It is thought that the Commission will reject the music company merger to appease its competition concerns over the AOL/Time Warner merger. However, EMI and Warner Music are believed to have offered to sell EMI-owned Virgin Records and a significant part of Warner’s music publishing business in the hope that creating a new competitor by divestment will persuade the Commission to approve the merger.
The Commission must make its final ruling on the Warner/EMI deal by 18th October and on the AOL/Time Warner deal by 24th October.