Sony and Bertelsmann are understood to be on the verge of announcing a merger of their music division today.

Reports in the New York Post and LA Times indicate that the two majors will beat EMI and Warner to an announcement later today, following two months of negotiations.

According to the reports, both BMG chief Rolf Schmidt Holz and Sony Music chairman Andrew Lack will hold major roles in the combined company, with first word indicating that the two corporations ...