Member update from the CEO

Dear Newsflare Contributor,

Over the last 18 months, we’ve been busy developing and deploying new technology to generate even more value from your video.

Tech features for buyers such as video folders, a saved search function, the Trust Algorithm, auto-package, auto-pitch and auto-push, are essential for the platform to operate efficiently at scale as well as for maintaining a great experience for buyers on the platform.

To continue with this essential development we need to increase our investment in it. Accordingly, from October 1st 2020, we will be charging our clients a Platform Fee, not exceeding 10 percent of total revenue. In the vast majority of cases, this fee will be charged over and above what our clients pay to use your video, the Video Licensing Fee. For a small number of legacy clients, this fee will be levied from the existing rate.

When I and my co-founders launched Newsflare back in 2012, we started with a mission to ensure that more and more amazing videos shot by everyday people be published and broadcast by the mainstream media. We operated from the conviction that if you shoot great video, you should get paid. Today, over nine years later, these are the founding principles that continue to guide us.

Another development of the last three months has been the record number of members who have enjoyed earnings from the licensing of their videos to advertising agencies. Agencies such as Adam&EveDDB, BBH and Digitas have been using Newsflare video to create commercials for brands - recent commercials for Virgin Media, Oreo, Coca-Cola and Google have all featured Newsflare videos.

Sometimes, these advertising agencies need dedicated support from Newsflare staff in curating and researching clips onto the platform. Moving forward, we will be charging a Curation Fee to cover the cost of this additional service. The Curation Fee will only be levied when customers specifically request additional support with curation. It will also be charged over and above what they pay to use your video, the Video Licensing Fee.

I am very confident that the net result of these changes is that all members will have a greater chance of selling their video. Those who already earn regularly will see their earnings rise, both from more buyers engaged on the platform as well as from better targeting of video to buyers.

Thank you for entrusting us with your video. We’ve already come a long way together and the best has yet to come.

Jon