According to Billboard, the Office Of Fair Trading has cleared Universal Music Publishing's previously reported acquisition of publishing indie Big Life Music, which will bring songs from the likes of Badly Drawn Boy, The Futureheads and Snow Patrol to the major music firm. The OFT said they did not think the acquisition threw up any anti-competition issues despite the large size of Universal's publishing empire since its acquisition of BMG Music Publishing last year, possibly because rival EMI Music Publishing is just as big. Billboard quote a Universal spokesman as saying: "We are pleased with the OFT's thorough review and decision in this matter. We are delighted to bring Big Life into the UMPG family".
Jul 10, 2008
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1 min read
OFT clears Universal's Big Life takeover
The Office Of Fair Trading has cleared Universal Music Publishing's acquisition of publishing indie Big Life Music, with no competition concerns identified.