After founding Microsoft Bill gained incredible wealth and world wide fame. He had a great gift of talent for research and analysis in the field of programming the software. It resulted in the coming into existence of CORBIS. When it was set up there was some confusion about its aims and objectives. The concept of CORBIS was criticised by many. But Bill was sure that his CORBIS idea would prove a success on the ground of reality.
At the time of the setting up of CORBIS his foresight had told Bill that scientific progress had made the world a small place and the information technology had eliminated all geographical and political barriers. The technology of the world, entertainment domain and media industry had come together like links of a chain. Internet was making a big impression as a useful tool. Hence, it had become imperative to provide a service body to fulfil the demands of media, entertainment and Internet. And that set up CORBIS. Today it is doing a two billion US dollar business. It was Bill Gates’ vision that a small possibility was turned into a big business of the world.
On March 14, 2006 Bill Gates and Steve Davis, the chief executive of CORBIS gave an interview to Steve Ham, the journalist from ‘Business Week’. The interview was about the services of CORBIS and their royalty table. It was important because today the industry is facing grave problems of piracy and copyright violations. CORBIS needed a fool proof protective cover to insulate its copyright information.
The interview went like the following :
Q. : Today technology, entertainment resources and media industry is gaining access to new inventions and innovations. It creates problem of protecting the copyrights of the innovations. What is CORBIS doing about it?
Bill Gates : The role of CORBIS is very significant in the cases of video and stills. CORBIS has compiled a library of the history of the entire world and material on other important subjects. CORBIS possesses several copyrights. So, presently when someone wants information from CORBIS it helps him at business level. For some special causes a consumer gets copyrights as well. A special software of CORBIS helps him in searching out the desired material. It has refined the desires of the consumers and a great degree of transparency has come about. Hence, CORBIS is meeting the demands of the consumers with its business interests in place.
Q. : CORBIS has been set up by so many companies that have important informations on the world of photographs. These activities have gone on-line now. How do you manage to arrange the pictures related to a particular person or a subject?
Bill Gates : Our photographers go to place and bring back stills that are added to ‘Corbis Library’. At that time the photographers have no idea for what purpose those pictures would be used. We are good at editing the pictures. We are functioning and expanding with a business point of view. You can see the pictures of Sir Winston Churchill being used in advertisement. We have the cooperation of several star characters. While visualising the use of the photograph we use copyrights in right direction. We have a strong managerial skills.
Steve Devis : I would hasten to add that whatever model material CORBIS arranges that traditionally serve the interest of a business like advertising or magazine publication they are used by several Ad agencies and publications. So, this sale is a medium of progress. Our aim is to use the material for several purposes.
Q. : Modern day digital photography has come up as a powerful craft. As digital photography is being employed by Internet millions of users world wide are getting pictures and videos through websites. What is the contribution of CORBIS in it?
Bill Gates : Our Library stores only professional photographs. Our partners are those who are connected to the news world and give special news to the people. We very skillfully compile and organise their works. Thus, we receive material and distribute it as well. On spot news channels the contributions of novices also appear. In the matter of photography it is essential you must always have all kinds of matters ready for delivery. The quality also counts. Thus, the collection becomes colourful as a rainbow. We take great care to see that our rainbow material is of high quality.
Q. : Today Internet has become a medium on which your work is easily available and it all has many possibilities. Your matter can be copied, downloaded for wrong uses. What preventive measures do you employ.
Bill Gates : Legally our customers must have our Licence for using our photographs. They have to pay the required sum and get copyright in advance. Secondly, we use watermarking technique when we put our photographs on Internet. To some extent the people use them without paying anything. But the majority of the users pay in various forms where digital photography is used.
Steve Davis : All the photographers, artists and consumers connected with CORBIS are united with us through various rights. They all trust us. Where there is some unauthorised use we trace them out. The users also have to pay no fine because they have faith that their rights are safe with us. That is the basic mantra of our working.
Q. : I understand that in respect of the pictures with no royalty the CORBIS has shown interest in allowing the customer multiple use of them after a single fee payment. How is it a big deal?
Bill Gates : It can have multi-dimensional uses. In our combined catalogue all the available pictures are listed. You can choose the one you like and use it. It should be no problem for you. From all the pictures you can select the ideal one for your purpose at very attractive price. It is the special service that separates CORBIS from others. Buying it is very easy and you get the very good service.
Steve Davis : The energy that works behind our CORBIS is generated by the idea to promote CORBIS and the industry in general. That is the most powerful aspect of our e-commerce collection. Buy it, download it and you don’t have to spend anything more on it in future. As the users get accustomed to the dealings through internet they will find no-royalty scheme more and more attractive.”
In this way we can see that in the concept of CORBIS all Bill’s forward vision and business sense was at work. Although CORBIS had entered the fields of advertisement, publications and sales service late and it had an entrenched competitor in ‘Gary Images’ that was at the top then yet CORBIS made strides ahead and got at top position in profit earning under the chairmanship of Bill Gates. The above interview in respect of CORBIS throws up following critical points and conclusions in brief :
❑ The two billion dollar business garnered by CORBIS is ample proof of the extent of its success. It provides photographs, videos, graphics to the world of advertising, trade, publications and the media.
❑ The explosive advancement in digital media has made CORBIS a progressive venture. We can say that the CORBIS rules its services domain like a king.
❑ CORBIS has a rich library of pictures, graphics and videos on all conceivable subjects of the world. It holds the copyright of all the material it serves and for business use they can be availed on the basis of royalty payment. In a broad sense CORBIS creates videos, photographs and graphics that are made available on a fee on Internet websites.
❑ CORBIS has a vast library of its merchandise and it has a very capable and erudite editorial setup. To serve the needs of media CORBIS has categorised its services. Its standards are high and the sale of material on royalty basis are the factor that make it a success.
❑ CORBIS has reached millions of people by putting its digital photography and video services on Internet. The rainbow library of CORBIS is unmatched in quality and gives its users satisfaction and the right to use the material for various purposes after paying a reasonable fee determined by it.
❑ After putting CORBIS library on Internet there was sudden spurt in cases of piracy, copying and unauthorised use of its material. To check it CORBIS used watermark technique and achieved success to a large extent. Anyway the users get CORBIS material on attractive rates alongwith the right to use for any legal purposes. So, users opt for the safe way of paying royalty and getting user rights.
❑ On Internet no-royalty material is also made available. But the sale through e-commerce is the main source of the financial success of CORBIS.
❑ The speciality of CORBIS is that it offers its users satisfaction of choice. On any subject a variety of picturs are made available to select from. If CORBIS material is used commercially without paying royalty the offender is traced out and action is taken against. Hence, the consumer prefers to pay royalty and get user rights.
❑ The success of CORBIS is in the hands of its dedicated photographers and artists. To make its business grow CORBIS had gained the partnership with the people of print and visual media throughout the world. As a result CORBIS is prefered over others by users.
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