History of Barry Diller in Timeline
Barry Diller is a billionaire businessman who has had a significant impact on the media and internet industries. He is the chairman and senior executive of IAC and Expedia Group, demonstrating his success in the digital realm. Earlier in his career, Diller founded the Fox Broadcasting Company in partnership with Rupert Murdoch, marking a pivotal moment in the television landscape. He also founded USA Broadcasting. His accomplishments have earned him recognition, including induction into the Television Hall of Fame in 1994.
February 2, 1942: Barry Diller's Birth
On February 2, 1942, Barry Charles Diller was born, marking the beginning of his life.
1964: Hired as an assistant by Elton Rule
In 1964, Barry Diller was hired as an assistant by Elton Rule, who was the West Coast head of ABC and became network President.
1965: Promoted to Vice President of Development
In 1965, Barry Diller was promoted to Vice President of Development at ABC, where he created the ABC Movie of the Week.
1973: Made Vice President of Prime Time Programming
In 1973, Barry Diller was made vice president of ABC's prime time programming, marking a significant advancement in his career.
1974: Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures
In 1974, Barry Diller became the chairman and chief executive officer of Paramount Pictures Corporation.
1976: Laverne & Shirley premiere
In 1976, Paramount Pictures, under Barry Diller's leadership, produced the hit television program "Laverne & Shirley".
1977: Saturday Night Fever Film Release
In 1977, Paramount Pictures, under Barry Diller's leadership, produced the hit film "Saturday Night Fever".
1977: Kay Koplovitz held position at USA Networks
Since 1977, Kay Koplovitz had held the position as chairman and CEO positions at USA Networks.
1978: Taxi and Grease Film Release
In 1978, Paramount Pictures, under Barry Diller's leadership, produced the hit television program "Taxi" and the film "Grease".
1980: Ordinary People Film Release
In 1980, Paramount Pictures, under Barry Diller's leadership, produced the film "Ordinary People".
1981: USA Network Ownership Agreement
In 1981, Barry Diller put together the USA Network ownership agreement between Paramount, Time Inc., and MCA, convincing Madison Square Garden management not to sell their interests in the network.
1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark Film Release
In 1981, Paramount Pictures, under Barry Diller's leadership, produced the hit film "Raiders of the Lost Ark".
1982: Cheers TV Program Release
In 1982, Paramount Pictures, under Barry Diller's leadership, produced the hit television program "Cheers".
1983: Head of Gulf+Western's Leisure Group
In 1983, Barry Diller became head of Gulf+Western's leisure group, which included Paramount, Madison Square Garden, Famous Music, and Simon & Schuster.
1983: Terms of Endearment Film Release
In 1983, Paramount Pictures, under Barry Diller's leadership, produced the film "Terms of Endearment".
October 1984: Chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox
In October 1984, Barry Diller became the chairman and chief executive officer of 20th Century Fox.
1984: End of Paramount Pictures Tenure and Releases
In 1984, Barry Diller's 10-year tenure as chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures ended. That year Paramount also released "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "Beverly Hills Cop".
February 24, 1992: Diller Announces Fox Departure
On February 24, 1992, Barry Diller announced his departure from Fox within a three-month period, expressing his desire to "own my own store".
April 1992: Departure from 20th Century Fox
In April 1992, Barry Diller left his position as chairman and chief executive officer of 20th Century Fox.
December 11, 1992: Diller's Vision for QVC
On December 11, 1992, New York Times journalist Calvin Sims noted that Barry Diller sought "to turn the shopping channel into an on-line entertainment and merchandising service in which the subscriber and the cable company can freely interact" with QVC.
1992: Home Shopping Network splits from Silver King Broadcasting
In 1992, Home Shopping Network splits from Silver King Broadcasting.
1994: Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame
In 1994, Barry Diller was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.
August 1995: Acquisition of Silver King Broadcasting Assets
In August 1995, Barry Diller acquired the assets of Silver King Broadcasting.
March 1996: Finalization of Silver King Broadcasting Ownership
In March 1996, Barry Diller's ownership of Silver King Broadcasting was finalized.
August 1996: Agreement to Buy Back Home Shopping Network (HSN)
In August 1996, it was agreed that Silver King Broadcasting, under Barry Diller's leadership, would buy back the Home Shopping Network (HSN).
December 1996: Acquisition of 80% Stake in HSN
In December 1996, Silver King Broadcasting acquired an 80% stake in HSN for $1.3 billion worth of stock and subsequently changed its own name to HSN, Inc.
October 1997: Acquisition of USA Network and Sci Fi Channel
In October 1997, Barry Diller announced that he would be acquiring the USA Network and the Sci Fi Channel for $4.1 billion under his Home Shopping Network.
February 1998: Finalization of the USA Network Purchase
In February 1998, Barry Diller's purchase of the USA Network was finalized, expanding his media holdings.
April 1998: Assumption of Chairman and CEO Positions at USA Networks
In April 1998, Barry Diller assumed the chairman and CEO positions at USA Networks, succeeding Kay Koplovitz.
May 1998: Failed attempt to remove WWF from the USA Network
In May 1998, Koplovitz and other USA Network executives, including network entertainment head Rod Perth, made an attempt to remove the WWF from the USA Network, which was thwarted.
December 2001: Vivendi Sale Announcement
In December 2001, the sale of the USA Network and its assets to Vivendi was announced, marking a shift in Diller's involvement with the network. Diller retained the assets of the Home Shopping Network.
2001: Marriage to Diane von Fürstenberg
In 2001, Barry Diller married fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg.
2001: New York Report on Diller
In 2001, New York wrote about Diller being 'often referred to as bisexual' and having lived 'most of his adult life as a more or less openly gay man', highlighting his warm relationship with Diane von Fürstenberg.
2002: Board Member of Coca-Cola
Since 2002, Barry Diller has been on the board of Coca-Cola.
2003: Warning Against Media Consolidation
In 2003, on the PBS program NOW with Bill Moyers, Barry Diller voiced a strong warning against media consolidation, referring to media ownership by a few big corporations as an oligarchy.
2005: Highest-Paid Executive of the fiscal year
Barry Diller was the highest-paid executive of fiscal year 2005.
2005: IAC/InterActiveCorp acquired Ask.com
In 2005, IAC/InterActiveCorp acquired Ask.com, marking a strategic move into the Internet search category.
2005: DisneyWar Publication
In 2005, James B. Stewart's book DisneyWar reported on speculation about Diller's sexual orientation and Michael Eisner's confidential letter to The Walt Disney Company board during the 1997 search for Eisner's successor.
October 26, 2006: Highest-Paid Executive in 2005
According to a report by The New York Times on October 26, 2006, Barry Diller was the "highest-paid executive [of fiscal year 2005]", with total compensation exceeding $295 million.
2007: Opening of the IAC Building
In 2007, the new headquarters for IAC/InterActiveCorp, the IAC Building designed by Frank Gehry, opened in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.
December 2, 2010: Stepped down as CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp
On December 2, 2010, Barry Diller stepped down as chief executive officer of IAC/InterActiveCorp, marking a transition in his leadership role within the company.
2011: Donation to the High Line Park
In 2011, the Diller-von Fürstenberg Family Foundation announced a $20 million donation to support the completion of the High Line park in Manhattan.
May 2012: Described as a "second generation Austrian Jewish kid"
In May 2012, New York magazine described Barry Diller as a "second generation Austrian Jewish kid".
2012: Investor in Aereo
In 2012, Diller became an investor in the streaming service company Aereo.
2012: Donation to the Hollywood Fund
In 2012, Diller donated $30 million to the Hollywood Fund, which provides health and social care to retired individuals from the show-business world.
2012: Support for Obama's Reelection
In 2012, Diller stated his support for Barack Obama's reelection campaign, despite having some misgivings about the Obama administration's record. He also expressed approval of then-Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg.
2013: Co-producing Broadway Shows
Since 2013, Barry Diller has co-produced more than ten Broadway shows in partnership with Scott Rudin, including "To Kill A Mockingbird", "West Side Story", and "Carousel".
June 2014: Aereo Goes Out of Business
Aereo, in which Diller became an investor in 2012, went out of business in June 2014 after the United States Supreme Court ruled that its method of streaming media content violated copyright laws.
2015: Donation Towards Little Island
In 2015, Diller and his wife committed to donate $260 million toward Little Island, a public park and performance space on a reconstructed Pier 55 in the Hudson River in New York City. It was stated to be the largest donation to a public park in the city's history.
2015: Criticism of Donald Trump
In 2015, Diller criticized Republican candidate Donald Trump's impact on political discourse and stated he would leave the country if Trump was elected.
October 2019: $4.2 Billion Fortune in Technology Companies
In October 2019, Barry Diller had a $4.2 billion fortune in technology companies, after investing early on in companies such as Match.com and Vimeo.
December 2019: Expedia's CFO Stepped Down
In December 2019, Expedia's CFO stepped down, leading Diller to take over Expedia's day-to-day operations alongside Peter Kern in early 2020.
June 2020: Net Worth Estimated
As of June 2020, Barry Diller's estimated net worth was $4.2 billion.
2020: Reservations Over Elizabeth Warren
During the 2020 Democratic primary, Diller expressed reservations about Elizabeth Warren, but stated that he would support her over Trump if she was nominated.
2020: Match Group and CollegeHumor Spinoff
In 2020, Match Group and CollegeHumor were spun off from IAC/InterActiveCorp.
2020: Expedia's Shares Plummet
In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Expedia's shares plummeted, with Diller announcing that the company was generating no revenue and would have to cut costs.
May 21, 2021: Completion of Little Island
On May 21, 2021, Little Island, a public park and performance space on a reconstructed pier 55 in the Hudson River in New York City, was completed.
March 9, 2022: Insider Trading Investigation
On March 9, 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that Barry Diller, David Geffen, and Alex Von Furstenberg were being investigated for insider trading of options on Activision Blizzard.
2024: Call for Biden to End Re-election Bid
In 2024, Diller, along with others, called for U.S. President Joe Biden to end his bid for re-election after his poor debate performance and other disconcerting signs on the campaign trail. Diller and Reid Hoffman suggested Kamala Harris should replace FTC chair Lina Khan in a potential Harris administration.
May 20, 2025: Publication of Diller's Memoir
On May 20, 2025, Simon & Schuster published Barry Diller's memoir, "Who Knew".
2025: Publication of Memoir
In 2025, Diller is expected to release his memoir, Who Knew, in which he writes about his homosexual relationships.
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