Visual Communications. Mark Getty is taking back full control of the Seattle-based Getty Images Inc from private equity group Carlyle. They will acquire all of Carlyle's equity in Getty Images for cash plus units that are said to provide the vendor with an ongoing financial interest in the company. Financial terms were not disclosed but it is rumoured that the deal values Getty Images at slightly below $3bn, including debt, which is less than the $3.3bn valuation Carlyle placed on the company when it acquired a majority stake six years ago. The reduced valuation reflects the challenges Getty has faced in competing in an increasingly digital media landscape. Founded in 1995 by Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein, Getty has had to adapt to a media shift from print to online, where prices for images are lower. The company's CEO is Dawn Airey, a former UK TV executive who was CEO of Channel Five. Getty Images