America Online Surpasses 5 Million Members; Membership Increases Ten-fold
in Two Years

Vienna, VA -- February 6, 1996 -- America Online, Inc. announced today that
it has passed the 5 million member mark, representing a ten-fold increase
in just two years. The Company also disclosed statistics that clearly
illustrate AOL's position as the world's leading Internet provider.

"If you think of AOL as an electronic community, AOL is now among the
largest 'cities' in the world. As we reach this important milestone of 5
million members, we recognize that more people live in the AOL community
than in many large cities across the globe. And more people now subscribe
to AOL than to The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and The New York Times
combined," said Steve Case, Chairman and CEO of America Online, Inc.
"We've been able to build a successful electronic community by listening
to our members and staying focused on providing them with a more fun,
friendly and engaging interactive experience."

"Consumers repeatedly tell us they want access to a broad range of content
that is presented in an engaging way, easy to use, affordably priced, and
with a strong underlying sense of community. They don't really care where
the content resides, which network they happen to be using, or which
technology is employed," Case continued. "For millions of consumers, going
straight to the Internet can be a daunting experience. The process of
getting connected is complex, finding relevant material is often confusing
and time-consuming, and access to the Web is not a real option for the
millions of consumers who are connecting at connect speeds lower than 28.8
kbps. That's where America Online's ability to put information in context,
create communities, program content, manage transactions, provide customer
support and optimize speed and performance in the delivery of engaging
content can and does play a critical role."

As part of its strategy to reach a mainstream audience, AOL seamlessly
integrates the vast content of the Internet, with the ease, simplicity and
engaging presentation of America Online to offer an enhanced interactive
experience for consumers. For someone wanting sports information today,
for instance, they'll find a rich collection of compelling content that
blends the best of the Internet -- such as the popular ESPN Web site and
USA Today Sports Page, with the vast array of content provided by AOL's
partners such as the NFL, ABC Sports, iGolf and others -- all brought
together in one comprehensive and easy-to-find area online.

AOL's success in providing consumer access to the Internet is evidenced by
usage statistics. Every day, AOL processes more than 28 million hits on
the Web, delivers e-mail to 4 million people (half of which is Internet
mail) and more than 5 million newsgroup articles are read each day by AOL
members. The Company reported that Web usage only accounted for about 11%
of total AOL usage in the most recent quarter.

"Clearly, there is interest in connecting to the Web, but there's even
broader interest among millions of consumers in embracing the full AOL
experience," Case added. "Our strategy of providing Internet access -- and
a whole lot more -- is clearly resonating with the mainstream audience we
are targeting. That will continue to be our focus in the years ahead, as
we aim to bring the AOL experience to tens of millions of people
throughout the world."

America Online, Inc., (NASDAQ symbol: AMER), based in Vienna, Va., is the
largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the world with
the most active subscriber base. AOL offers its more than 5 million
subscribers a wide variety of services including electronic mail,
conferencing, software, computing support, interactive magazines and
newspapers and online classes, as well as easy and affordable access to
services of the Internet. AOL has a global workforce consisting of more
than 4,000 people. Founded in 1985, AOL has established strategic
alliances with dozens of companies, including Capital Cities/ABC, Viacom,
Bertelsmann, Hachette, IBM, Compaq and American Express. Personal computer
owners can obtain America Online software at major retailers and
bookstores, or by calling 800-827-6364.
 
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