Google Rumored to Be Considering Buying Brightcove

Fresh on the heels of buying ReCaptcha, Google Inc. (GOOG) is reportedly in the midst of snatching up Brightcove for between $500 million and $700 million.

The report seems to originate with a message sent on Twitter by Mark Glaser, the executive editor of PBS MediaShift and Idea Lab, who is known as @mediatwit on Twitter: "Source with knowledge of deal tells me video service Brightcove in talks with Google about buyout in $500m to $700m range," tweeted Glaser on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, online video analyst Dan Rayburn says his sources say it ain't happening.

It sure would make a powerful player if the deal pans out.

"The move would make Google's YouTube -- by far the top consumer Web video site -- also the most powerful player in the commercial Web video industry," points out Business Insider's Dan Frommer.

Brightcove has raised $91 million in venture capital funding.

- Mary Kathleen Flynn