2025 DMLA Annual Report
Overview
The Digital Media Licensing Association (DMLA), a 503(c)6 non-profit organization, represents digital media businesses ranging from photographers, stock agencies and technology providers to AI-driven start-ups and international news organizations. From Over the past year the association continued to build community, advocate for copyright protections in the generative-AI era and deliver value through events and resources. This report outlines membership dynamics, advocacy and working groups, programming, finances, partnerships and leadership.
Table of Contents
1. 2025: The Year in Review
2. Membership
• Engagement and Outreach
• Membership Growth
• Member Recognition
3. Committees
4. DMLA Working Groups
5. Partnerships
6. Advocacy
7. Events
• Brooklyn Member Happy Hour
• 2025 IDMLC
• 2025 AI Summit
8. Programming
9. Financial Overview
10. Conclusion
Appendices
A. DMLA Leadership
B. DMLA Member Companies
C. DMLA Partners
D. DMLA Sponsors
2025: The Year in Review
In 2025, the digital media licensing industry continued to navigate rapid technological, legal, and market change driven largely by artificial intelligence. Ongoing litigation, regulatory inquiries, and policy debates around AI training, attribution, and licensing aimed to clarify emerging risks while increasing demand for lawful, transparent content sourcing and distribution. At the same time, creators, agencies, platforms, and technology providers explored new licensing models, metadata standards, and provenance tools to support responsible AI development. In this evolving environment, collaboration, advocacy, and education has been essential to protecting rights holders and sustaining a healthy licensing ecosystem.
1. Membership
Engagement and Outreach
In 2025, DMLA continued to expand its reach and engagement with members and the broader digital media licensing community through its website, email communications, and event-driven outreach. Engagement metrics through the first three quarters of the year reflect steady growth, increased visibility, and sustained interest in DMLA programming, advocacy, and thought leadership.
Below are key metrics for Q1-Q3 2025:
Website Engagement
• 9,740 total website visits
• 15 percent year-over-year growth in site traffic
• 14,297 total pageviews
• Top pages included Home, Conference, Membership, and News content
Email Communications
• 49 email campaigns sent
• 5,577 total email subscribers
• Campaigns supported conferences, the AI Summit, working groups, advocacy updates, and member communications
Audience Reach
• Engagement from audiences across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia
• Continued growth in international visibility aligned with DMLA’s global membership and partnerships
Membership Growth
DMLA’s membership in 2025 reflected the growing diversity and evolution of the digital media licensing industry. Members span content creators, agencies, technology providers, legal and rights management firms, and emerging AI focused companies, all engaged in shaping responsible licensing, distribution, and use of digital media. Throughout the year, DMLA welcomed new members who bring fresh perspectives, technical innovation, and expanded global representation, while continuing to rely on the leadership and volunteerism of engaged member organizations and individuals.
New Members
• Copycat Legal
• Cyber Mirage
• EANA
• MediaViz AI
• Pixray
• TongRo Images
• Waffle Video
Member Recognition
DMLA also recognized outstanding contributions from members who demonstrated exceptional commitment to the association and the broader industry.
• Volunteer of the Year – Sarah Lefebvre, VP of Marketing & Sales at MediaViz AI, for her leadership, time, energy, and sustained engagement leading DMLA initiatives and programs.
• Member of the Year – pocstock, in recognition of their active involvement and leadership within DMLA. Founder & CEO Steve Jones serves on the DMLA Executive Board, and Chief Relationship Officer DeSean Brown serves as Chair of the Membership Committee, reflecting pocstock’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the association and its membership.
2. Committees
DMLA’s committees play a central role in advancing the Association’s mission and ensuring its effectiveness as a trade organization. Committees are operational and inward looking, focused on strengthening DMLA’s governance, programs, finances, membership, and communications. At the same time, their work directly supports DMLA’s outward-facing advocacy, education, and industry leadership. Committee participation also provides members with a meaningful opportunity to collaborate with peers, share expertise, and contribute to shaping the future of the digital media licensing industry.
Committee Impact and Leadership
• Education & Programs Committee – Chair: Thomas Smith (Gado Images) Guides DMLA’s educational programming including webinars, conference content, and member learning initiatives, ensuring responsiveness to industry developments.
• Ethics & Grievances Committee – Chair: Chris Daniels (Izmo Cars) Maintains ethical standards and provides guidance on professional conduct and dispute resolution, fostering trust and accountability across the membership.
• Finance Committee – Chair: (Open) Oversees budgeting, financial planning, and stewardship of resources, helping ensure long-term sustainability and strategic resource allocation for DMLA initiatives.
• Legal Committee – Chair: Margaret Vincent (Stocksy) Monitors legal and regulatory developments affecting licensing, contributes to advocacy priorities, and supports thought leadership on copyright and AI.
• Marketing Committee – Chair: Sarah Lefebvre (MediaViz AI) Drives communications, branding, and outreach efforts to elevate awareness of DMLA’s mission, programs, and industry impact.
• Membership Committee – Chair: DeSean Brown (pocstock) Leads membership growth and engagement, cultivates community, and enhances the member experience across industries.
• Nominations & Elections Committee – Chair: (Open) Manages transparent and rigorous leadership nomination and election processes in accordance with DMLA’s bylaws.
• Technology Committee – Chair: Mark Milstein (Microstock Solutions) Explores emerging technologies such as AI, metadata, and digital asset management, helping members navigate innovation and advocate for industry best practices.
Through these committees, DMLA members contribute directly to the association’s success while gaining insight, industry influence, and professional connections that extend beyond individual organizations.
3. DMLA Working Groups
In 2025, DMLA launched two focused Working Groups in response to rapid changes affecting how digital media is discovered, licensed, and used. These groups were created to provide members with a forum for collaboration, shared learning, and coordinated industry response on complex and evolving issues. Each Working Group brought together subject matter experts from across the membership to examine emerging risks and opportunities, develop informed perspectives, and support DMLA’s broader advocacy and educational efforts.
• AI & Copyright Working Group – Chair: Joe Naylor (ImageRights International) Established to address the legal, policy, and business implications of generative AI on copyrighted works, including training data use, licensing models, attribution, and creator rights. The group contributed to DMLA’s regulatory responses, informed advocacy positions, and supported member education on responsible AI practices.
• SEO & AI Search Working Group – Chair: Roxana Stingu (Alamy) Formed to examine the impact of AI-driven search, generative answers, and changing discovery mechanisms on traffic, attribution, and licensing value. The group seeks to help members better understand emerging search behaviors, shared insights on visibility and attribution challenges, and elevated these issues within DMLA’s advocacy and industry discussions.
4. Partnerships
In 2025, DMLA added and strengthened strategic partnerships that support its advocacy, education, and standards-based initiatives, expanding its ability to represent member interests and contribute to industry-wide efforts addressing copyright, licensing, and emerging technologies.
Key Partnership Developments
• Established a new partnership with the International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC), reinforcing shared priorities around metadata standards, content attribution, and transparency in digital media distribution, including AI-driven use cases.
• Deepened collaboration with the Copyright Alliance, supporting coordinated advocacy, legislative engagement, and amicus initiatives in defense of rights holders.
5. Advocacy
In 2025, DMLA played an active and increasingly visible role in advocating for policies that protect copyright holders and support lawful digital media licensing in the age of AI. Through coordinated legislative engagement, cooperation with the Copyright Alliance, formal regulatory submissions, and direct outreach to policymakers, DMLA amplified the collective voice of its members on issues related to AI training, licensing, and creator rights. Our efforts focused on promoting transparency, accountability, and respect for intellectual property while helping shape emerging legal and regulatory frameworks impacting the industry.
Key advocacy activities in 2025 included:
• Supported California AB 412: Generative Artificial Intelligence: training data: copyrighted materials
• Email Campaign to Congress and White House: Say ‘No’ to Unlicensed AI Training
• Responded to NOI in support of the CASE Act
• Responded to the RFI from the Office of Science and Technology Policy on the Development of an AI Action Plan
• Responded to the RFI from the Office of Science and Technology Policy on the Regulatory Reform on Artificial Intelligence
6. Events
In 2025, DMLA hosted a number of in-person events designed to foster connection, collaboration, and meaningful dialogue across the digital media licensing community and beyond. These gatherings brought together members, partners, and industry stakeholders to exchange ideas, strengthen relationships, and engage on the most pressing issues facing the industry. From informal networking to structured conference programming, DMLA’s events continued to serve as a valuable forum for peer engagement and industry leadership.
Brooklyn Member Happy Hour
DMLA hosted a well-attended member happy hour in Brooklyn, providing an informal setting for networking, relationship building, and community engagement among members, partners, and industry colleagues.
2025 International Digital Media Licensing Conference (IDMLC)
The IDMLC remained DMLA’s flagship conference, convening a global audience of close to 100 rights holders, agencies, technology providers, legal experts, and industry leaders. Programming focused on trust, authenticity, licensing trends, copyright and AI, metadata and standards, search and discovery, and the evolving business landscape for the our industry.
2025 AI Summit
DMLA’s 2025 AI Summit served as a cornerstone event focused on the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, copyright, and digital media licensing. The Summit convened a diverse and highly engaged group of participants representing content creators and agencies, technology and AI companies, platforms, legal and rights management organizations, standards bodies, and academia. Discussions addressed AI training and licensing, attribution and metadata, search and discovery, authenticity, emerging legal frameworks, and the future of creator compensation.
Participants included representatives from organizations such as Alamy, Google, Bria AI, Defined AI, Steg AI, ImageRights International, MediaViz AI, Microstock Solutions,
EANA, CDAS, Gado Images, Georgia State University, and others, alongside independent creators, filmmakers, and journalists. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with participants highlighting the Summit’s depth, balance, and collaborative nature. Building on this momentum, the AI Summit will remain a major focus of DMLA’s programming in 2026.
7. Programming
In 2025, DMLA continued to deliver high-quality educational programming through member-focused webinars designed to provide practical insight, industry context, and expert guidance on issues affecting digital media licensing. These sessions offered members access to thought leaders and legal experts, supporting informed decision-making across creative, business, and compliance functions.
Visual & Creative Styles of 2025 DMLA hosted Brenda Milis, Principal of Consumer and Creative Insights at Adobe, for a forward-looking discussion on emerging visual and creative trends shaping 2025. The session explored which styles of still and motion imagery are gaining traction with consumers, the cultural factors driving those trends, and how they are scaling in commercial relevance. The presentation provided valuable insight for creators, agencies, and licensors seeking to align creative production strategies with evolving audience expectations in an increasingly content-saturated environment.
Best Practices for Use of Digital Content In this webinar, legal experts Nancy Wolff, Scott Sholder, and CeCe Cole of CDAS provided a practical overview of copyright, trademark, and right-of-publicity considerations related to digital content use. The session focused on best practices for sourcing, licensing, and using digital media responsibly and legally, offering guidance particularly relevant to in-house legal, marketing, advertising, and creative teams navigating complex content workflows.
8. Financial Overview
In 2025, DMLA operated in a challenging financial environment as conference and sponsorship revenues declined, reflecting broader shifts in event participation and marketing spend across the industry. Despite these headwinds, core membership revenue remained stable, providing an important foundation and underscoring the ongoing value DMLA delivers to its members.
Throughout the year, DMLA continued to drive down operational costs while maintaining its core advocacy, programming, and member services. This approach allowed the organization to remain focused on its mission while operating efficiently and responsibly during a period of revenue pressure.
Looking ahead to 2026, DMLA is prioritizing membership growth as a key driver of long-term financial stability. Expanding and diversifying the membership base will strengthen DMLA’s financial footing while reinforcing its role as a representative voice for the digital media licensing industry.
9. Conclusion
As DMLA looks ahead, the challenges and opportunities that shaped 2025 underscore the importance of collaboration, advocacy, and informed leadership in the digital media licensing industry. Through the collective efforts of its members, volunteers, partners, and leadership, DMLA continues to serve as a trusted forum for addressing change, advancing shared interests, and supporting lawful and sustainable use of digital media. With a renewed focus on member engagement and growth, DMLA enters 2026 well positioned to build on the work of the past year and to continue representing the industry with clarity, credibility, and purpose.