ORG have commented -
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2009/07/national-portrait-gallery-vs-wikipedia/
Here’s a freedom of information request answer regarding the NPG’s online licencing, the revenue stream most directly threatened by Wikipedia -
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/income _from_online_rights
The always excellent NewsGrist (required reading for art & free culture) is covering the story, and Joy Garnett makes an interesting comment below her post here -
http://newsgrist.typepad.com/underbelly/2009/07/viahttpcommonswikimediaorgwikifileelizabethi_in_coronation_robesjpgvia-the-independentdrawing-up-battle-lines.html
And in the interest of balance, here’s a circular and question-begging apology for enclosure of the public domain and corporatisation of public institutions from the NPG -
_"The Gallery is very concerned that potential loss of licensing income from the high-resolution files threatens threatens its ability to reinvest in its digitisation programme and so make further images available. _ > > _ "It is one of the Gallery's primary purposes to make as much of the Collection available as possible for the public to view."_