America Online Announces Appointment of Miles R. Gilburne to Board of Directors.

DULLES, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 1, 1999--

America Online, Inc. (NYSE:AOL) today announced that Miles R. Gilburne, Senior Vice President for Corporate Development, has been elected to the Company's Board of Directors. Gilburne, who joined America Online in 1995, will continue in his role as head of Corporate Development through the end of 1999.

"Miles has been a key strategic advisor to me and the Company for the past five years," said Steve Case, Chairman and CEO, America Online, Inc. "His ability to see three or four moves ahead and his unmatched skill at putting together industry-transforming alliances have been important drivers of our Company's growth and success in the U.S. and abroad. We look forward to continuing to benefit from Miles' vision, intellect and strategic insights as a Member of the America Online Board."

As a member of the Company's senior executive team for the past five years, Mr. Gilburne has helped to set AOL's strategic course. Gilburne engineered the three-way transaction resulting in AOL's acquisition of CompuServe and the sale of ANS Communications to WorldCom in 1998.

He was a principal architect of the Company's acquisition of Netscape Communications and formation of a strategic alliance with Sun Microsystems in 1999. And this spring, he helped put together the Company's strategic relationship with Hughes Electronics, including a $1.5 billion investment in Hughes, to advance the Company's "AOL Anywhere" strategy.

Gilburne has played a key role helping to create the Company's international joint ventures in Europe, Asia and Latin America. After launching its first international service in 1995, America Online now has more than 3 million members outside the U.S. Gilburne also spotted the potential of ICQ, overseeing the acquisition of Mirabilis in 1998.

Gilburne said: "After 5 years in the trenches with Steve and Bob and the rest of the remarkable AOL team, it is time for me to regain some balance in my life. I am, however, extremely pleased by my election to the Board and I'm confident that I will continue to add value to the Company on major strategic matters. I believe very strongly in the power of interactive media to transform the world and no company is better positioned than AOL to continue to lead the charge."

Prior to joining the Company in 1995, Mr. Gilburne, 48, was a general partner of The Cole Gilburne Fund, an early stage venture capital fund. Gilburne and David Cole collaborated in building NaviSoft, Inc., an Internet software development company purchased by America Online in November 1994.

Gilburne earned a law degree from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

Other members of America Online's Board of Directors follow: Stephen M. Case, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, America Online, Inc.; Daniel F. Akerson, Chairman, Nextel Communications, Inc. and Co-Chairman, Eagle River, LLC; James Barksdale, Managing Partner, The Barksdale Group; Frank J. Caufield, General Partner, Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers; General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Chairman and President, Worldwide Associates, Inc.; Dr. Thomas Middelhoff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Bertelsmann AG; Robert W. Pittman, President and Chief Operating Officer, America Online, Inc.; General Colin Powell, Chairman, America's Promise; Franklin Raines, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Fannie Mae; and Marjorie M. Scardino, Chief Executive Officer, Pearson PLC.

About America Online, Inc.

Founded in 1985, America Online, Inc., based in Dulles, Virginia, is the

world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies, and e-commerce services.

America Online, Inc. operates: two worldwide Internet services, America Online, with more than 19 million members, and CompuServe, with more than 2.2 million members; several leading Internet brands including ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger and Digital City, Inc.; the Netscape Netcenter and AOL.COM portals; the Netscape Navigator and Communicator browsers; AOL MovieFone, the nation's No. 1 movie listing guide and ticketing service; and Spinner Networks and NullSoft, Inc., leaders in Internet music.

Through its strategic alliance with Sun Microsystems, the Company develops and offers easy-to-deploy, end-to-end e-commerce and enterprise solutions for companies operating in the Net Economy.