WarnerElektraAtlanticAristaRCA....

[Michael Hagerty]

The fun folks at Warner and BMG appear to be about to merge...and will manage to still be second to UMG in size. Details:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A54061-2003Sep10?language=printer

 

[jimac51]

These two companies have been meeting thorughout the year,attempting to combine assets and reduce the cost of operations(e.g.-billing,warehousing,shipping). A major stumbling block has always been their different methods of accounting-putting an agreeable dollar value on their assets. If these talks eventually fall thorugh,see EMI come romancing WMG(the opposite was attempted two years ago). WMG is likely to go with someone,since they recently sold their manufacturing assests and AOL's troubles never seem to end. For BMG,merger or not,there will be likely a consolidation of labels(RCA,Arista and Zomba) from three to two,with Clive Davis continuing his omnipresence in the company. Mac