Timeline: America Online

History of AOL:

1989: America Online service is launched by Quantum Computer Services, co-founded by Steve Case. The company later becomes America Online Inc.

1994: AOL service reaches 1 million members. Ted Leonsis joins AOL when his company, Redgate Communications, is acquired for $33 million.

Dec. 1998: Standard & Poor’s adds AOL to S&P 500-stock index.

Jan. 2000: America Online and Time Warner announce merger agreement, becoming AOL Time Warner.

Summer 2002: The Washington Post reports on a series of unconventional advertising deals that boosted revenue before and after the merger. AOL

Time Warner Chief Operating Officer Robert W. Pittman resigns. Securities and Exchange Commission opens investigation. Justice Department announces criminal probe. AOL service exceeds 35 million members.

Dec. 2002: AOL Time Warner revises strategy for online unit and says ad sales may not rebound until 2004.

Jan. 2003: Co-founder Steve Case announces resignation as chairman of AOL Time Warner but serves on the board until 2005. Case goes on to launch Revolution Health Group.

Sept. 2003: The board of AOL Time Warner votes to drop AOL from its name.

Aug. 2004: AOL acquires Advertising.com for $435 million.

March 2005: Time Warner agrees to pay $300 million to settle SEC allegations that the company overstated online advertising revenue and says it will restate financial results.

Summer 2006: AOL scraps its subscription model, shifts its focus to online advertising and cuts 5,000 jobs, more than a quarter of its workforce. It also acquires District-based Lightningcast, a video advertising company.

Summer 2007: AOL purchases Third Screen Media, a mobile phone advertising company, and agrees to purchase Tacoda, an ad firm that monitors consumers’ online behavior.

Sept. 2007: AOL announces it will move its corporate headquarters from Dulles to New York.

Financial Timeline of America Online (by year):

2004

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EMPLOYEES: 19,500

LOCAL EMPLOYEES: 5,400

DESCRIPTION: The Dulles-based America Online division of Time Warner is the nation's biggest Internet service company, with $8.6 billion in revenue. It merged with New York-based media company Time Warner in January 2001.

DEVELOPMENTS: AOL had a rocky year, marred by a declining U.S. subscriber base, sharp drops in advertising and continuing federal probes by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Justice Department into its financial reporting before and after the Time Warner merger.

Time Warner's board voted to scratch the "AOL" from its corporate name, symbolizing the transformation of America Online from the dominant force in the merger to a division of a diversified New York-based media company.

Former AOL chairman Steve Case stepped down as chairman and, though he remains on the Time Warner board, his influence has waned. AOL's image took another hit during the Super Bowl as the paid sponsor of the halftime show. The company, which emphasizes parental controls as a benefit of its online service, found itself oddly embroiled in the controversy created by Janet Jackson's exposed breast.

The company struggled as its core dial-up online service lost millions of subscribers to faster and cheaper competitors. In early 2004, it sought to slow the exodus of subscribers by launching a budget-price, bare-bones Internet service under the Netscape brand name. Initially, at least, the Netscape service is primarily being marketed online and used to try to hold onto fleeing subscribers who call to cancel their AOL service due to price.

AOL still employs 19,500 employees worldwide and 5,400 in the Washington area. By slashing computer-network expenses, the company managed to hold down costs and generate about $1 billion in cash for its corporate parent last year.

And AOL is projecting a return to growth in 2004, fueled by projected growth in ad revenue from a partnership with Google and a campaign to persuade more subscribers to keep a souped-up, $14.95-a-month version of America Online even as they access the Internet through high-speed cable and telephone connections.

Time Warner executives and investors will be watching closely to see whether AOL can make good on these promises.

2003

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EMPLOYEES: 19,250

LOCAL EMPLOYEES: 4,700

DESCRIPTION: AOL Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies. It publishes magazines, produces films, television programs and music, and owns one of the country's largest cable systems. Its America Online division, based in Dulles, includes its flagship Internet service as well as a number of other online and interactive services.

DEVELOPMENTS: America Online, which connects more computer users to the Internet than any other firm, had a tumultuous 2002. After merging with Time Warner Inc. in January 2001. AOL became the target of twin federal probes into its accounting practices, double-digit growth gave way to the firm's first ever quarterly decline in subscribers, ad revenue plunged, and parent AOL Time Warner reported a nearly $100 billion annual loss, the largest in corporate history.

Last August, a new hands-on manager, Jonathan F. Miller, took the reins as AOL's chief executive and devised a turnaround strategy. Acknowledging that high-speed Internet connections sold by cable and telephone providers were snaring AOL's dial-up subscribers, the company unveiled a cut-rate, bring-your-own-access plan. The goal is to build a communications and content colossus so compelling that people will want to use it, whether they connect to the Web through AOL or through a competing high-speed service.

With its fresh approach, AOL's well-known "So Easy to Use, No Wonder It's #1" ad campaign had a makeover. Reflecting the increasing sophistication of its users, the new slogan is "AOL for Broadband: Welcome to the World Wide Wow."

Early this year, AOL founder and icon Steve Case, who had been blamed by media maverick Ted Turner and others for the ill-fated merger, resigned as chairman of AOL Time Warner. Soon thereafter, Turner stepped down as vice chairman. Both men remain on the corporation's board of directors.

2002

Summer 2002: The Washington Post reports on a series of unconventional advertising deals that boosted revenue before and after the merger. AOL Time Warner chief operating officer Robert W. Pittman resigns. Securities and Exchange Commission opens investigation. Justice Department announces criminal probe. AOL service exceeds 35 million members.

Dec. 2002: AOL Time Warner revises strategy for online unit, and says ad sales may not rebound until 2004.

2000

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REVENUE: $4.8 billion

NET INCOME: $762.0 million

EARNINGS PER SHARE: 30 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $3.0 billion

RETURN ON EQUITY: 25 percent

STOCK: AOL (NYSE)

ASSETS: $5.3 billion

CAPITALIZATION: $125.5 billion

52-WEEK HIGH: $95.81 1/4 (12/13/1999)

52-WEEK LOW: $38.46 7/8 (8/5/1999)

CHAIRMAN AND CEO: Stephen M. Case (CEO)

PRESIDENT AND COO: Robert Pittman

EMPLOYEES: 14,000

LOCAL EMPLOYEES: 3,500

DESCRIPTION: America Online may be best known for its flagship Internet service--the largest in the world, with more than 22 million members--but the company now also owns a string of other popular Internet properties including online service CompuServe Inc., browser maker Netscape Communications Corp. and chat service ICQ ("I Seek You"). In a historic announcement in January, AOL said it would acquire media conglomerate Time Warner Inc. The merger awaits federal regulatory approval.

DEVELOPMENTS: Technically, the company's "AOL Anywhere" campaign refers to its push to make the service available through cell phones, hand-held computers and other gadgets. But it may as well describe AOL's new reach into everything from discount stores to magazines.

The company's recent deal to acquire Time Warner for $183 billion was only the highlight of a year of headline news.

As AOL stock soared along with that of the rest of the dot-com industry, it went on a spending spree for both acquisitions and partnerships.

In December it used an undisclosed amount of that stock to buy Tegic Communications, a Seattle-based maker of software that facilitates text entry via telephone keypads, and $1.1 billion worth of shares to purchase Mapquest.com Inc., a mapping and direction service that maintains the most popular travel site on the Internet.

AOL has also increasingly moved its footprints from the virtual world to the bricks-and-mortar one. It has inked multimillion-dollar marketing alliances with Blockbuster Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Circuit City Stores Inc. It also announced partnerships with Compaq Computer Corp., Casio Computer Co. and other hardware makers.

As a result of income from these and other advertising and marketing deals, the service now relies less on subscriber fees than do other Internet access providers. But while its competitors Yahoo Inc., Juno Online Service Inc. and others last year announced free Internet access, AOL has said it will not follow suit, although it will offer discounted service to Wal-Mart customers.

Its membership rolls ballooned from 15 million at the start of 1999 to more than 22 million, making it six times the size of its nearest competitor, the combined EarthLink-MindSpring service, EarthLink Inc.

With its dominant share of subscribers, AOL is quickly becoming an e-commerce powerhouse. In a holiday season of record e-commerce sales across the World Wide Web, AOL members spent an eye-popping $2.5 billion online.

Meanwhile, AOL has run into some trouble with consumers and competitors. Angry users have filed more than a dozen lawsuits across the country demanding billions of dollars because its version 5.0 software under some circumstances commandeers computers and prevents consumers from accessing competing services. Its high-profile war with Microsoft Corp. and AT&T Corp. over allowing the companies' members to use their own software to communicate with AOL continues to rage, and several U.S. senators recently chastised the online giant for not living up to its promises to work with them to develop compatible software.

AOL's marriage to Time Warner promises new online content and the cable lines AOL needs to deliver high-speed Internet access to homes.

Industry analysts say its dizzying expansion means that AOL is poised to be the all-in-one communications company of the 21st century, combining what the world now thinks of as separate media, telecommunications and Internet realms.

1999

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REVENUE: $2.60 billion

PROFIT: $92.0 million

EARNINGS PER SHARE: 35 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $598.0 million

RETURN ON EQUITY: 66 percent

STOCK: AOL (NYSE)

ASSETS: $2.21 billion

MARKET CAPITALIZATION: $130.52 billion

52-WEEK HIGH: $175.50 (4/6/99)

52-WEEK LOW: $17.25 (9/1/98)

CHAIRMAN: Stephen M. Case (CEO)

PRESIDENT: Robert Pittman

EMPLOYEES: 12,000

LOCAL EMPLOYEES: 2,950

DESCRIPTION: With 17 million members, America Online is the largest online service provider in the world. For a monthly rate of $21.95, users get unlimited use of e-mail, access to the Internet and AOL's own content, which includes material in such areas as travel and personal finance. AOL owns Netscape Communications Corp. and online service CompuServe Inc., which has 2 million users and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Other AOL properties include the Web site AOL.com, regional guides service Digital City Inc. and instant messaging service ICQ.

DEVELOPMENTS: AOL made a dizzying array of mergers, alliances and product releases during the year as it pursued its goal to be the worldwide, mass-market brand of choice for the Internet.

Last month it completed its acquisition of Netscape Communications Corp. of Mountain View, Calif., for $10 billion in stock, giving AOL control of one of the best-known companies on the Web and new ability to tap into the business market. As part of the Netscape deal, AOL said it would work with Sun Microsystems Inc. in hopes of increasing sales of software to businesses. That partnership, known as the Sun-Netscape Alliance, will be staffed by 2,000 AOL and Sun employees assigned to the project in Mountain View.

Also last month, as a result of the merger, AOL laid off 850 employees, equally divided between Netscape and AOL. About 250 people in the Washington area lost their jobs.

In February, AOL acquired MovieFone Inc., the largest movie listing and ticketing service, for $388 million in stock.

In the fourth quarter, as the company introduced version 4.0 of the online service's software, net income rose 340 percent from the same quarter the year before, to $88 million. The 1998 holiday shopping season helped push up that number, with AOL estimating that 1 million of its customers shopped online for the first time. Also in December, AOL became the first Internet company to join the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index.

AOL has been diversifying its business, no longer relying only on subscriber fees, but taking in more electronic-commerce dollars. It's receiving millions of dollars from its many commerce partners -- including MCI WorldCom Inc., media company CNet Inc., financial services firm First USA and online auctioneer eBay Inc. -- which pay large fees for a presence on AOL's services.

In the quarter that ended Dec. 31, AOL took in $126 million in advertising and commerce revenue, $50 million more than its closest competitor, Yahoo Inc.

As AOL has grown quickly, it also has expanded its reach, becoming more political, philanthropic and involved in the Washington technology community.

Industry analysts are now watching AOL closely to see how it will manage a bicoastal company, what new deals it will make and how it will try to further burrow into American households and businesses.

1998

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REVENUE: $1.70 billion

LOSS: $499.4 million

LOSS PER SHARE: $5.22

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $128.0 million

RETURN ON EQUITY: n/a

STOCK: AOL (NYSE)

ASSETS: $846.7 million

CHAIRMAN: Stephen M. Case (CEO)

PRESIDENT: Robert Pittman

EMPLOYEES: 10,000

LOCAL EMPLOYEES: 3,000

DESCRIPTION: America Online runs the world's largest computer online service. The service provides access to the Internet, electronic mail and "chat" rooms, as well as online shopping, financial information, reference services and entertainment. Users typically link their computers to AOL through telephone lines.

DEVELOPMENTS: It was a big turnaround year for AOL. After starting 1997 in the depths of financial uncertainty and a busy-signal crisis, the company expanded its data network, increased its subscriber rolls to 13 million.

The crisis was triggered by AOL's decision to abandon its traditional system of charging by the hour and instead allow members to pay a fixed monthly access charge for as much time online as they wanted. The resulting surge in usage swamped AOL's data network, making it impossible for many customers to connect at all. Many subscribers defected, and several state attorneys general, responding to consumer complaints, began investigations.

Last spring, the company embarked on a $350 million network expansion project and largely alleviated the busy-signal problem. With the help of marketing whiz Robert W. Pittman, who was tapped in late 1996 to run AOL's online service division, the company started to use its popularity to help reel in new business partners.

AOL signed marketing and advertising deals with companies including Internet bookseller Amazon.com, 1-800-Flowers, Preview Travel and CUC International and long-distance firm Tel-Save International. Those multi-year deals are supposed to yield $329 million for AOL over several years.

Largely because of the growth in advertising and commerce revenue, AOL was able to post profits in the year's last two quarters, the first time the company has been in the black since revamping controversial accounting practices in 1996. But the uptick in advertising revenue wasn't enough to keep pace with AOL's network expansion and system maintenance costs. As a result, in February the company said it would raise its monthly fee for unlimited access by 10 percent -- to $21.95 -- starting this month.

In September AOL agreed to sell its ANS data network division to long-distance telephone company WorldCom Inc. in exchange for $175 million and the 2.6 million subscribers of the rival CompuServe online service, which WorldCom had bought. AOL intends to operate CompuServe as a separate service targeted at professional computer users. At the same time, the company hopes to make the CompuServe operation profitable by consolidating administrative and technical functions with the AOL services.

AOL is now distributing a new version of its access software that includes a revised lineup of online "channels" and more closely integrates Internet-browsing technology. The company also is expanding its operations overseas, where it has more than 1 million subscribers.

1997

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REVENUE: $1.09 billion

PROFIT: $29.8 million

EARNINGS PER SHARE: 28 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $512.5 million

RETURN ON EQUITY: $512.5 million

STOCK: AOL (NYSE)

ASSETS: $958.8 million

CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT: Stephen M. Case (CEO)

EMPLOYEES: 7,000

DESCRIPTION: America Online runs the nation's largest computer online service. The service includes electronic mail, access to the Internet, live "chat," online stock trading, shopping and a variety of online programming such as news, sports and entertainment. Users link their computers to AOL over their telephone lines.

DEVELOPMENTS: It was a tumultuous year for AOL. The company's stock lost more than half its value and then regained some of that ground. Membership grew to 8 million from 4.6 million during calendar 1996, solidifying AOL's lead in the race for cyberspace. But in the wake of an accounting change that turned profits into losses, the company spent the second half of the year in the red.

Early in 1996 AOL recruited Federal Express Corp. Executive Vice President William Razzouk to become its chief operating officer and infuse its management and customer service with greater discipline. But Razzouk left AOL after less than five months.

During the spring AOL struggled to retain subscribers, who were leaving almost as fast as they were signing up for free trial offers.

In June the company agreed to hand out cash and free online time to settle class-action lawsuits alleging it had misled subscribers about its billing practices.

In August a technical problem knocked AOL off line for almost 19 hours.

In October AOL announced that it would take a write-off of $385 million to abandon an accounting policy that had enabled it to report profits when it was spending much more money than it was taking in. Robert W. Pittman, one of the creators of MTV, was appointed to a top post, and the company closed its GNN Internet service in a corporate restructuring.

Facing stiff competition, the company announced it would offer unlimited use of its online service for $19.95 a month as an alternative to metered billing. State regulators alleged that AOL's plan to automatically shift subscribers to the new billing option, a price increase for many, could have violated consumer protection laws, and AOL agreed to give refunds to any aggrieved customers.

As the "all-you-can-eat" pricing took effect in December, usage soared, and busy signals prevented many subscribers from connecting to the overloaded network. Under pressure from state regulators, AOL agreed to issue more refunds and credits and ramped up efforts to expand capacity.

The company intensified efforts to generate revenue from advertising and electronic commerce, in a bid to wean itself from dependence on subscriber fees. Though advertising and electronic commerce represented less than 10 percent of revenue in the quarter that ended Dec. 31, AOL showed progress in March when Tel-Save Holdings Inc. paid it $100 million to promote Tel-Save's long-distance phone service.

1996

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REVENUE: $394.3 million

LOSS: $33.6 million

LOSS PER SHARE: 99 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $217.9 million

RETURN ON EQUITY:  

STOCK: AMER (OTC)

ASSETS: $406.5 million

CHAIRMAN: Stephen M. Case (CEO)

PRESIDENT: William Razzouk

EMPLOYEES: 4,300

DESCRIPTION: America Online is the country's leading commercial on-line company. It has about 5 million subscribers, who pay a monthly fee to link their computers to its electronic community via telephone lines. Users can access a wide range of services including electronic mail, the Internet, news and other information.

DEVELOPMENTS: American Online, founded as Quantum Computer Services Inc., changed its name in October 1991 and went public in March. The stock, initially priced at $11.50 a share, opened for trading the first day at $13 and now sells for about $13.75.

It was a year of tremendous expansion at America Online. It more than tripled its subscriber rolls to more than 5 million from 1.5 million last spring. It opened on-line services in Germany and France and pursued establishing them in other countries.

The company spent heavily to enlarge its network and acquire a half-dozen companies, including BookLink Technologies Inc. and the Global Network Navigator.

The acquisitions were part of a strategy to expand connections to the Internet worldwide network of computers and the Internet's graphical subdivision, the World Wide Web. The company also created a series of alliances to advance that strategy. It signed with Microsoft Corp. to put America Online access software in Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system.

A separate deal with AT&T Corp. will make America Online accessible through AT&T's new Internet service. The company also said it would license Web navigational software called browsers from Microsoft and Netscape Communications Corp. and the hot new Java Web programming technology from Sun Microsystems Inc.

In February America Online hired a top executive from Federal Express Inc., William Razzouk, for the newly created job of president. As part of the executive changes, chief executive Steve Case added chairman to his title as longtime chairman Jim Kimsey retired.

America Online also announced in February that it would be moving by this summer from its cramped offices to a large new headquarters in Loudoun County.

1995

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REVENUE: $104.4 million

PROFIT: $6.2 million

EARNINGS PER SHARE: 76 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $98.9 million

RETURN ON EQUITY: 6.2 percent

STOCK: AMER (NMS)

ASSETS: $148.3 million

CHAIRMAN: James V. Kimsey (CEO)

PRESIDENT: Stephen M. Case

EMPLOYEES: 600

DESCRIPTION: America Online is one of the nation's largest commercial on-line services. It runs interactive databases for personal computer users, who can exchange electronic mail, play games, do research, obtain software and "chat" with each other by typing messages back and forth.

DEVELOPMENTS: This has been a year of explosive growth for America Online (AOL). It added more than 1 million new members to push its total past 2 million. Annual revenue tripled during the year. Earlier this month it announced its second stock split in six months, offering shareholders two shares for each one held. The growth at times led to frustration among customers, who sometimes faced busy signals on AOL's access lines.

The company improved its screen software and signed up important brand name "programming," such the New York Times and MTV. AOL has cranked up transmission speeds to 14,400 bits a second and plans 28,800 bit-a-second access in many locations in the next year. AOL is about to roll out full Internet access to its customers, most importantly offering entry to the popular World Wide Web.

AOL made a number of important acquisitions, including a networking company to help it reach the Internet, a software company to design its Web software and another company with a focus of on-line shopping. AOL also just completed a joint venture deal with Germany's Bertelsmann group to begin expansion in Europe.

Because of increased competition and prospects of more in the upcoming year, AOL cut its rates and has restructured its management.

1994

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REVENUE: $38.5 million

PROFIT: $4.2 million

EARNINGS PER SHARE: 46 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $23.8 million

RETURN ON EQUITY: 17.7 percent

STOCK: AMER (NMS)

ASSETS: $32.4 million

CHAIRMAN: James V. Kimsey (CEO)

PRESIDENT: Stephen M. Case

EMPLOYEES: 420

DESCRIPTION: American Online runs interactive databases for personal computer users. Subscribers, using their computers and a communications device called a modem, call in by phone and are able to exchange messages, play games, do research, obtain software and otherwise take part in what's known as the electronic community.

DEVELOPMENTS: America Online, the fastest-growing interactive computer service in the country, suffered somewhat as a result of its own success last year. It doubled its subscribers to more 600,000 from a year earlier, but faced a strain on capacity: by year's end, customers calling during peak hours often got a busy signal or experienced other delays. Rivals tried to profit from the company's problems, advertising that customers would find no problems on their systems. But America Online early in 1994 took steps to ease the crunch by upgrading software.

Recently, it has had to deny rumors on Wall Street that it was a takeover candidate. The rumors drove its stock up to $91.50. It closed Friday at $62.

1993

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REVENUE: $26.59 million

PROFIT: $3.54 million

EARNINGS PER SHARE: 64 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $18.93 million

RETURN ON EQUITY: 19 percent

STOCK: AMER (NMS)

ASSETS: $23.6 million

CHAIRMAN: James V. Kimsey (CEO)

PRESIDENT: Stephen M. Case

EMPLOYEES: 200

DESCRIPTION: America Online runs interactive databases for personal computer users. Subscribers, using phone lines, their computers and a communications device called a modem, call in to the services and are able to exchange messages, play games, perform research, obtain software and otherwise take part in what's known as the "electronic community."

DEVELOPMENTS: The company announced a major deal with Apple Computer Inc. in December 1992, in which Apple will use America Online's technology in future on-line information services that Apple will manage and sell. Apple is to pay the company a minimum of $15 million over five years. Apple also is to receive warrants to buy 500,000 shares of America Online at $25 apiece, representing a 7 percent stake.

News of the Apple deal sent America Online's stock soaring. It recently was trading at about $25 a share, more than double its price of $11.50 when it went public in March 1992.

In October, the company reached agreements with five media partners that will supply information to its subscribers. Its partners are The Washington Post, the San Jose Mercury News, CNN Newsroom, the New Republic and the Newspaper Association of America.

Paul Allen, cofounder of Microsoft Corp., made several acquisitions of America Online stock during the year. He owns 13.5 percent of its shares, according to the most recently available public records. Tribune Company, which owns the Chicago Tribune, owns 11 percent of America Online.

1992

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REVENUE: $21.39 million

PROFIT: $1.5 million

EARNINGS PER SHARE: 34 cents

DIVIDEND: None

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: $3.53 million

RETURN ON EQUITY: 42.4 percent

STOCK: AMER (OTC)

ASSETS: $7.93 million

CHAIRMAN: James V. Kimsey (CEO)

PRESIDENT: Stephen M. Case

EMPLOYEES: 136

DESCRIPTION: America Online runs interactive databases for personal computer users. Subscribers, using phone lines, their computers and a communications device called a modem, call in to the services and are able to exchange messages, play games, perform research, obtain software and otherwise take part in what's known as the "electronic community."

DEVELOPMENTS: American Online, founded as Quantum Computer Services Inc., changed its name in October 1991 and went public in March. The stock, initially priced at $11.50 a share, opened for trading the first day at $13 and now sells for about $13.75.

In late 1991, it introduced a version for users of IBM-compatible machines, the most popular type of PC. Altogether, it has 155,000 subscribers. Tribune Co., publisher of the Chicago Tribune, invested $5 million in America Online in September and bought more stock when the company went public. The two companies are working to develop a localized service for Chicago computer users.

Throughout 1991, computer bulletin boards grappled with questions of censorship, essentially attempting to determine whether they were more like the phone company, carrying any messages members send, or like newspapers, which edit content. America Online came down solidly on the side of not censoring, saying it was not up to the service to determine what members say. It held to that view even when it was disclosed that some members were using private electronic mail -- communications not visible to anyone but the addressee -- to exchange child pornography.

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