|
|
|
刚在mjjforum和mjuk看到两个帖子，都是关于卖版权的
当然消息不一定完全可靠，我也看到了之前keen的那个帖子
不过我觉得尤其是mjjforum发的新闻应该还是有些根据的
原文：
Michael Jackson reaches refinancing deal
Pop star Michael Jackson, in a bid to stave off insolvency, said on Thursday he has reached a deal with creditors to refinance more than $200 million in loans secured by his prized stake in the Beatles' song catalog.
The loans, which formally came due in December 2005, are held by the Fortress Investment Group, a New York private equity fund that stood to gain Jackson's 50 percent interest in Beatles publishing rights, valued at some $500 million, in the event of a default.
A statement issued from Jackson's representatives in the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain, where he currently resides, said the singer has "restructured his finances" with help from Sony Corp., which jointly owns the collection of more than 200 Beatles tunes through Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
Jackson "has restructured his finances with the assistance of Sony Corporation of America," said the statement issued by Grahame Nelson of Qays H. Zubi Attorneys & Legal Consultants, who said he was speaking for Jackson.
"Following negotiations with several leading financial institutions, Mr. Jackson has concluded refinancing with affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, the lender that currently holds secured debts that were previously held by Bank of America," the statement said.
Qays H. Zubi Attorneys & Legal Consultants was part of an advisory team that included Bahrain-based financial adviser Ahmed Al Khan, it said.
Jackson's U.S. spokeswoman, Raymone K. Bain, said Qays Zubi is an adviser to Jackson but she could not confirm the contents of the news release issued from Bahrain.
Sony ATV, Fortress and Nelson did not return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment after business hours.
It also said Citigroup bank "structured the transaction for the parties."
But terms of the new financing deal were not disclosed, and it was not immediately clear whether Jackson was forced to give up any of his stake in the song catalog.
The New York Times, citing sources briefed on the refinancing negotiations, reported earlier that Jackson would agree to provide Sony with an option to buy about 25 percent of the catalog, or half of his stake, at a set price.
Sony's interest in keeping Jackson solvent stems from its desire to avoid a default that would allow his stake in the publishing venture to go up for auction, and the possibility of another company bidding on it. Sony representatives were not immediately available for comment.
According to prosecution testimony during his trial on sex abuse charges last year, Jackson had borrowed heavily against his assets, including more than $200 million secured by his share in Sony/ATV. Those loans, first provided by Bank of America Corp., were later sold to Fortress.
Rights to the Beatles music passed to the conglomerate ATV through its purchase of the band's publishing company, Northern Songs, in 1969.
Jackson in turn acquired the 4,000-song catalog, including the Beatles titles, when he bought ATV from the late Australian tycoon Robert Holmes a Court in August 1985. Ten years later, Jackson cut his stake in the catalog to 50 percent after merging ATV with Sony's publishing. Jackson also kept a 50 percent stage in new songs added to the collection.
The Sony/ATV catalog also includes songs like Bob Dylan's classic "Blowin' in the Wind" and the works of such artists as Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks. But the Beatles' rights account for an estimated two-thirds of the collection's value.
Industry experts say the catalog is one of the most treasured in the world, especially since the recent explosion in music licensing ranging from movies and television ads to cell phone ringtones and video games
－MJJF eNews #783 - Friday Apr 14, 2006
Michael Jackson has made a deal to restructure his huge debts, his advisors said, amid reports that the King of Pop will have to sell off part of his rights to Beatles' and other hits.
Jackson's lawyers released a statement in Bahrain late Thursday announcing that the singer had made a financing agreement with the help of Sony Corporation of America.
The two are co-owners of Sony/ATV Music Publishing that has the rights to thousands of songs, including 251 songs by the Beatles and other major hits such as Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In the Wind".
The statement said details of the accord would not be released.
But The Los Angeles Times newspaper said that under the 325 million-dollar refinancing, Jackson would have to sell half of his 50 percent stake in the publishing concern over the next few years to Sony Corp.
The Times called it "a coup for Sony" which will get control of the song catalog now worth an estimated one billion dollars.
Jackson has been struggling with mounting debt in recent years. His successful defence of child sex charges last year only added to his financial worries.
Last month, the singer all but closed his sprawling Neverland ranch after California authorities threatened to sue over unpaid wages to employees.
Jackson has been living in Bahrain most of the time since the court case, which came as a major blow to his career.
"Michael Jackson is pleased to announce that he has restructured his finances with the assistance of Sony Corporation of America, the long time co-owner of Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC," said the statement released by Jackson's lawyers in Bahrain.
"Following negotiations with several leading financial institutions, Mr Jackson has concluded refinancing with affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, the lender that currently holds secured debts that were previously held by Bank of America."
Fortress is a New York hedge fund that specialises in bad debts.
About 270 million dollars in Jackson's debt to Bank of America was to have been paid in December, media reports said. Bank of America sold the debt to Fortress Investment.
The Los Angeles Times said that Jackson did not have the funds to repay the loans in December and Sony officials, "worried that Fortress might seize Jackson's interest in Sony/ATV", helped negotiate an extension.
It said the loan's interest rate had increased to about 20 percent a year and the total amount owed is now more than 300 million dollars.
The Los Angeles Times quoted people familiar with the deal as saying that Sony Corp would pay Jackson about 250 million dollars for the stake.
Jackson's album "Thriller" remains one of the best selling discs of all times. His more recent output has produced disappointing sales but Jackson's lifestyle did not change until the court case.
Jackson bought ATV for 45 million dollars in 1985. It had the Beatles' publishing company as well as copyrights on more than 4,000 songs by other artists.
Over the years, his advisors have added the copyrights of Elvis Presley songs and such tunes as "Great Balls of Fire," "When a Man Loves a Woman" and "Love Train."
ATV merged with Sony Music Publishing in 1995.
Sony paid Jackson 115 million dollars and agreed to contribute future compositions by other artists. Now Jackson profits from the tunes of Destiny's Child. The Sony/ATV catalog generates an estimated 80 million dollars in yearly revenue, about half from Beatles songs, the Los Angeles Times said.
It added that Sony/ATV's revenue has been growing at about 10 percent a year over the past two years.
Source: AFP
[ 本帖最后由 MACE 于 2006-4-16 19:29 编辑 ] |
|
[复制链接]
狗仔卡
发表于 2006-4-16 19:22:47
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2006-4-16 20:10:28
发表于 2006-4-17 09:13:27