WARNER-EMI SPECULATION
HEATING UP

In what is becoming the Jen-n-Ben equivalent in the music biz, when there’s no actual news, the theories go into overdrive regarding EMI-WMG.

Dutch media tycoon John de Mol sparked a buying frenzy of EMI on the London Stock Exchange, after announcing that he has purchased almost 4% of the company. When a guy described as a “media tycoon” starts buying, people assume he knows something and they start buying too. EMI closed up 10p on a volume of 22 million shares. The billionaire is responsible for creating both Big Brother and Fear Factor, if that helps you figure out which Dutch media tycoon he is.

And just what might de Mol know? Perhaps that an announcement of some large deal involving EMI may be imminent? Hmmm, what could that be?

In completely unrelated news, there’s a lengthy piece in today’s New York Times speculating that if a deal with EMI goes through, Warner Music chairman Roger Ames most likely will leave the company. Ames did not comment for the article, which stated that people who work with Ames said he wanted the BMG-WMG deal because he thinks BMG has better artists and a better chance to pass regulatory muster. It also said that Ames is still “quietly suggesting alternatives” to the Time Warner board, while characterizing the EMI-WMG talks as “inching” along.

However, EMI and WMG were seen together at the brawlfest Yankees-Red Sox game on Saturday, so that could mean something. Oh, wait. That was J. Lo and Affleck.