Sony, Jackson estate's $US250m deal

SONY and the estate of late pop legend Michael Jackson have signed a record-breaking $US250 million ($A273 million), seven-year deal for distribution rights, US media said on Tuesday.

The deal involving as many as 10 new Jackson projects may include computer video games as well as music and film releases, the Los Angeles Times said.

"The audio rights span across different projects," said Rob Stringer, chairman of the US label Columbia Epic, a division of Sony, reported the Times.

"There may be theatre. There may be films and movies. There may be computer games - or multimedia platforms that I don't know about today that will happen in 2015."

The deal, described by Sony and Jackson's estate as the most lucrative music contract on record, would guarantee the late singer's heirs at least $US200 million ($A218 million), the Wall Street Journal said.

Since Jackson's death on June 25 last year, Sony has sold some 31 million albums worldwide.

Jackson died at his rented mansion in Los Angeles after an overdose of powerful prescription drugs, as he was preparing to perform a series of comeback concerts in London.

The star's doctor Conrad Murray pleaded not guilty last month to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the sudden death, but has admitted administering the drugs to the singer.