Press releases/Wikimedia Commons 5 million files: Difference between revisions

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{{notice|This press release is currently a draft, it has not yet been released.}}
== Milestone: 5 Years, 5 Million Media Files on Wikimedia Commons ==
 
== Milestone: 5 Million Media Files on Wikimedia Commons ==
[[File:WikimediaMosaicCapture.png|thumb|right|A mosaic of 1,200 of the 5 million media files, forming the Wikimedia logo]]
[[File:WikimediaMosaicCapture.png|thumb|right|A mosaic of 1,200 of the 5 million media files, forming the Wikimedia logo]]
'''N September 2009, The Internet''': Wikimedia Commons, the media repository site used by Wikipedia, today reached the 5 million media files milestone. Every one of these media files is available under a free license, such that anyone can use them for any purpose. Wikimedia Commons is the largest free media repository on the internet. The repository is constructed and maintained completely by over 800,000 volunteers, of which over 20,000 have been actively participating in the last month.
'''2 September 2009, The Internet''': Wikimedia Commons, one of the largest free media repositories on the Internet, reached the 5 million media files milestone today. Created just five years ago as a common repository of images for the different language versions of Wikipedia, it has grown to include video, animation, sound, and graphics files. Today, it is used by Wikipedias in over 270 languages as well as Wiktionaries (dictionaries), Wikibooks (textbooks), and other projects in multiple languages. With all content freely licensed, media from Commons are used by other individuals and groups including bloggers and news, education, and commercial organisations. The repository is the product of an international collaboration of over 800,000 volunteers, 20,000 of whom are currently active.


The media files come from a wide range of sources, from personal photography by its users to images from public domain archives. Everyone from every path of life can contribute to the repository, increasing the amount of public domain and freely-licensed educational media content available to the world.
The media files come from a wide range of sources, from personal photography by Wikimedia Commons users to images from public archives. Everyone from every path of life can contribute to the repository, increasing the amount of public domain and freely-licensed educational media content available to the world.


[[File:Biandintz eta zaldiak - modified2.jpg|thumb|left|One of over 1,700 featured pictures, and the winner of the "Commons Picture of the Year" competition in 2008]]
[[File:Biandintz eta zaldiak - modified2.jpg|thumb|left|One of over 1,700 featured pictures, and the winner of the "Commons Picture of the Year" competition in 2008]]
Wikimedia Commons started 5 years ago this month. It reached 4 million media files a mere 6 months ago, on the 4th March 2009, after taking 8 months between the 3 and 4 million media files milestones. Amongst the 5 million files are 1,700 "featured" pictures - the very finest on Wikimedia Commons.
Wikimedia Commons started 5 years ago this month. It reached 4 million media files a mere 6 months ago, on 4 March 2009, after taking 8 months to go from 3 to 4 million files. Amongst the 5 million files are 1,700 "featured" pictures -- the very finest on Wikimedia Commons.


In the last year, it has seen several substantial donations of media files. Bundesarchiv -- the German Federal Archive -- donated nearly 100,000 images in December 2008. In March 2009, the State and University Library Dresden donated nearly 250,000 images. These donations have been mutually beneficial -- the archives have benefited from the work of Wikimedia volunteers in categorizing these images, checking their descriptions, linking them with appropriate metadata and adding the images to Wikipedia articles. This lead to increased visibility of their works online, with a substantial increase in visitors to their websites and purchases of prints of the images.
In the last year, Wikimedia Commons has seen several substantial donations of media files. In December 2008, Bundesarchiv (the German Federal Archive) donated nearly 100,000 images. In March 2009, the State and University Library Dresden announced that they will donate nearly 250,000 images, which are in the process of being uploaded. These donations have been mutually beneficial: the archives have benefited from the work of Wikimedia volunteers in categorising these images, checking their descriptions, linking them with appropriate metadata and adding the images to Wikipedia articles. This has led to increased visibility of their works, and a substantial increase in visitors to their websites and the archives' sales of prints.


[[File:Excavation at Uriconium by Francis Bedford.jpg|thumb|right|An image of the excavation at Uriconium, Shropshire, taken by Francis Bedford, donated by Regionarkivet]]
[[File:Excavation at Uriconium by Francis Bedford2.jpg|thumb|right|An image of the excavation at Uriconium, Shropshire, taken by Francis Bedford, donated by Regionarkivet and digitally restored by a Wikimedia volunteer]]
In August 2009, Regionarkivet (Sweden) donated high-resolutions scans of 27 images by important 19th century photographers to Wikimedia Sverige and Wikimedia Commons. These included works by the British photographers Francis Bedford and Roger Fenton.
In August 2009, Regionarkivet (Sweden) donated high-resolutions scans of 27 images by important 19th century photographers to Wikimedia Sverige and Wikimedia Commons. These included works by the British photographers Francis Bedford and Roger Fenton.


It has also seen influxes of nearly 10,000 media files from two recent free photography competitions of public domain works held by museums: ''Wikipedia Loves Art'' was held in museums world-wide, and ''Wiki Loves Art'' was held in museums across the Netherlands. Wikimedia UK is currently planning ''Britain Loves Wikipedia'', a similar event to take place in museums across the UK, aimed at making Britain's cultural heritage more visible, freely across the world, via the internet.
Wikimedia Commons is also currently receiving influxes of nearly 10,000 media files from two recent free photography competitions of public domain works held by museums: ''Wikipedia Loves Art'' was held in museums world-wide, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and ''Wiki Loves Art'' was held in museums across the Netherlands. Wikimedia UK is currently planning ''Britain Loves Wikipedia'', a similar event to take place in museums across the UK, aimed at making Britain's cultural heritage more visible, available freely across the world via the internet.


;EDITORS NOTES
;EDITORS' NOTES
''About Wikimedia Commons:''
''About Wikimedia Commons:''


Wikimedia Commons is a free image and media file repository, and is a sister project to Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. It was started on 7 September 2004, and is operated by the Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikimedia Commons is a free image and media file repository, and is a sister project to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It was started on 7 September 2004, and is operated by the Wikimedia Foundation.


''About Wikimedia UK:''
''About Wikimedia UK:''


Wikimedia UK is the local Wikimedia chapter covering the United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is an independent organization that supports free and open knowledge throughout the United Kingdom, including promoting and supporting the projects of the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.
Wikimedia UK is the local Wikimedia chapter covering the United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is an independent organisation that supports free and open knowledge throughout the United Kingdom, including promoting and supporting the projects of the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.


''About the Wikimedia Foundation:''
''About the Wikimedia Foundation:''


(NB: included only if WMF is working with us on this press release)
The Wikimedia Foundation Inc. is the US-based non-profit organisation that operates some of the largest collaboratively-edited reference projects in the world. These include Wikipedia, one of the world's 10 most-visited websites, and Wikimedia Commons.
 
The Wikimedia Foundation Inc. is a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to encouraging the growth, development and distribution of free, multilingual content, and to providing the full content of its wiki-based projects to the public free of charge. It operates some of the largest collaboratively-edited reference projects in the world, including Wikipedia, one of the world's 10 most-visited websites.
 
All projects of the Wikimedia Foundation are collaboratively developed by volunteers using the MediaWiki software. Their content may be freely used, freely edited, freely copied and freely redistributed subject to the restrictions of that license.


''Further information:''
''Further information:''
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Andrew Turvey, Secretary, Wikimedia UK
Andrew Turvey, Secretary, Wikimedia UK
* Email: secretary@wikimedia.org.uk
* Email: secretary@wikimedia.org.uk
* Phone: +44 (0)7988 013 646


Paul Williams, Wikimedia UK
 
Paul Williams, Volunteers Director, Wikimedia UK
* Phone: +44 (0)7979 804 715
* Phone: +44 (0)7979 804 715
[[Category:Press releases|01]]

Latest revision as of 15:54, 12 June 2012

Milestone: 5 Years, 5 Million Media Files on Wikimedia Commons

A mosaic of 1,200 of the 5 million media files, forming the Wikimedia logo

2 September 2009, The Internet: Wikimedia Commons, one of the largest free media repositories on the Internet, reached the 5 million media files milestone today. Created just five years ago as a common repository of images for the different language versions of Wikipedia, it has grown to include video, animation, sound, and graphics files. Today, it is used by Wikipedias in over 270 languages as well as Wiktionaries (dictionaries), Wikibooks (textbooks), and other projects in multiple languages. With all content freely licensed, media from Commons are used by other individuals and groups including bloggers and news, education, and commercial organisations. The repository is the product of an international collaboration of over 800,000 volunteers, 20,000 of whom are currently active.

The media files come from a wide range of sources, from personal photography by Wikimedia Commons users to images from public archives. Everyone from every path of life can contribute to the repository, increasing the amount of public domain and freely-licensed educational media content available to the world.

One of over 1,700 featured pictures, and the winner of the "Commons Picture of the Year" competition in 2008

Wikimedia Commons started 5 years ago this month. It reached 4 million media files a mere 6 months ago, on 4 March 2009, after taking 8 months to go from 3 to 4 million files. Amongst the 5 million files are 1,700 "featured" pictures -- the very finest on Wikimedia Commons.

In the last year, Wikimedia Commons has seen several substantial donations of media files. In December 2008, Bundesarchiv (the German Federal Archive) donated nearly 100,000 images. In March 2009, the State and University Library Dresden announced that they will donate nearly 250,000 images, which are in the process of being uploaded. These donations have been mutually beneficial: the archives have benefited from the work of Wikimedia volunteers in categorising these images, checking their descriptions, linking them with appropriate metadata and adding the images to Wikipedia articles. This has led to increased visibility of their works, and a substantial increase in visitors to their websites and the archives' sales of prints.

An image of the excavation at Uriconium, Shropshire, taken by Francis Bedford, donated by Regionarkivet and digitally restored by a Wikimedia volunteer

In August 2009, Regionarkivet (Sweden) donated high-resolutions scans of 27 images by important 19th century photographers to Wikimedia Sverige and Wikimedia Commons. These included works by the British photographers Francis Bedford and Roger Fenton.

Wikimedia Commons is also currently receiving influxes of nearly 10,000 media files from two recent free photography competitions of public domain works held by museums: Wikipedia Loves Art was held in museums world-wide, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and Wiki Loves Art was held in museums across the Netherlands. Wikimedia UK is currently planning Britain Loves Wikipedia, a similar event to take place in museums across the UK, aimed at making Britain's cultural heritage more visible, available freely across the world via the internet.

EDITORS' NOTES

About Wikimedia Commons:

Wikimedia Commons is a free image and media file repository, and is a sister project to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It was started on 7 September 2004, and is operated by the Wikimedia Foundation.

About Wikimedia UK:

Wikimedia UK is the local Wikimedia chapter covering the United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is an independent organisation that supports free and open knowledge throughout the United Kingdom, including promoting and supporting the projects of the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.

About the Wikimedia Foundation:

The Wikimedia Foundation Inc. is the US-based non-profit organisation that operates some of the largest collaboratively-edited reference projects in the world. These include Wikipedia, one of the world's 10 most-visited websites, and Wikimedia Commons.

Further information:

Contact details:

Andrew Turvey, Secretary, Wikimedia UK

  • Email: secretary@wikimedia.org.uk


Paul Williams, Volunteers Director, Wikimedia UK

  • Phone: +44 (0)7979 804 715
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