On Rupert and Barry

I've got a bunch of stuff flying at me on the traditional media guys who get the Internet; Barry Diller and Rupert Murdoch.

First there is Adam Lashinsky's excellent analysis of Murdoch's moves on the Internet.

Then there is John Heilemann's article in NY Magazine on Barry Diller's attempt to take on Google with his Ask acquisition.

John and Adam are both great guys who I've worked with in the past and who are doing a wonderful job of analyzing and writing about what's going on right now.

I've said that I think MySpace was a good move for Rupert.  I also think buying Ask was a good move for Diller.

Clearly these two guys get what's happening in the media world and are acquiring assets that make sense.

And then there is Mark Pincus' rant (sent to his blog via his blackberry) on John's diss of web entrepreneurs in his New York mag piece

While I don't share Mark's anger at John (who I like), I do share his view that the guys who buld the properties that Barry and Rupert buy should be celebrated as much or more than the moguls.  Well said Mark.

Comments

[steve]

am i missing something? barry diller is taking on google by buying ask jeeves? last time i looked (at ask jeeves published financials) essentially all of their revenue comes from google -- as ask jeeves uses google ad words or ad sense or both. barry, if you have a free minute, i have a bridge -- er, i mean a digital bridge -- i'd like to sell you.

[David Gibbons]

What is with pumping up Barry Diller? He also said he'd "take over" web1.0 and failed miserably - just look at the missed travel opportunity. Really, this "google threat" is a joke. What's your bias here Fred?