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As of August 2004, a 50-50 merger between the music groups of BMG and Sony has been completed, reducing the Big Five of music companies to the Big Four. Sony BMG and Universal control over 60% of the global music market. [1]
Bertelsmann AG is situated in 51 countries and employs over 80.000 workers. In 2002 the all over cash-flow was €18.3 billion.
Bertelsmann made headlines on May 17, 2002, when it announced it would acquire the assets of Napster for $8 million.
The C. Bertelsmann Verlag was founded as a print shop cum publishing house in July, 1835 by Carl Bertelsmann. At first Bertelsmann concentrated on Christian songs and books. In 1849Events January 23 Elizabeth Blackwell is awarded her MD by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York, thus becoming the United States' first woman doctor January 31 Corn Laws abolished in the United Kingdom February 14 In New York City, James Knox Polk be led by Carl Bertelsmann's son, Heinrich, the publishing programme was extended into the area of novels. During the following years Bertelsmann expanded steadily. By 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26 the publishing house employed 400 people.
After World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough, in which the publishing house was closed for some time, the company was re-founded by Reinhard Mohn , fifth generation of the Bertelsmann family. In the 1950sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Years: 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 Events and trends Technology United States tests the first fusion bomb., Bertelsmann expanded with the Bertelsmann Lesering (readers ring) and the founding of the LP label Ariola RecordsAriola Records is a daughter of BMG. Acquires Arista Records at the end of the seventies. See also List of record labels Record labels. in 1958, which marks the entry in the music market. In 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort Bertelsmann bought the Ufa Filmproduktionsgesellschaft as entry in the movie market. Ufa was sold in the 1970sMillennia: 1st millennium 2nd millennium 3rd millennium Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Years: 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Events and trends. In the 1970s, Bertelsmann bought into the Gruner und Jahr publishing house (newspapers, magazines), in 1973 becoming majority owner.
Since the 1980s, Bertelsmann has expanded internationally: in 1979 it bought the american Arista Records label, in 1980 Bantam Books , in 1986 the label RCA Victor and the publishing house Doubleday. Distributes Windham Hill Records sinds 1989. In 1992 it acquires 50% of Windham Hill Records and in 1996 it takes full control.
The activities in the music market are bundled into the label BMG.
In 1993, Reinhard Mohn as owner of Bertelsmann moves 68,8% of his Bertelsmann AG stock over to the Bertelsmann foundation.
From 1995 to 2000 Bertelsmann cooperates with AOL in Europe as player in the multi media market.
In 1995 the Ufa Film- und Fernseh-GmbH merges with CLT, Luxembourg. The result is known as RTL Group, the biggest private radio and TV broadcaster in Europe.
In 1998 Thomas Middelhoff becomes CEO of Bertelsmann. He buys the Random House publishing house and concentrates book publishing in the USA under this label.
In February 2001, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert , one of Belgium's top ten companies and 25% owned by Power Corporation of Canada of Montreal, Quebec, acquired control of Bertelsmann AG. André Desmarais , President and Chief Executive Officer, Power Corporation of Canada, was named to the Board.
2003, the new CEO Gunter Thielen expands the music branch BMG with the buying of Zomba Records.In 2004, the London Borough of Camden, England brought Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) against Sony Music UK and BMG for alleged fly posting . Illegal fly posting by the two companies is thought to save them £8 million a year in advertising costs in Camden and cost the Borough £250,000 to clean up. Falling to comply with an ASBO can result in a jail sentence of up to 5 years.