If everything is relative, then EMI Group did great during the last fiscal year. After all, total losses only topped 512 million pounds ($801 million) during the recent 12-month cycle (running through March), an improvement over year-ago losses of 1.57 billion pounds ($2.46 billion). (more…)

Roger Faxon is rumored to be drafting a fresh plan to save EMI. But will this have an impact, or merely shuffle the deck chairs once again? (more…)

Major record label EMI on Friday announced a restructuring plan that will see the company combine its music publishing and recorded music divisions, to be led by former EMI publishing head Roger Faxon. “More music is being used than ever before, despite the continued decline in global music revenues. As a result, the management structure of EMI is being changed to enable the company to reposition itself as a comprehensive rights management company that can take full advantage of all global opportunities in all markets for music,” the company said in a statement. (more…)

Surprise. Another week, another fresh batch of EMI rumors, though this time, the speculation is turning inward.  Instead of Terra Firma and its endless wrangles with Citigroup and investors, sources are now pointing to another wave of ‘employment instability’ across both the recording and publishing sides.  But concrete information is difficult to pin down at this stage.<!–more–>

The latest dust-up follows the departure of Syd Schwartz, an EMI veteran of eight years.  As first reported by Digital Music News, the digitally-oriented Schwartz suddenly stepped away from the building this week to pursue as-yet-undefined entrepreneurial pursuits.  Sounds suspicious, though Schwartz underscored to Digital Music News that he definitely “wasn’t a reduction,” and both Schwartz and EMI confirmed a consulting relationship between the pair.

Meanwhile, EMI declined that any reductions were happening on the recording side of the house.  Instead, EMI Music representative Jeanne Meyer pointed to a building process, and even noted that the company is now “interviewing candidates for a number of different digitally-focused roles.”

EMI Music is known for making lots of staffing announcements, and this week was no different.  The company has just bumped Mike Harris to Executive Vice President and General Manager for EMI Label Services and Caroline Distribution.  Harris was previously Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of New Music North America.

Over on the publishing side, the situation is equally foggy.  The group has confirmed a far broader revamping of its European operation, one designed to consolidate and retread towards a marketplace less defined by country borders.  But that process appears to be coming at the expense of various country MDs, according to numerous reports and sources. Representatives at EMI Music Publishing declined comment on any staffing shifts.  Stay tuned.