Message to the new chief of America Online: You've got a mess.
On Thursday, Robert Pittman resigned as chief executive officer of the embattled online division, the latest evidence that the titanic $165 billion union of America Online and Time Warner has hit an iceberg.
Some of Pittman's duties were picked up by two company veterans, but the search is on for the person willing to bail water at America Online. And it could be a long, difficult search as candidates examine the woes afflicting the online giant. After all, Pittman himself assumed the top job just a few months ago.
After former CEO Barry Schuler stepped down in April, Pittman was sent from AOL Time Warner's New York office to AOL's Dulles, Va., headquarters. While Pittman's mission was temporary, other executives within AOL Time Warner were approached to take over, according to reports. None accepted, so the search has broadened to outside the company, as evidenced by the company's recent confirmation that it hired executive search firm Spencer Stuart.
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