- LOS ANGELES: Barry Diller, the media mogul who claimed credit for the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, said Tuesday he would resign as chairman of the merged company after a boardroom power struggle with another media giant and director, John Malone, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
Diller announced his resignation at a board meeting on Tuesday, effective as of the next meeting, said the person. News of the resignation was earlier reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Live Nation Entertainment Inc.'s stock has plummeted this year following a disastrous summer concert season. Since hitting a high of $16.70 in late April, shares are down 41 percent, closing Tuesday at $9.85. The troubles were brought to light at an investor meeting in July, when the company said its adjusted operating income for 2010 was expected to be $405 million, down from $445 million last year, despite the benefits of its merger. That day alone chopped 11 percent off the shares. Diller owns less than 1.5 percent of the stock outstanding compared to Malone's Liberty Media Corp., which owns 14.3 percent, and there was growing resentment at the outsized role Diller was playing in running the company, the person said.



