Will Microsoft buy Ask?
This month Barry Diller, CEO of IAC split up his media empire into five distinct companies, aligned more or less with their respective sectors. The Home shopping network “HSN”, Lending tree, Ticketmaster, Interval International, and IAC. IAC contains all the remaining Internet properties including Ask.com, Evite, Match.com and CollegeHumor.com
The timing of this is a little suspicious. Ask has been running a large, and mostly failed advertising campaign “Who killed the Algorithm” — perhaps a Sopranos reference?
The interesting thing in the back for my mind is: what will Microsoft do now that IAC is ripe for the picking?
Microsoft has been on a bender snapping up smaller companies (the cash must be burning holes in Ballmers pockets). In early 2007 there was a stream of rumors that Microsoft was in serious talks to Acquire Yahoo. If those fell through, or were never legitimate to begin with will be a matter for the history books — but now, the number four search destination is open.
The ability to build a web search index while challenging is not impossible, something even smaller startups can do see: Visvo Search
And what would Microsoft be buying? The experience to deliver on internet products, something Microsoft sorely lacks. Heck, it can barely deliver on its core competencies, desktop operating systems.
Filed under: Business, Semantic Web