Jane Harman takes board seat at Newsweek Daily Beast

* Jane Harman assumes seat of late husband, Sidney Harman

* IAC's Barry Diller becomes executive chairman

NEW YORK, April 21 (Reuters) - Former U.S. congresswoman Jane Harman is taking the board seat of her late husband at the Newsweek Daily Beast Co, the company said on Thursday.

Sidney Harman was the executive chairman of the board, but his widow is coming on as director. Barry Diller, the chairman of IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI.O), is assuming the executive chairman title.

"I have agreed to represent the Harman family's 50 percent interest," Jane Harman, who is currently president and chief executive of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said in a statement.

Sidney Harman purchased Newsweek from the Washington Post Co (WPO.N) for $1 last August. A little more than three months later, the magazine joined the Daily Beast, IAC's website co-founded by Tina Brown, in a 50-50 joint venture.

Sidney Harman died on April 12 at the age of 92. [ID:nN13188764].

"The Harman family fully endorsed Sidney's vision to save and restore Newsweek, and to merge it with The Daily Beast. Our family will remain actively engaged and totally committed to the success of this enterprise," Jane Harman's statement said. (Reporting by Jennifer Saba; Editing by Gary Hill)