| Liberty likes TicketMaster look
In the clash of media titans, conventional wisdom has been that John Malone will acquire Home Shopping Network from Barry Diller. There may be another part of Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp that Liberty Media eyes for its portfolio: TicketMaster. Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei told the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference in New York on Monday that TicketMaster "is a great business, and at the right number, sure, we would be interested in that business." It could provide synergies with DirecTV, which Liberty Media will soon control thanks to a deal with Rupert Murdoch. Maffei's commentary on IAC's businesses is not just idle chatter. Diller announced Nov. 5 that he would separate IAC into five companies in order to unlock shareholder value. His biggest shareholder is Liberty Media, with a 24.1 percent stake, and Malone, Liberty's chairman and major stockholder, is seeking that value, negotiating with Diller over what he'll take to green-light the split-up.
Social shopping sites cause online chatter
Beckie Tran doesn't have kids, which means she usually has no clue what presents to buy for her friends' children. Fortunately she gets advice from a separate group of buddies -- including people she's never even met.
Tran gets those gift ideas, and tips on dozens of other kinds of products, from her network of friends on Kaboodle.com, a Web site devoted to the fast-growing Internet category of "social shopping."
Social shopping sites with such names as Kaboodle, ThisNext, Wishpot and StyleHive combine two of the Web's most prominent activities: engaging in commerce and chatting with like-minded folks. The sites don't directly sell things, but encourage users to share links to good bargains, obscure finds, products that work and ones that don't.
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IAC's shares jump 2% amid turmoil
IAC/InterActiveCorp, owner of the HSN home shopping network and Ticketmaster, rose almost 2 percent in U.S. trading on speculation billionaire John Malone will fail to wrest control of the company from chairman Barry Diller. Malone's Liberty Media Corp., which holds 30 percent of IAC's shares and 62 percent of its voting power, asked a court to let it oust Diller and six directors from IAC's board, according to a complaint filed Monday in Wilmington, Del. Liberty, the Douglas County-based owner of the QVC and Starz channels, wants to name three directors to IAC's board to fill the vacancies. IAC and Liberty traded lawsuits last week over Diller's plan to split IAC into five publicly traded companies and to halve Liberty's voting power. IAC rose 48 cents to $25.65 in Nasdaq composite trading, the highest since Jan.
Digital Home Theater Storms CES
Increasingly, solution providers are entering the home theater arena, providing installation, advice and equipment. Many of these projects are in home settings, others are in offices. Users are shopping for products operating at ever-higher levels of performance. Products from screens to components to cables are increasing in demand. Following is a sampling of channel-friendly products featured at CES that solution providers might want to consider offering customers interested in this technology. Networked Audio Systems
Denon Electronics will debut its two new S-Series Networked Audio Systems, Models S-52 (SRP: $699) and S-32 (SRP: $499). Featuring advanced Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11 b/g), both systems offer consumers an easy way to wirelessly receive and enjoy music from other connected devices in the home and directly from the Rhapsody digital music service.
May 2007 Archive
May 13 at the Lima civic center. Tickets are Continue » Kyle and Heidi FitroFor the Record (16 words) ST. RITA'S MEDICAL CENTER A boy was born May 7 to Kyle and Heidi Fitro of Delphos. Church to begin secular outreachLocal News (235 words) DELPHOS — When a church opens its doors as a place for teens to “hang out," the effort often falls on suspicious ears. However, one Continue » Kiwanis announce Fourth of July celebration plansLocal News (276 words) DELPHOS — Stadium Park will be a bevy of activity on the Fourth of July. The Delphos Kiwanis laid out their plans for the annual event Continue » Bowers, Jeffcats hold off Lady Lancers 1-0Sports (637 words) RURAL MIDDLE POINT — Jefferson's Shauna Bowers was almost unhittable Monday night and provided the only RBI as the Lady Jeffcats subdued Lincolnview 1-0 in Continue » Philip W.
If the Pats win, are they the best team ever? Maybe ...
When the Buffalo offense was on the field, it seemed overeager to score really fast and dropped many passes, never settling down. Also, Buffalo punted twice on fourth-and-short in Giants territory, which was puzzling, as throughout the season, the Bills had been aggressive on fourth down. Will any of these markers repeat? I make the Patriots a three-point favorite, based on a final score of New England 38, Jersey/A 35, one month ago. For my scouts' notes on the Super Bowl, see below. .
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