Warner publishing sale 'clears path for EMI bid'

Warner Music Group’s search for a buyer of its publishing arm Warner/Chappell is partly intended to clear a path to buy all of British recording giant EMI, a person familiar with the matter said.

Without the sale, combining Warner’s music publishing unit with EMI’s would have resulted in an entity so large that it would attract regulatory scrutiny, said the person, who was not authorised to speak publicly.