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MSNBC Breaking News-AOL Time Warner says Steve Case will step down as chairman of the company following the shareholders' meeting in May
Doesn't anybody else on IHUB own AOL stock??
AOL Time Warner CFO eyeing cable IPO in 2nd qtr
NEW YORK, Jan 9 (Reuters) - A top AOL Time Warner Inc. executive told investors on Thursday the world's largest media company hoped to spin off its cable television operations during the second-quarter as part of its effort to begin paring down its weighty debt load.
Under ideal conditions, analysts predicted AOL Time Warner would spin off a stake between 25 and 30 percent of Time Warner Cable, the nation's No. 2 cable operator, raising about $6 billion.
AOL Time Warner Chief Financial Officer Wayne Pace, speaking at the Salomon Smith Barney entertainment conference, said the company was aiming to close this month its agreement to buy Comcast Corp.'s 27.6 percent stake in Time Warner Entertainment for about $9 billion.
"We are looking for a second-quarter initial public offering for the cable company," Pace told investors.
Spinning off its cable operations is part of the company's plans to expand its presence in the sector. The public offering will give the debt-laden company currency and the ability to acquire other cable rivals or take stakes in them.
AOL's $106.2 billion purchase of Time Warner was partially driven by the desire to gain access to cable lines to push high-speed Internet services.
Proceeds from that sale would likely be used to help finance the TWE transaction and pay down AOL Time Warner's
massive debt load, which rests at more than $26 billion. "The big question is, can that much cable paper be floated
in the market?" said CIBC analyst Mike Gallant. "That is going to be a little bit questionable, but this is a very clean set
of assets."
Indeed, the world's largest media company has maintained a running dialogue with several investment banks about handling the possible initial public offering during the past few months, sources said.
It remains too early to project which banks might ultimately be selected as lead bookrunners for the flotation. But the competition for the job is fierce, sources said, since it would provide a healthy dose of fees for the winning institutions, which are still smarting from last year's moribund IPO market.
Fees for handling an IPO that size generally run between 3 percent and 4 percent, meaning a payday of about $200 million for a $6 billion IPO.
That has left several banks jockeying to position themselves as lead bookrunners, including Bank of America Corp.
and Bear Stearns Cos Inc., two institutions with close ties to the New York-based company, sources said.
Bank of America has maintained a long relationship with AOL Time Warner. Last Fall, it stepped in to help value the TWE stake then owned by AT&T Corp., which was purchased by Comcast last year. The deal to unwind a complicated cable and content partnership paved the way to spin-off Time Warner Cable into a publicly traded entity, analysts said.
Bank of America is also one of AOL Time Warner's largest lenders. Last July it helped arrange two new credit lines
totaling $10 billion for the company, then in April helped sell $6 billion of investment-grade debt.
However, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank is a second-tier player among IPO managers, having ranked 15th among U.S. bookrunners last year, according to Thomson Securities Data.
Bear Stearns also helped value the TWE stake, and its bankers helped advise the company on its stronger-than-expected bid for AT&T's broadband unit last year. But like Bank of America, it is not considered a major IPO book manager.
Other competitors include Morgan Stanley, which served as Time Warner's primary underwriter for public debt prior to the merger with AOL, sources said. Salomon Smith Barney, the top U.S. IPO book manager during 2002, may also have an inside edge because AOL Time Warner's in-house M&A advisor, Kate Brown, was a former banker there.
Media reports have also suggested Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. were competing for lead
bookrunner status, as well.
AOL shares jumped following Pace's comments and closed up
45 cents, or 3.24 percent, at $14.33 on the New York Stock
Exchange.
Second 'Lord of the Rings' Film Breaks December Box Office Records
MONDAY , DECEMBER 23, 2002 10:16 AM
Dec 23, 2002 (Daily News - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News via COMTEX) -- "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" achieved the biggest December opening by any movie in film industry history as it grossed an astounding $101.5 million in its first five days of release, according to studio estimates Sunday.
New Line Cinema's "Two Towers" is the second film in a trilogy of movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic books and managed to improve upon last year's stellar grosses for the first film, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," by 33 percent.
"It's way beyond where we thought it would be," said David Tuckerman, New Line's president of domestic distribution. "It's in the area where we dreamed about but wouldn't dare hope for."
The benchmarks already set by "Two Towers" include a record opening-day gross of $26 million -- the largest ever for a December release -- and the biggest five-day and three-day ($61.5 million) opening grosses for a December movie. If estimates hold, the film will also be the 22nd movie in 2002 to gross more than $100 million, tying 2000's record total.
Fueled by "Two Towers," the movie industry -- already having a record box office year -- remains on pace to reach $9 billion in annual grosses for the first time ever.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros.' new romantic comedy "Two Weeks Notice" pairing Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock came in a distant second place, earning an estimated $14.4 million.
"That's a sensational opening for us," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution at Warner Bros. "We have had great audience reaction and are on our way to a good run."
Finishing close behind in third place was another romantic comedy, "Maid in Manhattan," which surprised many by coming in No. 1 last weekend. The Sony Pictures Entertainment release starring current media sensation Jennifer Lopez took in an estimated $11 million for a cumulative gross of $35.5 million.
Miramax Films' highly anticipated and big-budgeted "Gangs of New York" could manage only a fourth-place finish with an estimated opening weekend of $9.1 million.
"Gangs," directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio, played in 1,504 theaters, less than half of the 3,622 locations for "Two Towers."
"I think it's a solid opening even though it came in fourth," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations Co. "The per-screen average ($6,064) was higher than any other film in the top 12, except for 'Two Towers."' Paramount Pictures' "Star Trek: Nemesis" had a disastrous second weekend, plummeting from second place to ninth as its attendance fell by a devastating 76 percent. The film grossed an estimated $4.4 million over the weekend for a cumulative total of $26.4 million. It looks destined to become the lowest-grossing entry in the long-running "Star Trek" film franchise.
Paramount's highest grosser for the weekend was the debut of its animated film, "The Wild Thornberrys Movie," which bowed in sixth place with a gross of $6.1 million.
The Cinderella success story of the year, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," dropped just out of the top 12 as it completed its eighth month in theaters. The IFC Films release, which had a budget of just $5 million, earned another $1.5 million over the weekend to bring its cumulative total to a big fat $217.8 million.
ESTIMATED TICKET SALES
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," $61.5 million.
2. "Two Weeks Notice," $14.4 million.
3. "Maid in Manhattan," $11 million.
4. "Gangs of New York," $9.1 million.
5. "Drumline," $7.6 million.
6. "The Wild Thornberrys Movie," $6.1 million.
7. "The Hot Chick," $4.5 million.
8. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," $4.46 million.
9. "Star Trek: Nemesis," $4.4 million.
10. "Die Another Day," $4 million.
By Greg Hernandez
To see more of the Daily News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.dailynews.com.
(c) 2002, Daily News, Los Angeles. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business
Harry Potter II...
The Franchise LEGEND continues!
http://movies.yahoo.com/movies/feature/weekendboxofficer.html
Are there NO OTHER AOL investors in all of IHUBLAND?
AOL has shown very positive strength this month!
Why aren't more IHUB members commenting about AOL on this board?
LOL! I just sent the prior post to CNBC Squawk Box...
BABY!
Let's see what happens, BABY! LOL!
Sent e-mail message
From: dpb5@webtv.net Date: Fri, Jul 26, 2002, 2:44pm To: Squawk@CNBC.com Subject: Hey BABY! AOL & Austin Powers
Hi there, baby!,
Not sure where to send this to exactly, but thought you'd get a kick out of this post I just created on Investorshub.com
Email me back if you intend to use it on air on Monday! LOL!
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=433686
You've Got Mail, BABY!
In spite of all the recent doom and gloom surrounding AOL, I am truly disappointed that in this day of accounting debacles, executive changes, and general global economic woes, that AOL isn't smart enough to synergyze their assets the way I originally thought was intended.
The new Austin Powers Movie was released today...
View the link here...
http://www.austinpowers.com/
The execs at AOL need to get their heads out of the sand, baby, and get some idea that the way to profit and recovery is through marketing, baby.
All business is about marketing. Yes, baby, ALL BUSINESS.
Shouldn't the current 32 Million AOL users have been alerted to this "cross asset" of AOL online today been greeted by a catchy voice over saying, "You've Got Mail, BABY!" (in Austin Powers' voice, nonetheless!), and then follow that with a POPUP AD to the Austin Powers website linked above?
I don't know about you, baby, but I think that AOL is lacking vision as a company, baby, by not exploiting all it's assets.
I say....
"AUSTIN POWERS FOR AOL CEO, BABY!"
If not Austin, perhaps me, BABY ?????
[Suppressed Sound Link]
That won't help their 65 billion dollar loss they posted a while back go.
Ro ROOOOEEEEEEE!
Is nobody payin attention lately?
AOL MOVIE Scooby Doo was number one last weekend!
Almost $$$FIFTY SEVEN MILLION for weekend debut!
AOL !!!!!! It isnt just a DIAL UP anymore!
What do you mean by "breakup" value?
I can't believe that the breakup value of this co is below $20 a share...great properties...any opinions?
I forgot about you.
Anyway...I looked at the charts a few days ago and I don't see how AOL could ever fall below 20, if it does, that's not good. I think it's certainly a good buy, but more for the long term (like a year or more) than the short term because of the risk involved. If your ST, then just watch it and hope it doesn't fall below 21, because if it does, then 15 is a real possibility. Long term obviously looks great on the charts and in their company fundamentals, IMO.
Joemoney procrastinates sometimes so I forgot about your post, lol.
Joemoney
Joemoney, if you wait any longer the short term will BE the long term. Don't you have AOL bookmarked as a Favorite Site here on IHUB?
AOL Time Warner's Got a Refinancing
Apr 02, 2002 (TheStreet.com via COMTEX) -- With commercial paper becoming as scarce as street vendors selling nonpirated music on the streets of Manhattan, AOL Time Warner is refinancing $4 billion in short-term debt with a series of bonds maturing in three to 30 years.
But an analyst suggests that the media conglomerate's move is motivated less by a shrinking market for commercial paper than by a sound strategy of locking in interest rates at relatively low levels.
AOL Time Warner's battered shares rose 35 cents Tuesday to close at $23.62.
The company's bond sale, scheduled for Wednesday, will replace $4 billion of bank debt and short-maturity commercial paper with a commensurate amount of debt with an average maturity of roughly 11 years, according to Patricia Lee, an analyst at the independent credit research firm CreditSights.
The company, which had $22.8 billion in long term debt as of Dec. 31, reported $1.4 billion in net interest expense for 2001.
"This is a prudent financial strategy for them," says Lee, saying the company is taking advantage of investor interest in the company as a defensive core media holding by fixing coupons at relatively low interest rates. That makes sense, says Lee, since rates will rise if the economy recovers. "The danger now is [for borrowers] to be caught in the short end of the [debt maturity] spectrum," she says.
The transaction will also benefit the company by giving it greater flexibility to access bank debt and the commercial paper market for possible transactions later this year, such as a purchase of AT&T's interest in AOL Time Warner's Time Warner Entertainment subsidiary.
Investors have been antsy about the creditworthiness of numerous companies recently, with Tyco and Qwest getting cut out of the commercial paper market, and bond guru Bill Gross lambasting GE for its overreliance on commercial paper unsecured by bank debt.
By George Mannes
Senior Writer
(C) 1996 - 2002 TheStreet.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Both, actually! EOM.
Depends, long or short term?
Joemoney,
What do you think? Is it time to buy AOL?
About AOL.............................static?
I certainly would not ignore the static. AOL is under attack by consumers...just like Qwest...it will affect the stock.
They are considered one of the arch criminals of the internet.
Their billing and business practices are criminal. They are not able to service the customers they have.
ola
hello
testing the water?
AOL Highly Recommended for 2002...
http://www.investorplace.com/free/rb_free_025A.php
Gateway in Talks to Modify AOL Agreement
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011116/bs/tech_gateway_aol_dc_1.html
AOL Time Warner Wants to Expand Film, TV Abroad
By Reshma Kapadia
NEW YORK (Reuters) - AOL Time Warner Inc.(NYSE:AOL - news) head Gerald Levin said Friday he was committed to expanding its entertainment business abroad, benefiting from the cross promotion efforts it has implemented in the United States.
``I don't just want to be an export machine.'' Levin said at a JP Morgan conference in New York.
The Internet media giant, home to movies such as ``Harry Potter (news - web sites) and the Sorcerer's Stone,'' has started making a local film in Germany and has similar projects in the works in France, Italy and Spain.
Although many believe that film is not a high-growth business, Levin said he was determined to make it so by changing the channels of marketing and distribution.
The performance of AOL Time Warner's film and entertainment business has been lackluster in recent quarters, but analysts expect ``Harry Potter'' to give it a solid boost.
The company has aggressively marketed the movie based on J.K. Rowlings' popular books throughout its different properties, which include cable networks TNT, the WB and HBO, as well as the world's largest Internet service and magazines such as People and Time.
Levin said he wants to be able to duplicate the cross promotion machine it has developed in the United States to market movies and artists, for example, through its magazine titles, networks and online service.
Executives at the world's largest Internet and media company have been talking about international expansion since January, when the $106.2 billion merger of Time Warner and AOL was completed, but analysts have been waiting for more aggressive announcements on that front.
AOL Time Warner agreed to buy IPC, Britain's leading consumer magazine publisher, in July and struck a deal with Beijing in October to distribute an entertainment cable TV channel in southern China in exchange for carrying a Chinese-government channel in parts of the United States.
``We want to have a dominant entertainment position in China,'' Levin said, adding that the company there can operate as a music company and an artist management company.
He reiterated that the advertising market was in a deep slump, which he believes does not have a historical parallel.
AOL Time Warner's subscriptions business and its ability to promote its products over different mediums have helped the company's properties outperform the overall market, Levin said. Media companies have taken a beating as ad spending has dried up amid the economic uncertainty.
Levin also reiterated that Mike Kelly's move to chief operating officer of the AOL Internet unit, from his former position as chief financial officer of the entire company, was a promotion, giving Kelly management experience he needed and wanted. He added that he had the habit of making constant changes in people and was going to continue to do so.
Wayne Pace, CFO of Turner Broadcasting System, replaces Kelly as CFO of the group.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011109/wr/tech_aoltimewarner_dc_1.html
AOL Adds Muscle to Aether Small Biz Ware
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nf/20011107/bs/14645_1.html
Time Warner Telecom's Net Loss Widens
LITTLETON, Colo. (Reuters) - Time Warner Telecom Inc. (Nasdaq:TWTC - news), which provides voice and data communications services to businesses, on Tuesday posted a wider third-quarter loss due to acquisition-related costs and warned that customer bankruptcies, the weak economy, and soft demand would hurt revenues for several quarters.
The company, which is partly owned by media giant AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news), said its third-quarter net loss widened to $24.3 million, or 21 cents a share, from $2.3 million, or 2 cents a share, a year earlier.
Time Warner Telecom attributed the wider loss to increased depreciation and interest expenses related to its acquisition of GST Telecommunications Inc. assets in January.
Revenue rose 43 percent to $172.7 million, which was in line with the reduced forecast the company provided in September. It said customer bankruptcies and service cancellations caused a loss of $4 million in recurring monthly revenue during the third quarter.
Third-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, rose 30 percent to $37 million.
``We continue to experience customer bankruptcies, slowing carrier demand and an overall weaker economy,'' Time Warner Telecom Chairman Larissa Herda said.
``I believe these factors may continue to impact revenue performance for several quarters. Until we work through the rash of bankruptcies in the telecom and other sectors, and the impact of customer disconnects, our net growth will be impacted,'' Herda said.
As a result, Time Warner Telecom said it expects little to no growth in fourth-quarter revenues and EBITDA.
Still, shares of Littleton, Colorado-based Time Warner Telecom rose $1.57, or 14.88 percent, to close at $12.12 on Nasdaq as analysts expressed optimism about some recent contract wins and the company's long-term prospects. The stock has fallen about 82 percent this year amid a sharp sell-off in shares of emerging communications companies.
``Though the company remained cautious on the call with respect to forward guidance due to continued customer bankruptcies, slower carrier demand, and overall economic weakness, it did indicate that pockets of its business were acting better and the company noted some fairly prominent customer wins in the quarter,'' said Thomas Weisel Partners LLC analyst Peter DeCaprio.
Time Warner Telecom recently won contracts with the Indianapolis Colts and Emmis Broadcasting, analysts said.
``We remain bullish on our long-term outlook for (Time Warner Telecom) given its high quality revenue stream and fully funded position, and we therefore reiterate our 'buy' rating,'' said CS First Boston analyst Mark Kastan.
``However, our outlook for flattish top line and EBITDA comparisons over the next 3 quarters due to the slow economy could limit near-term appreciation potential'' for the stock, Kastan said.
Time Warner Telecom, which serves 44 markets in 21 states, said its business remains fully funded. It said it had $380 million in cash and equivalents, and $750 million in available financing.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011106/tc/telecoms_timewarnertelecom_earns_dc_2.html
RESEARCH ALERT-Weisel says Harry Potter to boost AOL Time Warner
NEW YORK, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Thomas Weisel Partners analyst Gordon Hodge on Monday said the upcoming release of the film ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' could generate $300 million in profit for AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news) in the next 12 months.
In a research note, Hodge reiterated his buy rating on the world's largest Internet and media company.
``Assuming the film lives up to expectations, we believe the seven-film franchise could generate nearly $10 billion in gross revenues and roughly $2 billion in profit for AOL Time Warner,'' Hodge said.
The company's shares have taken a beating recently amid concerns about revenue growth as it contends with the advertising slump and a slowdown in subscriber growth prospects at its Internet unit.
However, Hodge said this quarter could highlight the powerful content engine within the company, specifically at Warner Brothers Studios.
Shares of AOL Time Warner were last up $1.83, or 5.7 percent, at $33.84.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011105/nb5183635_2.html
Burger King, AOL in Promotional Venture
MIAMI (Reuters) - Would you like a special digital computer code to access enhanced America Online features with that Whopper?
No. 2 hamburger chain Burger King and New York media conglomerate AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news) on Monday announced an Internet marketing initiative that would give Burger King customers access to special features in various AOL publishing, broadcast, music, film and online media.
For example, Miami-based Burger King's customers would be given digital codes with purchases to grant them access to special Internet sites available on several America Online brands and Burger King site www.burgerking.com, the companies said.
Customers would be able to participate in various sports and music promotions on these sites, the companies said.
The alliance is the latest move under the watch of Chief Executive John Dasburg, who assumed his current post earlier this year.
Dasburg has been trying to invigorate the chain's U.S. business, responsible for roughly 80 percent of profits, in preparation for a long-overdue spinoff or other separation from the company's London-based parent, Diageo Plc (DGE.L).
``By combining our brand with AOL Time Warner's top-drawer content and media distribution strengths, we will reach the widest audience in the online and offline worlds,'' Dasburg said.
AOL Time Warner has been striking deals such as this ever since the completion of its $106.2 billion merger in January. The deals come as media companies face a sharp decline in ad spending amid the growing economic uncertainty. Others who have signed similar pacts include Kraft Foods Inc (NYSE:KFT - news) and WorldCom Inc. (Nasdaq:WCOM - news).
The Burger King brand will also be promoted across AOL Time Warner's range of television, print and online media, under the multiyear, multimillion dollar agreement, the companies said.
Consumers will also be exposed to information about Warner Bros. and New Line movies, Warner music acts and other AOL Time Warner products. They will also be able to pick up AOL software and read special features from Time Inc. magazines like Time and People on their Burger King tray liners.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011105/wr/media_aol_burgerking_dc_2.html
AOL High-Speed Broadband Service Launches in Northeast Ohio On Time Warner Cable
Combines Internet's Best Video and Audio Content and Instant-On Capability with AOL's Convenience and Ease-of-Use
DULLES, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2001-- AOL High-Speed Services Also Available Over DSL and Satellite
America Online, the world's leading interactive services company, today announced the launch of its AOL High-Speed Broadband service over the Time Warner Cable system in Northeast Ohio, which services Cleveland, Akron, Canton and surrounding areas.
AOL High-Speed Broadband combines the advantages of a broadband connection -- including instant-on capability and the ability to make the most of online audio and video -- with the convenience and ease-of-use that have made AOL the world's most popular online service. With this broadband service, AOL members can:
-- Simply and conveniently access the Internet's best selection of multimedia content, such as CD-quality music, short video clips including movie trailers, sports highlights, and live news reports, all seamlessly integrated into the easy-to-use AOL client software;
-- Have immediate, continual access to all of the popular features of AOL -- including e-mail, instant messaging, and personal calendars -- without having to dial in to the network;
-- Download large files, such as photos, video, graphics and music, quickly and easily;
-- Eliminate the need for a second phone line to let family members be online and talk on the telephone at the same time; and
-- Begin to enjoy broadband's capabilities to enable next-generation services such as home networking, interactive gaming and more.
Taking Internet Experience to Next Level
Barry Schuler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of America Online, said: ``The Internet is entering a new era as a significant number of consumers begin to adopt broadband connections. Consumers in Northeast Ohio can take advantage of even greater online convenience than they've known before, paving the way for them to make the medium even more central to their lives with services like home networking, online music, interactive gaming, and more. We are confident that AOL can lead the way in the broadband era based on the unparalleled understanding of what mass-market consumers want that has helped us grow to more than 31 million members around the world.''
Glenn Britt, Chairman and CEO of Time Warner Cable, said: ``By offering AOL High-Speed Broadband and other ISPs over Time Warner Cable systems, we are taking a major step in fulfilling our commitment to enhance choice, convenience and value for consumers. The ability to offer AOL and other choices to our customers -- a first among the country's cable systems -- is just the latest demonstration of Time Warner Cable's technological leadership.''
Enhanced Consumer Convenience
AOL's High-Speed services, also available nationwide on the DSL and satellite platforms, provide a new level of convenience and ease-of-use that empowers consumers to make the online medium an even more central part of their daily lives.
AOL offers consumers a wide range of high-speed content, from a variety of sources, through partnerships with media and entertainment leaders. Among the offerings available are:
-- News reports and live coverage from CBS News, CNN, and the Weather Channel;
-- Sports highlights and more from the NFL, NBA, and NASCAR, as well as CNNSI, HBO Sports, CBS Sportsline, and Turner Sports;
-- Music videos and more from Get Music and Rolling Stone.com, as well as the Radio@AOL service that will be featured in AOL 7.0;
-- Movie previews, animated content, short video clips, and entertainment news from HBO, Moviefone, Warner Brothers Online, E!, Cartoon Network and others;
-- Business and technology news from CBS Marketwatch and CNET;
-- Interactive features and animated cartoons for Kids from Cartoon Network, Kiddonet and Warner Brothers Online; and
-- Travel destination guides and previews from Travelocity.
With the recent launch of AOL 7.0, high-speed content is now seamlessly integrated into the world's most popular online service. A dedicated ``High-Speed AOL'' area appears as part of the AOL Welcome Screen and across channels and sites -- automatically presenting relevant broadband content as members explore the service, so that they can access audio and video content with a simple point and click, just as they would any other online content.
Audrey Weil, President of AOL Broadband, said: ``No matter how consumers connect to it, AOL's High-Speed service redefines convenience by combining broadband's faster connections and always-on capability with the valuable features and ease-of-use that have made AOL the world's most popular online service. Today's announcement means that more members will have access to the richest multimedia content and services, such as streaming video from live concert Webcasts, Cleveland Browns highlights, movie trailers and new music videos.''
Multiple pricing plans for AOL High-Speed Broadband services are available, to best meet consumers' needs in terms of connectivity and online usage. Subscribers to the AOL High-Speed Broadband services will pay $44.95 for unlimited use of their broadband account and $2.95 per hour for dial-up use. Members who want to get unlimited broadband connectivity, and unlimited access to AOL's worldwide network of dial-up connections from any location, can choose to pay the single price of $54.95 per month. There are no activation or cancellation fees.
Also included in the monthly fee are a free cable modem and basic installation, along with access to the entire easy-to-use AOL service, providing popular features like e-mail and instant messaging, packaged content from throughout the AOL family of brands, as well as:
-- Personalized, 16-character AOL Screen Names; 7 e-mail addresses per account;
-- Industry-leading tools to provide the best security and privacy protections online, including Parental Controls and a 100% online Shopping Guarantee;
-- Unparalleled, free Customer Service support -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
-- Worldwide online community, with features like chat rooms, message boards, Groups@AOL and AOL Invitations to help members stay in touch no matter where they live;
-- Free home page publishing tools at AOL Hometown, with up to 84 MB of Web space per account (12 MB per Screen Name);
-- The ``You've Got Pictures''(sm) service, making viewing and sharing pictures as easy as sending e-mail;
-- My Calendar(sm), an online calendar that helps members manage their busy lives with handy automatic event reminders for e-mail and wireless phones and pagers; and
-- Valuable member perks and benefits, and access to ``AOL Anywhere'' offerings on devices beyond the PC.
For more information about the AOL High-Speed Broadband services, AOL members can visit Keyword: Cable. Other consumers can call 1-800-574-1779.
About America Online
America Online, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Time Warner, Inc. (NYSE: AOL - news). Based in Dulles, Virginia, America Online is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
AOL
Marta Grutka
703/265-1746
MGrutka@aol.com
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/011025/252207_1.html
AOL Time Warner, Sun to Begin Cross-Messaging Tests
NEW YORK (Reuters) - AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news) and Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq:SUNW - news) will begin testing for a way to allow users of their respective instant messaging services communicate with each other, an AOL spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
Sun is the second company that the world's largest Internet and media company is working with on interoperability trials. This summer AOL Time Warner said it would work with IBM Corp.'s (NYSE:IBM - news) Lotus in such trials.
Interoperability -- or enabling users to chat with users of other services -- has been a hot button issue ever since regulators' review of AOL's $106.2 billion purchase of Time Warner, which was completed in January.
The Internet and media giant has attracted the ire of rivals because its popular real-time chat services, ICQ and AIM, were not interoperable with other services, leading many of its rivals to call AOL Time Warner monopolistic and to create their own group to create interoperability.
However many of those efforts have stalled. While the technology has been worked out, executives familiar with the groups have said that the process has been held up over deals, as well as the recent dot-com shakeout.
The deal with Sun comes as both companies' rival, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news), prepares for the launch of its new XP operating system in which its messenger service will be integrated.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011024/wr/tech_aol_sun_dc_1.html
AOL, Yahoo!, MSN Accept Voluntary Content Regulation
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nf/20011023/bs/14337_1.html
AOL Time Warner Inks Landmark Deal
AOL Announces Landmark Deal With China Making It First Foreign Broadcaster in the Country
By JOE McDONALD
Associated Press Writer
BEIJING (AP) -- AOL Time Warner Inc. [NYSE:AOL - news] is taking Chinese state television into American homes in a deal announced Monday that makes the company the first foreign broadcaster given direct access to Chinese audiences.
The exchange lets AOL Time Warner break into a fast-changing Chinese market where nearly every home owns a television and viewers number in the hundreds of millions.
Communist authorities regard television as a key propaganda tool and carefully control it, though millions of Chinese watch television from abroad with illegal satellite dishes. Officials appeared to be willing to relax restrictions slightly in exchange for access to American audiences.
AOL Time Warner said broadcasts of its Chinese-language CETV channel would be begin next year on cable systems in Guangdong province, a prosperous part of China's southeast.
CETV's programming is a mix of Chinese entertainment shows, cartoons, game shows, movies and sports. It also carries versions of some U.S. shows like ``Miami Vice' and the cartoon ``Johnny Bravo' dubbed into Chinese. AOL bought the six-year-old channel last year and relaunched it in February.
It will be the first time that a foreign broadcaster reaches Chinese audiences with the government's approval. CETV, based in Hong Kong, already is seen in Taiwan, Singapore and elsewhere in Asia.
In exchange, China Central Television's English-language Channel 9 will be carried by Time Warner cable systems in New York City, Los Angeles and Houston, said Tricia Primrose, a spokeswoman for the company in New York.
No financial details of the deal were released.
China's huge audience and potential advertising market have attracted interest from other foreign broadcasters. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is trying to land a deal similar to AOL's.
Gerald Levin, AOL Time Warner's chief executive, said in a prepared statement that the deal was a ``significant step in the growing relationship between AOL Time Warner and the people of China.'
Zhao Huayong, president of China Central Television, said in a statement that the deal was a ``milestone, which has turned a new page in China's TV industry.'
AOL Time Warner relies heavily on the U.S. market for its media businesses -- which include Time magazine, HBO, CNN, AOL and the Warner Bros. film and music studio -- and it has been stepping up its efforts to expand overseas.
``There are any number of U.S. broadcasting entities who would like to enter that market, and it's all a question of how to overcome the various political hurdles,' said Rob Martin, media anlayst for Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, a brokerage based in Arlington, Va. ``AOL seems to be in a good position to do that given its size.'
The programming that American audiences will see on CCTV-9 resembles a slower, less adventurous version of U.S. educational television, with a mix of news, music and cooking shows, documentaries on nature and travel, Chinese lessons and sports.
Chinese broadcasting officials express hope that showing it in the United States will change American attitudes about China. CCTV-9 is the only English language channel put out by China's state broadcaster.
Yet CCTV-9 may have difficulty competing for attention with scores of American cable channels. Its programs can be interesting -- especially nature and travel documentaries -- but production quality is uneven and shows are staid compared with U.S. television.
The exchange gives AOL Time Warner access to one of the most affluent areas in China.
The channel is to be carried on cable systems in the Pearl River Delta northwest of Hong Kong, said Tricia Primrose, an AOL Time Warner spokeswoman. She said she didn't know how many households those systems serve.
Viewers there already can watch television from neighboring Hong Kong. The former British colony is not covered by central government censorship, and its television stations are livelier -- and their news reporting more aggressive -- than state-run mainland media.
Primrose said the channel carries no news programs. She had no details on whether the agreement includes provisions for Chinese censorship of CETV programming.
http://biz.yahoo.com/apf/011022/china_us_television_5.html
AOL Time Warner Net Loss Widens
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011017/wr/media_aol_earns_dc_5.html
AOL Unveils Upgraded Online Service'
By Reshma Kapadia
NEW YORK (Reuters) - AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news) unveiled the latest version of its online service on Tuesday, integrating personal data, more content from its Time Warner assets and its online radio service a day after rival Microsoft disclosed a new version of its MSN service.
With the new AOL 7.0 version of the software, the nation's largest Internet services provider uses a member's zip code to provide such information as local weather, news and movie listings.
Analysts said the latest upgraded version is essentially a tweaking in terms of what users will see.
``We are not starting a new Web site,'' Jonathan Sacks, president of AOL Interactive, said in an interview. ``Every change we make (is) incremental because it upsets the audience.''
Local programming will be threaded throughout the service and its many channels, such as shopping and music.
AOL also tinkered with some core features, such as instant messaging, e-mail and buddy lists, but the changes are small. The version also offers ``AOL Box Office,'' which offers access to tickets for concerts, games and other events, expanding a deal with Ticketmaster.
AOL 7.0 also adds high-speed content such as news reports, sports highlights and short video clips from Time Warner properties Warner Brothers, HBO, CNN, as well as information from CNET Networks Inc.(Nasdaq:CNET - news), CBS News and the National Basketball Association, throughout the service rather than keeping it in a separate window.
The move comes as AOL begins offering high-speed Internet service over Time Warner's cable systems. The company plans to offer the service in 20 markets by the end of the year.
Jeff Kimball, executive director of the AOL Brand Products Group, said several million subscribers have high-speed connections.
Some industry analysts have wondered when AOL will create personalized services for its users such as a version for news junkies and another for music lovers. Kimball said it was not out of the realm of possible, but said the company was not currently considering such a feature.
AOL Time Warner plans a multimillion dollar print and television campaign in an effort to counter Microsoft Corp.'s MSN (Nasdaq:MSFT - news), which is aggressively trying to chip away at AOL's market share.
AOL has 31 million subscribers, compared with MSN's nearly 7 million. MSN Monday unveiled a new MSN 7.0 version of its service, which will be available on Oct. 25. It features changes to its Web sites and services, including its free Hotmail electronic mail.
One of the biggest changes to the MSN service will be .NET Alerts, which send information such as traffic conditions to an e-mail account, mobile phone or instant messenger.
The software giant said Monday it will also offer high-speed access to 90 percent of DSL-capable U.S. homes by early next year after signing pacts with major telephone companies -- similar to the ones AOL has with phone providers.
Shares of AOL Time Warner closed flat at $33.50 a day before the company posts its third-quarter results.
Analysts expect its AOL and cable units to drive much of the growth, helping offset the sharp downturn in advertising spending that will likely weigh on its networks and publishing units. They will closely study AOL Time Warner's revenue, which fell short of many analysts' estimates in the previous quarter.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011016/wr/media_aol_dc_2.html
Scripps, Time Warner Sign Deal
Scripps Networks, Time Warner Cable Sign Multi-Network Deal
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Scripps Networks has signed several long-term agreements with Time Warner Cable to boost distribution of its lifestyle channels by nearly 12 million viewers within the next two years.
The agreement lets Time Warner Cable carry HGTV (Home & Garden Television), Food Network and DIY Network (Do It Yourself), all owned by Scripps.
Time Warner also will carry Scripps' newest network, Fine Living, which is set to launch in early 2002.
The Food Network will be added to Time Warner Cable systems in several markets, including Houston, Tampa, Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Charlotte, N.C.
Time Warner also will add HGTV to some of its systems that aren't currently carrying it.
Food Network is currently distributed to 67 million homes; HGTV, 74 million homes. DIY Network, primarily available through satellite systems, is expected to reach 20 million subscribers by 2003, with Fine Living reaching 5 million in its first year.
The deal, announced Monday, marks the first time Scripps has made a long-term distribution agreement for all four of its networks. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Scripps Networks, based in Knoxville, is an operating unit of The E. W. Scripps Company, a media corporation based in Cincinnati. Time Warner Cable, an operating unit of AOL Time Warner Inc. [NYSE:AOL - news], owns and manages cable operations serving 12.7 million customers.
http://biz.yahoo.com/apf/011016/scripps_time_warner_1.html
that was because of spam that was deleted. eom
Worked like a charm......now the post count reads zero.
eom
Reid
This post is meaningless. I bookmarked this thread because I like AOL as a trading stock. I noticed 4 posts on this thread in my favorites but when I click the thread........no posts were here so I can't clear the post count.
I hope this does the trick.
<g>
Reid
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AOL INC. (AOL) www.aol.com/
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But reach is only one measure of a network's power. Advertising.com couples its scale with the most advanced optimization technology in the industry, AdLearn, making it possible to target any section of that massive audience with remarkable precision.
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If your customers are online, they're on our network. We can help you – and your brand – find them.
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History:
AOL will mark its 25th anniversary in 2010.
The company was founded in 1985 as Quantum Computer Services and launched its first online service – Q-LINK – on the Commodore 64 the same year. The name “America Online” was originally proposed in an employee contest and the company officially became America Online, Inc., commonly called AOL, in 1991. In 2006, the company officially changed its name to AOL and began offering its content and services free of charge to Web users.
The AOL Running Man was introduced in 1996 when the icon was featured in the sign on process for the AOL service and then became the icon for AIM in 1997. In 2009, the Running Man was inducted into the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame and was also recognized in the Advertising Icon Museum.
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Tim Armstrong is AOL’s Chairman and CEO, responsible for setting the company’s strategy and overseeing the business and day-to-day operations. Prior to joining AOL in 2009, Armstrong was in charge of Google’s North American and Latin American advertising sales, marketing and operations teams.
Armstrong joined AOL in April 2009 from Google, where he oversaw the company’s North American and Latin American advertising sales, marketing and operations teams as President of The Americas Operations and worked with some of the world's most widely recognized brands and advertising agencies. His tenure at Google covered the scaled launch of Google's advertising efforts and defined many of the operating structures that supported Google's global expansion. Armstrong was a member of Google's Operating Committee, the company’s executive team.
Prior to joining Google, Armstrong was Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships for Snowball.com. Before that, he served as Director of Integrated Sales and Marketing at Starwave's and Disney's ABC/ESPN Internet Ventures, working across the companies' Internet, TV, radio and print properties. At the start of his career, Armstrong co-founded and ran a newspaper based in Boston, Mass. and later joined IDG, where he launched its first consumer Internet magazine, I-Way.
Armstrong is on the boards of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the Advertising Council and the Advertising Research Foundation, and is a trustee at Connecticut College and Lawrence Academy.
He is a graduate of Connecticut College, with a double major in economics and sociology.
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