The newspaper cites firms including Colony Capital, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Plainfield Asset Management and media mogul Haim Saban of being interested in buying the half share, which the newspaper suggests could be worth as much as $500m.

Sony/ATV, which was created in 1995 when Jackson combined his ATV music publishing company with Sony's publishing interests, takes in most of The Beatles' songs as well as a catalogue including songs by Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and more contemporary artists such as ...