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Vivendi Universal, seeking an elusive U.S. distribution outlet for its array of television and film assets, said on Tuesday it was in talks with USA Networks, sending the U.S. firm’s stock up sharply. Vivendi chief Jean-Marie Messier told Reuters the talks with media mogul Barry Diller’s USA Networks may lead to a purchase of the firm’s entertainment assets. But he rubbished as “absurd” a report that Vivendi could pay up to $18 billion. “We confirm that discussions have been ongoing for several months between Vivendi and USA Networks with a view to optimizing synergies in the entertainment area,” Messier said.… Read more »

Edgar Bronfman Jr. has often been derided as the spoiled rich kid who blew his family’s liquor fortune on Hollywood, but in reality he nearly tripled it. Now, capping six years of intense dealmaking which culminated in folding the Bronfman family-controlled concern Seagram Co. Ltd. into the world’s second largest media company, Vivendi Universal, the soft-spoken mogul plans to walk away, possibly to start a new company. Save for the timing, it was no surprise that on Thursday, Bronfman, 46, said he would step down as executive vice chairman of Vivendi in 2002. The announcement came one day after another… Read more »

EMI Group Plc., the record company whose roster includes the Beatles, Janet Jackson and the Rolling Stones, said Wednesday holiday music sales are looking healthy so far this season in Europe, although still remain sluggish in the U.S. and Japan. The music business has suffered this year particularly in the United States amid a weakening economy, exacerbated by the Sept. 11 attacks. The industry has also blamed part of the industry softness on piracy, both from illegal copies of compact discs and free download services like Napster. “My impression is that the season is a little subdued in the U.S.,”… Read more »

A Beatles’ shop in Liverpool, the birthplace of the world’s most famous band, has put what it says is a previously unreleased audio version of the last public recording by guitarist George Harrison on its Web site. A music industry source told Reuters he gave his recording of “If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going,” which he said Harrison played for an audience at music studios in Michigan in 1997, to the “From Me To You” shop in the northern English port. “I just thought it was a fitting tribute, a ray of light for the fans at this time,”… Read more »

Album sales of the music of George Harrison and the Beatles surged following his death last week at age 58 of cancer, album retail tracker SoundScan reported Wednesday. The Beatles’ “1” – a collection of the 27 Fab Four singles that reached No. 1 in the United States or Britain – sold nearly 31,000 copies in the week ended Dec. 2, almost double the previous week’s total. Those sales drove “1” to No. 73 on the latest U.S. pop album charts, up from No. 146 a week earlier. The album topped charts around the world when it was released last… Read more »

L.A. based independent record label Water Music Records has just signed a 2 album deal with former Arista/BMG artist Moodswings. The first album “Horizontal” from the group will be released in March through Universal Music & Video Distribution. It is a double album complete with remixes and brand new songs featuring Julie Cruise on vocals. Cruise has 4 albums on Warner Bros. and was the voice for David Lynch’s movie and soundtrack “Blue Velvet.” Englishman James Hood is the headliner of Moodswings who’s first album “Moodfood” sold more than 300,000 albums in the U.S. with more than a half-million worldwide.… Read more »

Webnoize, a Cambridge, Mass.-based media and entertainment research firm that rose to prominence as a sage of the booming Net economy, has fallen victim to that industry’s bust. The firm announced on its Web site Monday that it plans to cease temporarily its regular online publication of news and research reports. Webnoize also said it will begin an immediate restructuring of its business, in the hope of opening its doors again as early as the first quarter of next year. Sources familiar with the company said the eight-year-old firm employed about 25 people at its peak but that the number… Read more »

With only days to go before the top music companies start selling music online, they appear unwilling, at least initially, to support most of the digital music players currently sold. Analysts have dim expectations for the new ventures because their music will remain largely chained for now to the computer desktop – and only for as long as subscribers pay to “rent” it. “What’s the use if I’m going to have it on my desktop and I can’t take it with me?” says Jackie DeLeon, 26, a student housing coordinator at the University of Illinois-Chicago who uses her portable MP3… Read more »

The head of Bertelsmann’s e-commerce arm became the latest victim of the German media giant’s restructuring on Wednesday when the group announced a major shake-up of its music distribution interests. Bertelsmann said Andreas Schmidt was leaving the company as the German-based group unveiled plans to fold its e-commerce arm into BeMusic, a new unit that will house its record club, music retailer and other music distribution businesses. Guetersloh, Germany-based Bertelsmann is sprucing up its sprawling media empire ahead of an expected stock market flotation in the next two to three years, and has been reviewing its business for possible cost-saving… Read more »

An Australian court is investigating the role that Limp Bizkit’s onstage actions may have played in the death of a 15-year-old fan who was crushed at the multi-band Big Day Out festival in January. An inquest by Sydney’s Glebe Coroner’s Court that began November 19 is attempting to determine the factors that contributed to Jessica Michalik’s death, and is examining statements made by Fred Durst when it became apparent that Michalik was in distress, according to Deputy Coroner Matt Fordham. The inquest is also examining the security measures employed by Big Day Out organizers. Both inquiries are intended to prevent… Read more »