Getty Images Inc., announced that it is in the planning stages of buying celebrity photo provide WireImage for a reported $200 million, and is also in negotiations with another competitor, Jupitermedia Corp. Getty is already the No. 1 provider of stock and editorial photographs in the industry.
Part of the reason for the interest by Getty is in the increasingly competitive royalty free photos business, where images are sold at a specific price to clients.
According to a Reuters report, Getty also said that included in the acquisition of WireImage would be MediaVast Inc., the owner of WireImage and smaller brands Contour Photos and FilmMagic.
"The demand for entertainment, event and celebrity imagery is growing exponentially, and Getty Images has determined that there are great growth opportunities in the category," Getty co-founder and Chief Executive Jonathan Klein said in a statement. That is WireImage's strength, as they are one of the largest distributors of celebrity photos.
If they also end up buying Jupitermedia (JUPM), they will be taking care of a big 
competitive problem, as Jupiter competes in the royalty-free image space.
Jupiter confirmed that they were being courted by Getty and have been offered $9.60 a share for the company.
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