People magazine gets Pitt-Jolie baby pictures

NEW YORK (AP) -- A person involved in the negotiations for pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's newborn twins says the rights have fetched $14 million.

The person asked not to be named because he was not authorized to release the figure. People magazine scored the photos in a joint deal with the London-based Hello! magazine, and the two will split the bill.

It is the second time People magazine has won the North American rights to the couple's exclusive baby pictures in exchange for a hefty donation to charity.

The magazine will feature Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon in an issue to hit newsstands Monday, People spokeswoman Nancy Valentino said Friday. Valentino said she didn't know how much was paid for the photos, which were expected to fetch a figure that would dwarf previous baby-pic payouts.

"We're thrilled to be able to feature these pictures in People," managing editor Larry Hackett said in a statement.

People plans to unveil the first photo on its Web site on Sunday evening. CNN.com plans to link to the People story. Both CNN and People are units of the same company, Time Warner.

Even before the babies were born July 12 in Nice, France, the speculation began over which celeb mag would come out on top of an inevitable bidding war. The couple ultimately chose a familiar route in its joint deal between People and London-based Hello! magazine. Watch why the photos went for so much money »

Jolie and Pitt sold the rights to the first shots of their daughter Shiloh, now 2 years old, to Getty Images in exchange for a donation to charity in 2005. People reportedly paid $4 million for the U.S. rights to those photos, and London-based Hello! magazine obtained the British rights.

And last year, the couple sold intimate shots of their son Pax, then 3 years old, to Hello! and People. The two magazines are again sharing the rights to the Jolie-Pitt photographs, with each publication contributing to the final price.

Getty Images was back in the game this time: In a statement, Getty co-founder and CEO Jonathan Klein said his company was "delighted that all proceeds from these stunning images will once again be donated entirely to charity. It is a privilege to use the power of our imagery to make a difference in the lives of so many throughout the world through the Jolie-Pitt Foundation."

In June 2006, People magazine published six photos of Pitt, Jolie and baby Shiloh, who displayed the Jolie pillow-lipped pout just days after her birth. Media week reported two months later that the issue sold 2.2 million copies, its biggest seller at the time since its 4 million-selling 9/11 special.

Jolie, 33, and Pitt, 44, established their foundation in 2006, often making children the focus of their giving. They donated $1 million in June to The Education Partnership for Children of Conflict to help children affected by the war in Iraq. Last year, the Jolie-Pitt Foundation gave more than $300,000 to support the International Rescue Committee's relief program for Darfur refugees.

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