PRWeb, the Internet’s leading press release distribution newswire, has announced the beta launch of PRWeb Photowire, the Internet’s first free news and PR image wire service.

PRWeb Photowire allows users to upload their own high-resolution news photos and images, providing a stand-alone resource for quickly delivering news images to the media. In addition, the new service enables images to be tagged with keywords using Open Source AJAX technology.

The keyword tagging makes PRWeb Photowire the Internet’s first image wire service that is Search Engine Optimized (SEO) to quickly deliver hi-res images to journalists and consumers via PRWeb’s exclusive Online Visibility Engine. In addition, these images can also be linked directly to their own PRWeb press releases, and all managed from one easy-to-use interface.

PRWeb Photowire is a cost effective (free) alternative to expensive wire services and news organizations that charge thousands of dollars to link hi-res images to news stories. Additionally, PRWeb Photowire gives small or large companies an affordable 24x7 online image source as it gives online, print and broadcast media and other news organizations quick and easy access to images linked to breaking news.

“We believe PRWeb Photowire opens a whole new world of possibilities to industries that require delivery and management of print-quality news and PR images,” explained David McInnis , founder and CEO of PRWeb. “PRWeb Photowire gives marketers, public relations professionals, and news organizations the power and pervasiveness of the Internet and the reach of PRWeb’s Online Visibility Engine to make images easier to find, download and use.”