Evening star., 1941-07-25
Associated Press
Buys Wide World
Photo Service
New York Times Sells
Subsidiary Operated
Over "a Years
Ey the Associated Press.

Bv the Associated Press. Z.
NEW YORK, July 25,-The Wide
World News Photo Service will
come under the ownership of the
Associated Press August l. it was
announced today following the sign
ing of a contract of purchase be-
tween the Associated Press and the
New York Times. Wide World is
a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
more than "a years,
While the Times will discontinue
sale of pictures in the Western
Hemisphere as of July 81, after
which date the Associated Press
will maintain Wide World Service
under that name, other departments
of the expiring company will con-
tinue in business as carried on by
the New York Times through
neWly-formed subsidiary.
Cooper Explains Move.
In connection with the transac-
ton, General Manager Kent Cooper
of the Associated Press issued the
following statemen:
The Associated Press, by the
unanimous vote of its board of di-
rectors, acquired from the New
York Times the business of Wide
World Photos in furtherance of a
decision to accelerate the collection
and production of the news photo
element of the Associated Press
services.
The New York Times is accord
mgly disseminating the sale of pic
lures in North, Central and South
America, including the territories
and possessions of the United States.
Because of a hope such an
eventuality could be brought about,
the Associated Press has long de-
ferred plans for improving and ex-
panding its news photo service. Ad-
ditional revenue that will become
available will afford means to add
many Improvements in the news
photo field that the management
has long desired to make. which are
novel in character and will further
advance the art of news photog-
raphy. to say nothing of widening
the basis of news photo collection.
Operations Reviewed.
I'm the discussions that the man
agement of the Associated Press has
had with the New York Times over
a long period, Mr.. Arthur Hays Sulz-
berger, president and publisher of
the New York Times and also a
member of the Associated Press,
stated that only the Associated Press
could acquire Wide World. In other
words, Mr.. Sulzberger did not at any
time entertain any idea of turning
the operations of Wide World over
to a competitor of the Associated
Press.
The news photo operations Of the
Associated Press, first begun in 1927,
today are by far the most extensive
of any in existence. 1t has the only
network of news photo wire trans
mission, regularly maintained and
transcontinental in character, in the
world. The word that defines this
wire transmission of photos was
coined by the Associated Press,
namely, 'Wirephoto.
The news service of the Associ-
ated Press is in its Gath year of
operations. 1t is the oldest and
largest of any of the news
agencies or press associations in
the world Newspapers having more
and more turned to the use OF
photographs to tell the news stories,
there is every reason for directing
the future of news photography to-
ward the goal that will bring that
element of its work to full equality
with the scope of the news service
itself. Acquisition of the business of
Wide World is an important institu-
tional step looking toward the full
fllment of this accomplishment"