Jackson goods given green light

Official Michael Jackson commemorative goods such as calendars and posters could soon hit the shops after a judge approved various merchandising deals.

The LA judge agreed that Jackson's estate and Apple's iTunes store could sell songs and videos of Jermaine Jackson's performance of Smile.

He sang the Charlie Chaplin classic at Michael's public memorial.

The deals were presented to Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff by the administrators of Jackson's estate.

The administrators are lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain.

They are due to have another hearing with Judge Beckloff on Monday to ask that other deals be cleared.

They include a film featuring the singer's final rehearsals and preparations for a series of comeback concerts in London.

Columbia Pictures has agreed to pay $60m (£36m) for the rights to the footage but the deal must be approved by Monday.

Private Trust

The judge is also considering a deal from merchandiser Bravo for worldwide distribution rights to several Jackson-themed products.

These include trading cards, lighters, stuffed animals that play Jackson songs, and tattoos for online games.

Jackson was heavily in debt when he died. He is reported to have owed between $300m (£180m) and $500m (£300m).

Jackson's assets are being placed into a private trust. His three children and his mother, who is also the children's guardian, are expected to receive 80% of the singer's estate. The rest will go to unnamed charities.

Jackson's will said the singer's estate consisted almost entirely of "non-cash, non-liquid assets, including primarily an interest in a catalogue of music royalty rights which is currently being administered by Sony ATV, and the interests of various entities".

This refers to the singer's share of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalogue, which includes rights to the songs of The Beatles.

Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home on 25 June at the age of 50.

Speculation continues about the possible role prescription drugs played in Jackson's death.