George Jackson Top Motown Pick

Film entrepreneur George Jackson is the top candidate to take the helm at PolyGram’s sluggish Motown Records division, home to such acts as Boyz II Men and Stevie Wonder, sources said. No contract has been signed but sources say Jackson, whose Elephant Walk company put out such movies as “House Party” and “Jason’s Lyric,” was offered the job this week by Mercury Group Chairman Danny Goldberg.

In other PolyGram news, A&M; Records has dismissed veteran promotion chief Rick Stone, who has been with the Hollywood-based company for nearly 20 years. Sources say A&M; is restructuring its promotion sector to beef up its presence in the black music arena. The shake-up at A&M; could foreshadow additional changes in the promotion department at PolyGram’s Polydor Records label, sources said.