The end of Dialog Corp heralds 'Bright' future

NEWS The break up of Dialog Corporation has been announced, with the unveiling of a plan to sell off 90 per cent of its business and rename as Bright Station. Dialog is to sell its Information Services Division (ISD) on condition that all its debts are repaid. The remainder of the business - only 10 per cent of the present company - will be focused on ecommerce solutions. It will also set up a ventures division to invest in new Internet start-ups. The news brings to an end the business entrepreneur Dan Wagner set up in 1997 after buying Knight Ridder's online information unit for £420m and merging it with MAID. Dialog provides online access to market research and business information. However, debts incurred by the 1997 purchase have proved to be too much for the business to bear. After rising yesterday on the news, shares in Dialog today fell back 52p to be worth 180p on mid-day trading.