EMI MAY NOT BE SINGLE FOR LONG

Warner Music Group may have left EMI at the merger altar, but the British music company may soon find its dance card filled. A pair of suitors is reportedly ready to come a-courting.

A German newspaper is reporting Bertelsmann AG has its eye on EMI. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) business daily said Bertelsmann was flirting with the option after EMI and Warner Music abandoned their merger plan despite offering to make hefty concessions to the European Commission.

Bertelsmann, which has set itself the goal of becoming the world's largest music group, declined to comment on the FAZ report. "We don't comment on speculation of this kind," said stereotypically German spokesman Manfred Harnischfeger, "other than to say, ‘Today EMI! Tomorrow the world!'"

Meanwhile, The New York Times is reporting Hong Kong Internet and telecoms group Pacific Century CyberWorks is again eyeing EMI. Sources close to the company said PCCW lacks the cash to complete a merger of such size on its own. PCCW was also not available for comment.