Barry Diller Interview: Why IAC Didn't Work

[engine]

Barry Diller Interview: Why [online.wsj.com]IAC Didn't Work

Barry Diller's restless, 47-year business career is yet again taking a new turn. After a dizzying run from mailroom to studio mogul, he quit his high-flying Hollywood career 15 years ago to plunge into home-shopping television and the Internet.
Now, after years of defending his Internet conglomerate, IAC/InterActiveCorp, Mr. Diller broke apart the company six weeks ago, explaining it was too complicated and in too many diverse businesses. His remaining operations include the advertising-supported Web sites Ask.com and dating service Match.com.
In an interview, Mr. Diller talks about the new IAC, the effects of the bumpy financial climate and why he'd never return to running a major movie studio.

[skibum]

For heading up a company that "didn't work" he sure made a mint [forbes.com].

Would have to agree that focus is the name of the game on the web.

[weeks]

I would agree, skibum. And it's not just the web--it's all forms of 21st Century communications--print, broadcast, radio, mobile, billboards, direct mail. But, yeah, especially the web.

[arieng]

$295 million?! I'm not sure why, but hearing that just ruined my afternoon.

[Calculus]

Got to hand it to the big US business guys, they sure know how to skin the cat in their favour.

Something to both admire about the nation and dispair at the same time. Not knocking the US, just an outside perspective.

[Kirby]

For a company that didnt work, it ended up with $1.5 billion ion cash and NO debt. I'll take that all day long.