CBS Says Sony Contacted It Again Over Record Unit

CBS issued a terse, two-sentence statement Wednesday saying it had received a “further expression of interest” in a possible purchase of its CBS Records Group from Japanese electronics manufacturer Sony.

CBS spokeswoman Alice Henderson said: “The board met informally to consider the matter, but no action was taken. Right now there are no further board meetings scheduled before the regular monthly meeting Oct. 14.”

Sources close to the situation said CBS Chief Executive Laurence A. Tisch is in favor of selling the record unit to Sony, but CBS founder and Chairman William S. Paley is opposed. Henderson said she “couldn’t say” whether either man attended Wednesday’s informal board meeting. She did confirm that CBS Records Group President Walter Yetnikoff--who reportedly is aligned with Sony in the current bid--is presently in Japan, ostensibly accompanying Michael Jackson on his concert tour.

CBS first revealed Sony’s interest in acquiring all or part of CBS’ record operation last Friday. The company has declined to reveal the amount of the Sony offer, or even label it as an offer, calling it instead an “inquiry.”

However, Times sources say Sony has made a firm offer of $1.8 billion for the record company, which is the most successful record operation in the world. With an artist roster that includes Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand and more than 200 others, the company reported operating profits of $162.1 million in 1986, the highest in the history of the record business.

One Wall Street analyst said the question of whether the record group will be sold is “very tough for an outsider to call. There’s a split on the board, but the people I’ve talked to at CBS say ‘don’t assume the deal will go through.’ ”

However, one record company president predicted “the deal will ultimately be struck. Tisch wants to do it and from what the stock is doing it appears the stockholders are anticipating a sale.”