The New York Times today reported what has been known by many in the industry for several weeks to be true. Getty Images is for sale.

I had heard the rumor of Getty seeking a deal for several months. We were never offered the so-called "black book" outlining the possible sale, but I knew it was out there for "the right kind of buyer" (one with lots of cash). The signs were there for all to see -- particularly when CEO Jonathan Klein decided to move to New York City last summer. Of course in this day and age with instant connectivity I am not sure why anyone would need to move from Seattle in order to consummate a deal?

I saw this interesting post which puts the possible deal in perspective. I think the reasoning here is solid. While the Getty team might be bailing out, management at Jupiterimages remains confident that we have the best chance of the big three in the image industry to come out on top. We are the only company with the right mix in this difficult environment to hopefully create a solid business model for success. The key is understanding and executing in the subscription arena. RF Subscription models combined with strong Rights Managed and microstock offerings is the only way to survive in future years. Only Jupiterimages is doing well in all three of these segments.

I will have more to say on this topic if and when Getty Images is sold.