Jackson To Head Programming for IAC

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/26/2006 9:00:00 AM

Former Universal Television Group Chairman Michael Jackson has been tapped to head up programming for Barry Diller’s IAC/Interactive Corp. According to sources inside the company, he will be looking to develop programming for traditional and nontraditional platforms.

IAC, which includes home shopper HSN and Web site Ask Jeeves, among a host of other business, is expected to make the announcement Thursday.

Jackson joined USA Networks in 2001 and was named chairman of the Universal Television Group following the merger of USA with Vivendi Universal Entertainment (VUE). He exited with the merger with NBC in 2004.

Diller had left as chairman of VUE the year before to stake his claim in the interactive-online space.

Programming developed under Jackson’s watch at USA included Monk and The Dead Zone. Before that he was with the BBC and chief executive of Britain’s Channel Four, where he oversaw Queer as Folk, Trading Spaces and Da Ali G Show.