How AOL went from one of the largest media companies to a shadow of its But AOL couldnt maintain its superior position as subscription and advertising revenue dried up with the shift from dial-up modems to cable broadband. A disastrous merger with Time Warner in 2000 was unwound in 2009.

What caused the downfall of AOL?

AOL rapidly shrank thereafter, partly due to the decline of dial-up and rise of broadband. AOL was eventually spun off from Time Warner in 2009, with Tim Armstrong appointed the new CEO. Under his leadership, the company invested in media brands and advertising technologies.

Who owns AOL Mail now?

Verizon bought AOL for $4.4 billion in 2015 and Yahoo two years later for $4.5 billion. Verizon will get $4.25 billion in cash from the sale along with its 10% stake in the company. Verizon and Apollo said they expect the transaction to close in the second half of 2021.