EXHIBIT 5.1

                [LETTERHEAD OF COVINGTON & BURLING APPEARS HERE]

                                                                   March 2, 1999

USA Networks, Inc.
152 W 57th Street
New York, NY 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

    In connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), of [       ] shares of common stock, par value $.01 per
share (the "Shares"), of USA Networks, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), issuable by the Company in the proposed merger of a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company with and into Precision Response Corporation, Inc., a
Florida corporation ("PRC") pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and
among P Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Company, PRC and the Company, dated as of January 12, 2000 (the "Merger
Agreement"), we have reviewed such corporate records, certificates and other
documents, and such questions of law, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate
for the purposes of this opinion.

    Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been
duly authorized and when the registration statement on Form S-4 in respect of
the Shares has become effective under the Act and the Shares have been issued in
accordance with the Merger Agreement, and assuming compliance with the Act, the
Shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

    We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we
are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Act.

                                          Very truly yours

                                          /s/ Covington & Burling