AOL Offers Special Feature Coverage to Help Small Businesses 'Tune-Up' Their Operations and Get 'Back On Track' Just When They Need It Most.

Busineses Editors

DULLES, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 13, 2001

New Netbusiness Business Tune-Up Provides Practical Advice from

Small Business Experts; and Special Sweepstakes Offers Business

Makeovers and Free Promotion Across AOL Properties

Online Programming Features Information and Resources from Back

on Track America(TM), A Six-Month, Grassroots Rail Tour

Benefiting Small Businesses

America Online Inc., the world's leading interactive services company, announced the availability of special online feature coverage for small business owners including a wealth of expert advice and resources to help small businesses recover in difficult times. The new coverage coincides with the start of Back on Track America(TM), a six-month nationwide rail tour bringing information, advice and free counseling to small businesses throughout the country.

AOL today launched the new Netbusiness Business Tune-Up and Sweepstakes, offering small businesses affected by current economic conditions, and the continuing events since September 11th, access to vital knowledge and tools they need to make their companies more efficient and productive. AOL is also offering a special sweepstakes giving small business owners the opportunity to win extensive business makeovers and free advertising across AOL properties.

As part of AOL's commitment to Back on Track America, the Company is also offering a special content package in support of the initiative. The package features content from FSB: Fortune Small Business and direct links to a co-branded AOL/Back on Track America site.

Netbusiness Business Tune-Up and Sweepstakes

Accessible from AOL, CompuServe, Netscape and the AOL Netbusiness service, the Netbusiness Business Tune-Up is divided into ten areas, each of which features a step-by-step action plan and checklist, smart tips from small business experts, relevant articles from leading small business columnists, links to other online resources and a recommended reading list. Topics covered include: business planing, finding talent, technology tips, legal basics, government, money matters, work and family, buying and selling, marketing and PR and website basics.

The Tune-Up parallels, and complements, Back On Track America workshops by offering additional information and a wide array of online resources to ensure that as many small businesses as possible have the opportunity to improve their operations. The Business Tune-Up was written by Back on Track America organizer and small business expert, Jane Applegate, in conjunction with the Netbusiness editorial team.

"AOL is dedicated to helping small businesses succeed at every stage of their development, and to providing them with the means to tackle even the most formidable challenges," said Fred Singer, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Small Business and AOL Professional Services. "By offering online access to the expert advice generated from Back on Track America, and by creating compelling content such as the Netbusiness Business Tune-Up, AOL is making it easy and convenient for small business owners to receive the kind of valuable information that can help them effectively guide their companies through both good and bad times."

As part of the Tune-Up, AOL is offering a special sweepstakes giving three grand prize grand winners a detailed top-to-bottom assessment of their companies' operations and a complete business makeover based on the results. Small business owners simply need to provide their name and email address to enter the sweepstakes.

Moreover, each grand prize winner will receive an online ad and advertising placement across a number of AOL properties; a 5-year subscription to the AOL; a one year subscription to FSB: Fortune Small Business; six free months of ADP EasyPayNet payroll services; a professionally designed Website from Bigstep.com; three free job postings on Monster.com; and a custom tailored "online auction tune-up" from Realm Connect. The winners' businesses will also be highlighted on the Netbusiness Service, in the FSB: Fortune Small Business Newsletter.

Online Back on Track America Coverage

In addition to the Business Tune-Up, AOL is offering members special features aimed at chronicling the events of the nationwide tour and furnishing online access to the expert insight and advice gathered from Back on Track America(TM) events.

Accessible from the AOL Service, CompuServe, Netscape.com, ICQ, MapQuest and digitalcity.com, small businesses can access detailed information about the tour from FSB and Netscape Netbusiness, including the schedule of events and workshop and town hall programs for each city. Coverage also includes a weekly "Tour Diary" from organizer Jane Applegate, which chronicles events and highlights interesting small business stories along the way.

AOL Time Warner properties CNN Money and Fortune.com will also carry Back on Track America content within their respective small business sections.

About America Online, Inc.

America Online, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Time Warner, Inc. (NYSE: AOL). Based in Dulles, Virginia, America Online is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services.

About Back on Track America(TM)

Back on Track America(TM) is a grassroots coalition of corporations, non-profit organizations and business experts dedicated to helping support small businesses nationwide during these challenging times by bringing them information, advice and free counseling. Over the next six months, Back on Track America will bring top experts in finance, human resources, marketing, technology, and legal issues right to doorstep of small businesses across the country via a cross-country train tour.