DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (Details 8) (Lending Tree Loans, Discontinued operations, USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 item	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 item	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 item
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of investors to whom loans are guaranteed			2
Number of investors to whom loans are sold			1
Original principal balance	$ 1,800,000,000		$ 1,800,000,000
Loan loss obligations
Loan Loss Obligations
Portion of the purchase price paid held in escrow for certain actual and/or contingent liabilities	18,100,000		18,100,000
Number of segments			4
Weighted percentage for estimation of range of remaining loan losses in revised analysis			50.00%
Weighted percentage for estimation of range of remaining loan losses on other factor			25.00%
Number of loans sold	235,900		235,900
Original principal balance	39,400,000,000		39,400,000,000
Number of loans with losses	498		498
Original principal balance of loans with losses	68,100,000		68,100,000
Amount of aggregate losses	29,100,000		29,100,000
Number of requests for loan repurchases and indemnifications considered in determining the appropriate reserve amount	442		442		398
Original principal balance for loans pending	88,000,000		88,000,000
Percentage of full documentation first liens of original principal amount of loans related to indemnification	74.00%		74.00%
Percentage of full documentation second liens of original principal amount of loans related to indemnification	2.00%		2.00%
Percentage of limited documentation first liens of original principal amount of loans related to indemnification	21.00%		21.00%
Percentage of limited documentation second liens of original principal amount of loans related to indemnification	3.00%		3.00%
Estimated range of remaining possible losses due to loan losses, minimum	18,000,000		18,000,000
Estimated range of remaining possible losses due to loan losses, maximum	37,000,000		37,000,000
Activity related to loss reserves on previously sold loans
Balance, beginning of period	28,379,000	33,503,000	27,182,000	31,512,000
Provisions	296,000	3,918,000	1,493,000	6,384,000
Charge offs to reserves		(4,325,000)		(4,800,000)
Balance, end of period	28,675,000	33,096,000	28,675,000	33,096,000
Loan loss obligations | 2012
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	9,200		9,200
Original principal balance	1,900,000,000		1,900,000,000
Loan loss obligations | 2011
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	12,500		12,500
Original principal balance	2,700,000,000		2,700,000,000
Number of loans with losses	1		1
Original principal balance of loans with losses	300,000		300,000
Amount of aggregate losses	100,000		100,000
Loan loss obligations | 2010
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	12,400		12,400
Original principal balance	2,800,000,000		2,800,000,000
Number of loans with losses	4		4
Original principal balance of loans with losses	1,100,000		1,100,000
Amount of aggregate losses	100,000		100,000
Loan loss obligations | 2009
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	12,800		12,800
Original principal balance	2,800,000,000		2,800,000,000
Number of loans with losses	4		4
Original principal balance of loans with losses	900,000		900,000
Amount of aggregate losses	100,000		100,000
Loan loss obligations | 2008
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	11,000		11,000
Original principal balance	2,200,000,000		2,200,000,000
Number of loans with losses	33		33
Original principal balance of loans with losses	6,900,000		6,900,000
Amount of aggregate losses	2,200,000		2,200,000
Loan loss obligations | 2007
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	36,300		36,300
Original principal balance	6,100,000,000		6,100,000,000
Number of loans with losses	160		160
Original principal balance of loans with losses	22,100,000		22,100,000
Amount of aggregate losses	8,200,000		8,200,000
Loan loss obligations | 2006
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	55,000		55,000
Original principal balance	7,900,000,000		7,900,000,000
Number of loans with losses	207		207
Original principal balance of loans with losses	24,500,000		24,500,000
Amount of aggregate losses	13,400,000		13,400,000
Loan loss obligations | 2005 and prior years
Loan Loss Obligations
Number of loans sold	86,700		86,700
Original principal balance	13,000,000,000		13,000,000,000
Number of loans with losses	89		89
Original principal balance of loans with losses	12,300,000		12,300,000
Amount of aggregate losses	$ 5,000,000		$ 5,000,000