription plan will be available for images buyers from the end of April 2009.

About PantherMedia
PantherMedia is a marketplace for royalty free (RF) photography. Suppliers as well as buyers of commercial and editorial imagery meet on one shared platform consisting of a photocommunity for photographers and a stock agency for image buyers.
The photocommunity serves as the creative heart of the image marketplace. Professional photographers and shutterbugs from all over the world can upload, rate and comment on images. They can share their experience, further develop their photographic skills and showcase their artistic potential.
After a legal and qualitative check through PantherMedia, picture editors chose adequate images for the stock agency. Agencies, publishing houses and enterprises which need images can licence photographs for their individual purposes – either as single images or through a flexible subscription plan.
The revenues will be shared with photographers. This novel business model allows through so-called „User Generated Content“, provided by over 20,000 photographers worldwide, to keep the offer of RF-images far below the average market price.
PanterMedia.net is an enterprise of PantherMedia GmbH with headquarters in Munich, Germany and was founded in October 2004. At present, PantherMedia offers more than 1 million images worldwide directly and via an international network of over 90 distribution partners in 36 countries. Twelve employees are working on the success of this business. During the FounderChampions competition of the 25th German Days of Founders and Entrepreneurs PantherMedia represented the Federal State of Bavaria as the best bavarian Start-up.

Concurrent Launch of Major New Version of Industry-leading OpenX Ad Server
Seamlessly Integrates with OpenX Market

OpenX Technologies, Inc. (OpenX), the world’s leading independent ad server for web publishers, today announced the launch of OpenX Market (Market), a groundbreaking new online marketplace that is the first simple and neutral advertising platform for all classes of buyers and sellers. The company also announced OpenX Ad Server 2.8, a major new version of the company’s globally adopted technology that provides seamless integration of the ad server with OpenX Market, thereby making it extremely easy for publishers to participate in the Market. Given that OpenX’s vast publisher base of more than 150,000 websites flows more than 300 billion impressions through the company’s software monthly, the company believes that the potential to rapidly scale the Market is great. At launch, OpenX Market already has a monthly run rate of more than one billion impressions.

OpenX Market is designed to help publishers maximize revenue and to help advertisers much more easily reach their target audiences across large numbers of publishers. Publishers can easily route any or all of their ad impressions into the OpenX Market through tools now completely integrated into OpenX Ad Server. Publishers define a minimum “floor” price for their ad impressions. OpenX Market then runs a real-time auction for each impression. If the winning bid from the auction is higher than the publisher-set minimum price, the higher paying ad is served and the publisher makes more money. If the winning bid is less, the publisher’s original ad runs. The entire approach is designed to maximize publisher revenue with zero risk. Advertisers benefit by having a simple way to buy across the potentially enormous pool of primary inventory available from OpenX’s publisher base.

“Historically, the online advertising market has been fractured, opaque, hard to participate in and therefore inefficient. In particular, mid-sized and smaller publishers lack the ability to reach a broad set of advertisers. Conversely, advertisers see lots of value in niche sites and audiences, but find it very hard to discover and buy those sites and audiences.” said Tim Cadogan, chief executive officer, OpenX. “The OpenX Market is all about making these connections simple, seamless and scalable. We have listened extensively to our very large global community of publishers and have developed the Market specifically to overcome these inefficiencies by providing all classes of publishers and ad buyers with a unique monetization platform that we believe will create enormous value for both.”

OpenX Market – Benefits for Publishers & Advertisers

Aggregating and structuring historically fragmented inventory is an important way that OpenX Market will help to transform online advertising and significantly benefit both publishers and advertisers.

OpenX Market enables publishers large and small to maximize their advertising revenue by selling their inventory via a simple to use marketplace where all classes of buyers bid for each impression in a real-time auction.

Publisher Benefits:
Revenue maximizing
Simple
Publishers can participate with just the click of a button
Publishers receive one consolidated check at the end of the month from OpenX
Zero risk
Fast
Neutral
OpenX Market enables buyers to define and buy ad inventory based on their unique criteria across a vast pool of diverse, primary inventory.

Advertiser Benefits:
Simple
Advertisers can immediately access and participate on 100% of ad inventory
Advertisers make one consolidated payment to OpenX
Real-time auction
Structure provided by a growing set of targeting parameters
Huge growth potential
Neutral
Signing Up for OpenX Market

Enjoying the benefits of OpenX Market is simple and fast. Detailed information on how to participate can be found at www.openx.org/market.

OpenX Ad Server 2.8 – Market Integration, Plugin Architecture, eCPM Optimization and More

OpenX Ad Server 2.8 is the latest version of the company’s ad server and contains major new advances over prior versions of the software. A key feature of 2.8 is the new OpenX Market plugin, which allows publishers to seamlessly flow their inventory directly into OpenX Market to maximize their revenue. This native integration of the Market into the ad server makes it simple for publishers to access the new platform and provides the potential for the company to quickly scale the Market.

Other key benefits of 2.8 include:

Easier Customization
eCPM Optimization
Improved Scalability
Enhanced Usability
OpenX Hosted

Publishers can take full advantage of the benefits of using OpenX, including access to OpenX Market, while letting OpenX run the software on its infrastructure. To learn more about OpenX Hosted, please visit: www.openx.org/hosted.

OpenX Download

Publishers can also download OpenX 2.8 and gain instant access to OpenX Market. To download OpenX, please visit: www.openx.org/download. To upgrade to 2.8 from any prior version of OpenX, please visit: www.openx.org/upgrade.

About OpenX

OpenX is the world’s leading independent ad server for web publishers. Building on the strength of our open source heritage, we offer our vast community of publishers comprehensive, customizable and free to use ad serving technology. OpenX Ad Server empowers our community of more than 150,000 websites across the Internet with the ability to take control of their ads and maximize their ad revenue and relevance. OpenX Ad Server products are translated into 25 languages, used in more than 100 countries around the world, and serve more than 300 billion ads each month. OpenX Market is the company’s unique monetization platform and is designed to help publishers maximize the price of their inventory and to help advertisers much more effectively target where their ads are served. The Market uses a real-time auction marketplace in which multiple classes of buyers bid for each impression provided by OpenX’s vast publisher base.

OpenX Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of OpenX Limited, is based in Pasadena, California, with offices in London and Poland. OpenX is backed by leading investors including Accel Partners, Index Ventures and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures. For more information, please visit: www.openx.org.

OpenX is a trademark of OpenX Limited.