Might Regulators Approve Giant Recording Company Merger?

Recording execs are convinced that courts might approve a merger between recording giants AOL Time Warner and Bertelsman, even though the idea was rejected two years ago. “A combination of the labels would shrink the number of global record distributors from the current five, providing new muscle and cost-saving opportunity for some players in an ailing music industry — while potentially threatening others. But the executives believe that recent legal rulings and the industry’s weak condition would bolster their cause in persuading regulators, particularly in Europe, to greenlight a deal.”