tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post5851971427006851082..comments2009-11-06T08:39:38.037ZJohn Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16941161605443479300noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-90491102137017426252009-11-05T17:46:31.400Z2009-11-05T17:46:31.400ZThe reason why Yahoo or Google would acquire Getty is to gets it licensing infrastructure and name-brand moniker, and then use it as a monitization vehicle for the hugh aggregate content that each site has under its own photo-sharing services. All business units would be subject to review. In short, one rarely acquires a company for ALL its assets--just the valuable ones, leaving the others to be stripped and either sold off or junked.<br /><br />I still strongly believe that Getty would be a prime acquisition target for any of the up-coming social networks that focus on photography... this, especially as the tech sector is coming out of its own economic slump and stock prices are rising again. (This is the capital such companies use to acquire others.)<br /><br />As for your business assessment of the average Getty photographer at events, the subject is a bit broader than the way you portrayed it--the photographers get a lot more than just a few newsworthy photos. There are often shots that can go into the traditional stock stream and yield great value in perpetuity, if the photographer and the conditions of the moment come together well.<br /><br />In fact, I would say that Getty&#39;s greatest strength is the way it manages its paid staff of photographers *as a business unit*. That is, its coverage of news, events, wars, and other topics that are best shot by staff pros is top notch. It&#39;s certainly reasonable that a good fundamental business model can be achieved, even during this difficult transition period of main-stream media companies.<br /><br />All the more reason why the company would be a good acquisition target for a much larger, more forward (future) looking, tech-savvy, internet company: Getty would be a needed and valuable frosting on top of an otherwise extremely large, dense cake. (Getty had the opportunity to take this cake in the early days, but failed to do so.)argvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471357746875576574noreply@blogger.com