Rumor Mill

BMG Rights Expands

September 6, 2010

BERTIE RE-UPS: German media company Bertelsmann, which got out of the music business when they sold their half of Sony BMG, then re-entered with private equity firm KKR to launch BMG Rights Management, are interested in injecting fresh capital into the publishing company. CFO Thomas Rabe said BMG would be willing to match the $256m KKR, which took a 51% stake a year ago, said it would invest over the next two to three years. BMG Rights Management reported a net profit of 246m euros in the first half of the year, reversing a loss of 333m in the same period last year. Rabe indicated it would consider looking at a possible acquisition of EMI Music Publishing if Terra Firma decide to sell. (9/5p)