AMERICA ONLINE INC
8-K, 1999-02-11
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, DATA PROCESSING, ETC.
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
                              Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): February 1, 1999

                              AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

    Delaware                             001-12143             54-1322110
(State or Other Jurisdiction      (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
of Incorporation)                                           Identification No.)

                     22000 AOL Way, Dulles, Virginia 20166
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (703) 265-1000   

Item 5.     Other Events.

Acquisition of MovieFone, Inc.

         On February 1, 1999, America Online,  Inc. ("AOL") and MovieFone,  Inc.
("MovieFone")  announced  that they had entered  into an  Agreement  and Plan of
Merger,  dated as of February 1, 1999 ("Agreement"),  which sets forth the terms
and  conditions  of the  proposed  merger of a  subsidiary  of AOL with and into
MovieFone (the "Merger")  pursuant to which MovieFone will become a wholly-owned
subsidiary of AOL. A copy of the Agreement is included herein as Exhibit 2.1 and
a copy of the joint  press  release  of AOL and  MovieFone  with  respect to the
Merger is included as Exhibit 99.1. Such documents are incorporated by reference
into this Item 5 and the foregoing description of such documents is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such Exhibits.


Item 7.     Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

          (c)  Exhibits:

          2.1     Agreement  and Plan of Merger  dated as of February 1, 1999 by
                  and among America Online, Inc., MF Acquisition Corporation and
                  MovieFone,  Inc., including the Stockholders Agreement and the
                  Stock Option Agreement (The Merger  Agreement  contains a list
                  briefly  identifying  the contents of all schedules  that have
                  been   omitted.   The   Company   hereby   agrees  to  furnish
                  supplementally   a  copy  of  any  omitted   schedule  to  the
                  Securities and Exchange Commission upon request).

          99.1    Press Release Dated February 1, 1999 Announcing America 
                  Online, Inc. to Acquire MovieFone, Inc.

                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                       AMERICA ONLINE, INC.



Date: February 11, 1999                By: /s/J. Michael Kelly
                                       J. Michael Kelly
                                       Senior Vice President, Chief Financial
                                       Officer and Assistant Secretary

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number    Description

2.1       Agreement  and Plan of Merger  dated as of February 1, 1999 by
          and among America Online, Inc., MF Acquisition Corporation and
          MovieFone,  Inc., including the Stockholders Agreement and the
          Stock Option Agreement (The Merger  Agreement  contains a list
          briefly  identifying  the contents of all schedules  that have
          been   omitted.   The   Company   hereby   agrees  to  furnish
          supplementally   a  copy  of  any  omitted   schedule  to  the
          Securities and Exchange Commission upon request).

99.1      Press Release Dated February 1, 1999 Announcing America Online, Inc.
          to Acquire MovieFone, Inc.






                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

                                      AMONG

                              AMERICA ONLINE, INC.,

                           MF ACQUISITION CORPORATION

                                       AND

                                 MOVIEFONE, INC.

                          Dated as of February 1, 1999

                                                                           Page

Article I         THE MERGER                                                2

         1.1      The Merger                                                2

         1.2      Effective Time                                            2

         1.3      Effect of the Merger                                      2

         1.4      Certificate of Incorporation; By-Laws                     2

         1.5      Directors and Officers                                    2

         1.6      Conversion of Company Common Stock; Etc.                  2

         1.7      Cancellation of Treasury Stock and Parent-Owned Stock     4

         1.8      Stock Options                                             4

         1.9      Capital Stock of Merger Sub                               4

         1.10     Adjustments to Exchange Ratio                             4

         1.11     Fractional Shares                                         4

         1.12     Surrender of Certificates.                                4

                  (a)      Exchange Agent                                   4

                  (b)      Parent to Provide Common Stock                   4

                  (c)      Exchange Procedures                              5

                  (d)      Distributions With Respect to Unexchanged Shares 5

                  (e)      Transfers of Ownership                           6

                  (f)      No Liability                                     6

                  (g)      Withholding of Tax                               6

         1.13     Further Ownership Rights in Company Common Stock          6

         1.14     Closing                                                   6

         1.15     Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates                    7

         1.16     Tax Consequences                                          7

Article II        REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE                     7
                  COMPANY

         2.1      Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries              8

         2.2      Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws                  8

         2.3      Capitalization                                            8

         2.4      Authority Relative to this Agreement                     10

         2.5      No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents               10

         2.6      Material Agreements; Compliance; Permits                 11

         2.7      SEC Filings; Financial Statements                        12

         2.8      Absence of Certain Changes or Events                     13

         2.9      No Undisclosed Liabilities                               13

         2.10     Absence of Litigation                                    14

         2.11     Employee Benefit Plans                                   14

         2.12     Labor Matters                                            16

         2.13     Registration Statement; Proxy Statement/Prospectus       16

         2.14     Restrictions on Business Activities                      17

         2.15     Title to Property                                        17

         2.16     Taxes                                                    17

         2.17     Environmental Matters                                    19

         2.18     Brokers                                                  19

         2.19     Intellectual Property                                    19

         2.20     Insurance                                                22

         2.21     No Restrictions on the Merger                            22

         2.22     Pooling; Tax Matters                                     23

         2.23     Affiliates                                               23

         2.24     Certain Business Practices                               23

         2.25     Interested Party Transactions                            23

         2.26     Interest Rate and Foreign Exchange Contracts             23

         2.27     Opinion of Financial Advisor                             23

Article III       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB  24

         3.1      Organization and Qualification, Subsidiaries             24

         3.2      Capitalization                                           24

         3.3      Authorization of Agreement                               24

         3.4      Approvals                                                25

         3.5      No Violation                                             25

         3.6      Reports                                                  25

         3.7      Absence of Certain Changes or Events                     26

         3.8      Registration Statement; Proxy Statement/Prospectus       26

         3.9      Pooling; Tax Matters                                     26

Article IV        CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER                   26

         4.1      Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger    27

         4.2      Solicitation of Other Proposals                          29

         4.3      Insurance                                                31

         4.4      Y2K Compliance                                           31

Article V         ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS                                    31

         5.1      Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Registration Statement       31

         5.2      Meeting of Company Stockholders                          32

         5.3      Access to Information; Confidentiality                   32

         5.4      Reasonable Efforts                                       33

         5.5      Stock Options                                            34

         5.6      Employee Benefits                                        35

                  (a)      Participation in Employee Benefits of Parent    35

                  (b)      Benefit Plans                                   35

                  (c)      Service Credit                                  35

                  (d)      Compensation Contracts                          35

                  (e)      Falconwood Plan                                 36

                  (f)      Certain Notices                                 36

         5.7      Pooling; Tax-Free Reorganization                         36

         5.8      Notification of Certain Matters                          37

         5.9      Listing on the New York Stock Exchange                   38

         5.10     Public Announcements                                     38

         5.11     Takeover Laws                                            38

         5.12     Accountant's Letters                                     38

         5.13     Stop Transfer                                            38

         5.14     Indemnification of Directors and Officers                39

         5.15     Plan Funding Status                                      39

         5.16     Software Documentation                                   39

         5.17     Subsidiary Investments                                   39

         5.18     Legends, Instructions to Transfer Agent                  39

         5.19     Maintenance of Designation                               39

         5.20     Amendment of Registration Rights Agreement               39

         5.21     Company Release                                          39

         5.22     Waiver of Bonus                                          40

         5.23     All Reasonable Efforts and Further Assurances            40

Article VI        CONDITIONS OF MERGER                                     40

         6.1      Conditions to Obligation of Each Party to Effect the     40
                  Merger
                  (a)      Effectiveness of the Registration Statement     40

                  (b)      Stockholder Approval                            40

                  (c)      New York Stock Exchange Listing                 40

                  (d)      No Injunctions or Restraints; Illegality        40

                  (e)      Regulatory Approvals                            40

         6.2      Additional Conditions to Obligations of Parent and       41
                  Merger Sub
                  (a)      Representations and Warranties                  41

                  (b)      Agreements and Covenants                        41

                  (c)      Consents Obtained                               41

                  (d)      Pooling of Interests                            41

                  (e)      Related Agreements                              41

                  (f)      Falconwood Termination Agreement                42

                  (g)      Tax Opinion                                     42

                  (h)      Jarecki/Falconwood Release                      42

         6.3      Additional Conditions to Obligations of the Company      42

                  (a)      Representations and Warranties                  42

                  (b)      Agreements and Covenants                        42

                  (c)      Consents Obtained                               42

                  (d)      Tax Opinion                                     42

Article VII       RELATED AGREEMENTS                                       43

         7.1      Related Agreements                                       43

                  (a)      Affiliate Agreements                            43

                  (b)      Employee Offer Letters                          43

                  (c)      Release Agreements                              43

                  (d)      Assignment Agreements                           43

                  (e)      Stockholders Agreement                          43

                  (f)      Option Agreement                                43

                  (g)      Falconwood Agreement                            43

                  (h)      Non-Competition Agreements                      43

Article VIII      TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER                        44

         8.2      Effect of Termination                                    45

         8.3      Fees and Expenses                                        45

         8.4      Amendment                                                46

         8.5      Waiver                                                   47

Article IX        GENERAL PROVISIONS                                       47

         9.1      Survival of Representations and Warranties               47

         9.2      Notices                                                  47

         9.3      Disclosure Schedules                                     48

         9.4      Certain Definitions                                      48

         9.5      Interpretation                                           51

         9.6      Severability                                             51

         9.7      Entire Agreement                                         51

         9.8      Assignment                                               51

         9.9      Parties in Interest                                      51

         9.10     Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver; Remedies Cumulative    52

         9.11     Governing Law                                            52

         9.12     Counterparts                                             52


                                GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Acquisition Proposal                                              4.2(a)
Affiliate Agreement                                               7.1(a)
Affiliates                                                        10.4a
Agreement Caption
Assignment Agreement                                              7.1d
Average Parent Trading Price                                      1.6d
Award                                                             2.10b
Balance Sheet                                                     10.4b
beneficial owner                                                  10.4c
Blue Sky Laws                                                     2.5b
Business Day                                                      1.14
Certificate of Merger                                             1.2
Certificates                                                      1.12c
Class A Company Common Stock                                      1.6a
Class B Company Common Stock                                      1.6a
Closing                                                           1.14
Closing Date                                                      1.14
COBRA                                                             5.6c
Code                                                              50
Company Caption
Company Approvals                                                 2.1a
Company Common Stock                                              1.6a
Company Disclosure Schedule Preamble
Company Option                                                    5.5a
Company Preferred Stock                                           2.3(a)
Company SEC Reports                                               2.7a
Company Stipulated Expenses                                       8.3(d).9.3c
Company Stockholders'Meeting                                      2.13
Compensation Contracts                                            5.6(d)
Confidentiality Agreement                                         5.3b
control                                                           10.4c
Court                                                             10.4d
Delaware Law Preamble
Effective Time                                                    1.2
Employee Plans                                                    2.11a
Employment Agreements                                             7.1b
ERISA                                                             2.11a
ERISA Affiliate                                                   2.11(a)
Exchange Act                                                      2.5b
Exchange Agent                                                    1.12a
Exchange Ratio                                                    1.6a
Falconwood Agreement                                              7.1(h)
Falconwood Plan                                                   5.6(d)
Falconwood Termination Agreement                                  5.6(e)
GAAP                                                              2.7b
Governmental Authority                                            10.4e
HSR Act                                                           2.5b
Intellectual Property                                             10.4f
IRS                                                               2.11b
Jarecki/Falconwood Release                                        6.2(h)
Knowledge                                                         9.4(i).10.4g
Law                                                               10.4h
License Agreements                                                2.19b
Lien                                                              51. 9.4(k)
Litigation                                                        10.4i
Material Adverse Effect                                           10.4j
Material Agreements                                               2.6a
Material Subsidiary                                               4.2c
Merger Preamble
Merger Shares                                                     10.4k
Merger Sub Caption
Non-Competition Agreement                                         7.1(i)
OHS                                                               1.14
Option Agreement Preamble
Order                                                             10.4l
Other Matters                                                     2.19(i)
Parent Caption
Parent Approvals                                                  3.1
Parent Benefit Plan                                               5.6(b)
Parent Benefit Plans                                              5.6(b)
Parent Common Stock                                               1.6a
Parent Rights                                                     1.6b
Parent Rights Agreement                                           1.6b
Parent SEC Reports                                                3.6a
Parent Series A-1 Preferred Stock                                 1.6b
Person                                                            10.4m
Plan                                                              1.8a
Pooling                                                           2.22
Proxy Statement                                                   2.13
Registerable Securities                                           2.3(e)
Registration Rights Agreement                                     2.3(e)
Registration Statement                                            5.1b
Related Agreements                                                7.1
Release Agreements                                                7.1c
Representation Letters                                            5.7(c)
Rollover Notice                                                   5.6c
SEC                                                               2.7a
Securities Act                                                    2.5b
Software                                                          2.19e
Stockholders Agreement Preamble
Subsidiaries                                                      10.4n
Subsidiary                                                        10.4n
Superior Proposal                                                 4.2(c)
Surviving Corporation                                             1.1
Tax                                                               2.16
Tax Returns                                                       2.16
Taxes                                                             2.16
Termination Fee                                                   9.3b(iii)
Trade Secrets                                                     9.4(h)
Trademarks                                                        9.4(h)
WARN Act                                                          5.6c. 2.12
Y2K compliance                                                    4.4


                                                              AGREEMENT AND PLAN
                                                     OF  MERGER,   dated  as  of
                                                     February   1,   1999   (the
                                                     "Agreement")  among AMERICA
                                                     ONLINE,  INC.,  a  Delaware
                                                     corporation ("Parent"),  MF
                                                     ACQUISITION CORPORATION,  a
                                                     Delaware  corporation and a
                                                     wholly owned  subsidiary of
                                                     Parent ("Merger Sub"),  and
                                                     MOVIEFONE, INC., a Delaware
                                                     corporation            (the
                                                     "Company").

                  WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of Parent, Merger Sub and the
Company  have  each  determined  that  it is in  the  best  interests  of  their
respective  stockholders  for Parent to acquire the  Company  upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein;

                  WHEREAS,  in  furtherance of such  acquisition,  the Boards of
Directors of Parent,  Merger Sub and the Company  have each  approved the Merger
(the "Merger") of Merger Sub with and into the Company,  in accordance  with the
General  Corporation Law of the State of Delaware  ("Delaware Law") and upon the
terms and subject to the conditions  set forth herein,  which Merger will result
in,  among other  things,  the Company  becoming a wholly  owned  subsidiary  of
Parent;

                  WHEREAS,  as  a  condition  to  the  willingness  of,  and  an
inducement   to,   Parent  and   Merger  Sub  to  enter  into  this   Agreement,
contemporaneously  with the  execution  and delivery of this  Agreement  certain
stockholders  of the Company are entering into an agreement dated as of the date
hereof (the "Stockholders  Agreement") in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto,
providing for certain actions relating to the transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement;

                  WHEREAS,  as  a  condition  to  the  willingness  of,  and  an
inducement   to,   Parent  and   Merger  Sub  to  enter  into  this   Agreement,
contemporaneously  with the execution and delivery of this Agreement the Company
is  entering  into a Stock  Option  Agreement  dated as of the date  hereof (the
"Option Agreement") in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto, granting Parent an
irrevocable  option to purchase  6,186,762  shares of the Class A Company Common
Stock, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein;

                  WHEREAS, for federal income tax purposes,  it is intended that
the Merger  shall  qualify as a tax-free  reorganization  within the  meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code; and

                  WHEREAS,  for  accounting  purposes,  it is intended  that the
Merger qualify for "pooling-of-interests" treatment.

                  NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  foregoing and the
mutual representations,  warranties,  covenants and agreements herein contained,
and  intending to be legally bound  hereby,  Parent,  Merger Sub and the Company
hereby agree as follows:

                                   Article I

                                   THE MERGER

1.1 The Merger. At the Effective Time (as defined in Section 1.2) and subject to
and upon the terms and conditions of this Agreement and Delaware Law, Merger Sub
shall be merged with and into the Company,  the separate corporate  existence of
Merger  Sub  shall  cease  and  the  Company  shall  continue  as the  surviving
corporation.  The  Company  as the  surviving  corporation  after the  Merger is
hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "Surviving Corporation."

1.2 Effective Time. As promptly as practicable  after the satisfaction or waiver
of the  conditions  set forth in Article VI, the parties  hereto shall cause the
Merger to be consummated by filing a Certificate of Merger  substantially in the
form of Exhibit C (the  "Certificate  of Merger") with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware,  executed in accordance  with the relevant  provisions of
Delaware Law (the date and time of such  filing,  or such later date and time as
may be specified  in the  Certificate  of Merger by mutual  agreement of Parent,
Merger Sub and the Company, being the "Effective Time").

1.3 Effect of the Merger.  At the Effective Time, the effect of the Merger shall
be as provided in the applicable  provisions of Delaware Law.  Without  limiting
the generality of the foregoing,  and subject thereto, at the Effective Time all
the  property,  rights,  privileges,  powers and  franchises  of the Company and
Merger Sub shall vest in the Surviving Corporation,  and all debts,  liabilities
and duties of the Company and Merger Sub shall become the debts, liabilities and
duties of the Surviving Corporation.

1.4 Certificate of Incorporation; By-Laws. Unless otherwise determined by Parent
prior  to  the  Effective  Time,  at  the  Effective  Time  the  Certificate  of
Incorporation  of Merger Sub, as in effect  immediately  prior to the  Effective
Time,  shall be the Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Surviving  Corporation
until   thereafter   amended  as  provided  by  law  and  such   Certificate  of
Incorporation;  except that Article First of the Certificate of Incorporation of
Merger Sub shall be amended to read as follows:  "The name of the Corporation is
MovieFone,  Inc." The By-laws of Merger Sub, as in effect  immediately  prior to
the  Effective  Time,  shall be the By-laws of the Surviving  Corporation  until
thereafter amended as provided by Delaware Law, the Certificate of Incorporation
of the Surviving Corporation and such By-laws.

1.5 Directors and Officers. The directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be the initial directors of the Surviving Corporation, each
to hold office in accordance with the Certificate of  Incorporation  and By-laws
of the  Surviving  Corporation,  and the officers of the Merger Sub  immediately
prior to the  Effective  Time shall be the  initial  officers  of the  Surviving
Corporation,  in each case until their respective successors are duly elected or
appointed and qualified or until their earlier death,  resignation or removal in
accordance with the Surviving  Corporation's  Certificate of  Incorporation  and
By-Laws.  Prior to the  Effective  Time,  the  Company  shall  deliver to Parent
evidence  satisfactory  to Parent of the  resignations  of all  directors of the
Company to be effective as of such Effective Time.

1.6 Conversion of Company Common Stock; Etc. At the Effective Time, by virtue of
the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof:

(a) Subject to the  provisions  of this  Article I, each share of Class A common
stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Class A Company Common Stock")
and each share of Class B common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company
("Class B Company  Common  Stock",  and together with the Class A Company Common
Stock, the "Company Common Stock") issued and outstanding  immediately  prior to
the  Effective  Time  (other  than any  shares  of  Company  Common  Stock to be
cancelled  pursuant to Section 1.7) will be converted  into the right to receive
that fraction  (expressed  as a decimal) of a share of common  stock,  par value
$0.01 per share, of Parent  ("Parent  Common Stock") (and related  fraction of a
Parent Right in accordance  with Section  1.6(b)  hereof),  that is equal to the
"Exchange  Ratio," which shall be determined in the manner provided below. As of
the Effective  Time,  all such shares of Company Common Stock shall no longer be
outstanding and shall  automatically be cancelled and retired and shall cease to
exist, and each holder of a certificate  representing any such shares of Company
Common  Stock shall cease to have any rights with  respect  thereto,  except the
right to receive the Merger Shares and any cash in lieu of fractional  shares of
Parent  Common  Stock  to be  issued  or paid  in  consideration  therefor  upon
surrender of such certificate in accordance with Section 1.12, without interest.

(b) Each share of Parent Common Stock to be issued upon  conversion of shares of
Company  Common  Stock in  accordance  with  Section  1.6(a)  shall  include the
corresponding  percentage of a right (the "Parent Rights") to purchase shares of
Series A-1 Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock,  $.01 par value (the "Parent
Series A-1 Preferred  Stock"),  of Parent pursuant to the Rights Agreement dated
as of May 12, 1998, as amended (the "Parent Rights  Agreement"),  between Parent
and Bank Boston,  N.A.,  as Rights  Agent.  Prior to the  Distribution  Date (as
defined in the Parent Rights Agreement), all references in this Agreement to the
Merger Shares shall be deemed to include the Parent Rights.

(c) For purposes of this Agreement,  the "Exchange Ratio" shall be calculated as
follows:

(i) if the Average  Parent Trading Price (as defined below) is at least equal to
$129.49 but not greater than  $175.19,  then the Exchange  Ratio shall equal the
quotient  of (A)  $29.25  divided  by (B)  the  Average  Parent  Trading  Price,
calculated to the nearest ten thousandth (i.e., four decimal places (.xxxx)); or

(ii) if the Average  Parent  Trading  Price is less than $129.49 or greater than
$175.19,  then the Exchange Ratio shall equal the quotient of (A) $29.25 divided
by (B) (x) $129.49 if the Average  Parent  Trading Price is less than $129.49 or
(y)  $175.19,  if the Average  Parent  Trading  Price is greater  than  $175.19,
calculated to the nearest ten thousandth (i.e., four decimal places (.xxxx)).

(d) As used in this  Agreement,  the term "Average  Parent  Trading Price" shall
mean the average  closing price per share of Parent Common Stock on the New York
Stock  Exchange  (as  reported in The Wall Street  Journal,  or, if not reported
therein, any other authoritative source) for the twenty (20) consecutive trading
days ending two (2) trading days preceding the Effective Time.

1.7 Cancellation of Treasury Stock and Parent-Owned Stock. Each share of Company
Common  Stock  held in the  treasury  of the  Company  and each share of Company
Common Stock owned by Merger Sub,  Parent or any direct or indirect wholly owned
subsidiary  of Parent or the Company  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time
shall be cancelled and extinguished without any conversion thereof.

1.8      Stock Options.

(a) At the Effective  Time,  all options to purchase  Company  Common Stock then
outstanding  under the MovieFone,  Inc. 1994 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"),  by
virtue of the Merger and without  any action on the part of the holder  thereof,
shall be assumed by Parent in accordance with Section 5.5.

(b) The  Company  shall  promptly  take all  actions  necessary  to ensure  that
following the Effective Time no holder of any options or rights pursuant to, nor
any participant in, the Plan or any other plan, program or arrangement providing
for the issuance or grant of any interest in respect of the capital stock of the
Company or any  Subsidiary  of the  Company  will have any right  thereunder  to
acquire equity  securities of the Company,  any such Subsidiary or the Surviving
Corporation.

1.9 Capital Stock of Merger Sub. Each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of Merger Sub issued and outstanding  immediately  prior to the Effective
Time shall be converted  into and exchanged for one validly  issued,  fully paid
and  nonassessable  share of common  stock,  par value  $0.01 per share,  of the
Surviving Corporation. Each stock certificate of Merger Sub evidencing ownership
of any such  shares  shall  continue  to  evidence  ownership  of such shares of
capital stock of the Surviving Corporation.

1.10  Adjustments  to Exchange  Ratio.  The Exchange  Ratio shall be adjusted to
reflect  fully the effect of any stock  split,  reverse  split,  stock  dividend
(including any dividend or  distribution of securities  convertible  into Parent
Common Stock or Company Common Stock), reorganization, recapitalization or other
like  change  with  respect  to Parent  Common  Stock or  Company  Common  Stock
occurring after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time.

1.11  Fractional  Shares.  No fraction of a share of Parent Common Stock will be
issued,  but in lieu thereof  each holder of shares of Company  Common Stock who
would  otherwise  be entitled to a fraction  of a share of Parent  Common  Stock
(after  aggregating all fractional  shares of Parent Common Stock to be received
by such  holder)  shall  receive  from Parent an amount of cash  (rounded to the
nearest  whole  cent) equal to the product of such  fraction  multiplied  by the
Average Trading Price.

1.12     Surrender of Certificates.

(a) Exchange Agent.  Prior to the Effective Time,  Parent shall designate a bank
or trust company (which shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company) to act as
exchange agent (the "Exchange Agent") in the Merger.

(b) Parent to Provide Common Stock.  Promptly after the Effective  Time,  Parent
shall deposit with the Exchange Agent,  for the benefit of the holders of shares
of Company Common Stock, for exchange in accordance with this Article I, through
such  reasonable  procedures  as  Parent  and  the  Exchange  Agent  may  adopt,
certificates representing the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable pursuant to
Section 1.6 in exchange for outstanding shares of Company Common Stock, together
with cash in an amount  sufficient  to pay any dividends or  distributions  with
respect  thereto  with a record  date  after the  Effective  Time,  and any cash
payable in lieu of any fractional Parent Common Stock.

(c) Exchange  Procedures.  Promptly  after the  Effective  Time,  the  Surviving
Corporation  shall cause to be mailed to each holder of record of a  certificate
or certificates  (the  "Certificates")  which immediately prior to the Effective
Time  represented  outstanding  shares of Company Common Stock whose shares were
converted  into the right to receive  shares of Parent Common Stock  pursuant to
Section 1.6, a letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be
effected,  and risk of loss and title to the Certificates  shall pass, only upon
delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange Agent and shall be in such form and
have such other  provisions as Parent may reasonably  specify) and  instructions
for  use  in  effecting  the  surrender  of the  Certificates  in  exchange  for
certificates  representing  shares of Parent Common Stock.  Upon  surrender of a
Certificate  for  cancellation  to the Exchange  Agent or to such other agent or
agents as may be appointed by Parent,  together with such letter of transmittal,
duly completed and validly executed in accordance with the instructions thereto,
the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor
(i) a  certificate  representing  the  number of whole  shares of Parent  Common
Stock,  (ii) payment in cash in lieu of fractional  shares which such holder has
the right to  receive  pursuant  to  Section  1.11 and  (iii) the  amount of any
dividends  or other  distributions  which  such  holder has the right to receive
pursuant to Section 1.12(d),  and the Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith
be cancelled. Until so surrendered,  each outstanding Certificate that, prior to
the Effective  Time,  represented  shares of Company Common Stock will be deemed
from and after the Effective  Time, for all corporate  purposes,  other than the
payment of dividends,  to evidence the ownership of the number of full shares of
Parent  Common  Stock into which such shares of Company  Common Stock shall have
been so  converted  and the  right to  receive  an amount in cash in lieu of the
issuance of any fractional  shares in accordance  with Section 1.11. Any portion
of the shares of Parent Common Stock or cash  deposited  with the Exchange Agent
pursuant to Section  1.12(b) which remains  undistributed  to the holders of the
Certificates  representing  shares of  Company  Common  Stock for six (6) months
after the  Effective  Time shall be  delivered to Parent,  upon demand,  and any
holders of shares of Company Common Stock who have not theretofore complied with
this  Article  I shall  thereafter  look  only to  Parent  and  only as  general
creditors  thereof for payment of their claim for Parent Common Stock,  any cash
in lieu of  fractional  shares  of Parent  Common  Stock  and any  dividends  or
distributions  with respect to Parent  Common Stock to which such holders may be
entitled.

(d)  Distributions  With Respect to  Unexchanged  Shares.  No dividends or other
distributions  declared or made after the Effective  Time with respect to Parent
Common  Stock with a record  date after the  Effective  Time will be paid to the
holder of any  unsurrendered  Certificate  with  respect to the shares of Parent
Common Stock represented  thereby until the holder of record of such Certificate
shall surrender such Certificate. Subject to applicable Law, following surrender
of any  such  Certificate,  there  shall  be paid to the  record  holder  of the
certificates representing whole shares of Parent Common Stock issued in exchange
therefor,  without  interest,  at the  time of such  surrender,  the  amount  of
dividends or other  distributions  with a record date after the  Effective  Time
theretofore paid with respect to such whole shares of Parent Common Stock.

(e) Transfers of Ownership. If any certificate for shares of Parent Common Stock
is to be issued in a name other than that in which the  Certificate  surrendered
in exchange  therefor is  registered,  it will be a  condition  of the  issuance
thereof  that the  Certificate  so  surrendered  will be properly  endorsed  and
otherwise  in proper  form for  transfer  and that the  Person  requesting  such
exchange will have paid to Parent or any agent  designated by it any transfer or
other taxes  required by reason of the issuance of a  certificate  for shares of
Parent Common Stock in any name other than that of the registered  holder of the
certificate  surrendered,  or established to the  satisfaction  of Parent or any
agent designated by it that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

(f) No  Liability.  Notwithstanding  anything to the  contrary  in this  Section
1.12(f),  none of the Exchange  Agent,  the Surviving  Corporation  or any party
hereto  shall be liable to a holder of shares of  Company  Common  Stock for any
amount properly paid to a public official  pursuant to any applicable  abandoned
property, escheat or similar law.

(g)  Withholding of Tax. Parent or the Exchange Agent will be entitled to deduct
and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement
to any former  holder of  Company  Common  Stock such  amounts as Parent (or any
Affiliate  thereof) or the  Exchange  Agent are  required to deduct and withhold
with respect to the making of such payment  under the Code,  or any provision of
state,  local or foreign tax law. To the extent that  amounts are so withheld by
Parent or the Exchange  Agent,  such  withheld  amounts will be treated from all
purposes  of this  Agreement  as having  been paid to the  former  holder of the
Company Common Stock in respect of whom such deduction and withholding were made
by Parent or the Exchange Agent.

1.13 Further  Ownership  Rights in Company  Common  Stock.  All shares of Parent
Common Stock issued upon the surrender for exchange of shares of Company  Common
Stock in accordance with the terms of this Article I (including any cash paid in
respect thereof) shall be deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all
rights  pertaining to such shares of Company Common Stock, and there shall be no
further registration of transfers on the records of the Surviving Corporation of
shares of Company Common Stock which were outstanding  immediately  prior to the
Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time,  Certificates are presented to the
Surviving  Corporation for any reason,  they shall be cancelled and exchanged as
provided in this Article I.

1.14  Closing.  Unless  this  Agreement  shall  have  been  terminated  and  the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement abandoned pursuant to the provisions
of Article VIII, and subject to the provisions of Article VI, the closing of the
Merger (the  "Closing")  will take place at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on a date
(the "Closing  Date") to be mutually  agreed upon by the parties  hereto,  which
date shall be not later than the third Business Day after all the conditions set
forth in Article  VI shall have been  satisfied  (or waived in  accordance  with
Section 8.5, to the extent the same may be waived),  unless  another time and/or
date is agreed to in writing by the parties. The Closing shall take place at the
offices of Orrick,  Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP ("OHS"),  666 Fifth  Avenue,  New
York,  New York  10103,  unless  another  place is agreed to in  writing  by the
parties. As used herein, the term "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday,  Sunday or day on which banks are  permitted  to close in the State of
New York or in the State of Delaware.

1.15  Lost,  Stolen or  Destroyed  Certificates.  In the event any  Certificates
evidencing  shares of Company  Common  Stock  shall  have been  lost,  stolen or
destroyed,  the Exchange Agent shall issue in exchange for such lost,  stolen or
destroyed  Certificates,  upon the  making of an  affidavit  of that fact by the
holder  thereof,  such  shares of Parent  Common  Stock and cash for  fractional
shares, if any, as may be required pursuant to Section 1.11; provided,  however,
that Parent may, in its discretion and as a condition  precedent to the issuance
thereof,  require the owner of such lost,  stolen or destroyed  Certificates  to
deliver a bond in such sum as it may reasonably  direct as indemnity against any
claim that may be made against  Parent or the Exchange Agent with respect to the
Certificates alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.

1.16 Tax Consequences.  For federal income tax purposes, the parties intend that
the Merger be treated as a  reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368(a)
of the Code, and that this Agreement shall be, and is hereby,  adopted as a plan
of reorganization for purposes of Section 368 of the Code. The parties shall not
take a position on any Tax Return inconsistent with this Section 1.16.

                                   Article II

                  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

                  The  Company  hereby  represents  and  warrants  to Parent and
Merger  Sub,  except as  disclosed  in the  disclosure  schedule  dated the date
hereof, certified by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and delivered by
the Company to Parent and Merger Sub  simultaneously  herewith (which disclosure
schedule shall contain specific references to the representations and warranties
to which the  disclosures  contained  therein  relate) (the "Company  Disclosure
Schedule") as follows:

2.1      Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries.

(a) Each of the  Company  and each of its  Subsidiaries  is a  corporation  duly
organized,  validly  existing  and  in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of its
respective  jurisdiction  of  incorporation  or  organization  and  has  all the
requisite corporate power and authority, and is in possession of all franchises,
grants, authorizations,  licenses, permits, easements,  consents,  certificates,
approvals and orders ("Company  Approvals")  necessary to own, lease and operate
the properties it purports to own, operate or lease and to carry on its business
as it is now being  conducted,  except  where the  failure  to be so  organized,
existing  and in good  standing  or to have such  power,  authority  and Company
Approvals  would not, either  individually or in the aggregate,  have a Material
Adverse  Effect.  Each  of the  Company  and  each of its  Subsidiaries  is duly
qualified or licensed as a foreign  corporation  to do business,  and is in good
standing,  in each  jurisdiction  where the character of the  properties  owned,
leased  or  operated  by  it  or  the  nature  of  its  activities   makes  such
qualification  or licensing  necessary,  except for such  failures to be so duly
qualified or licensed and in good standing that would not,  either  individually
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) A true and complete list of all of the Company's Subsidiaries, together with
the jurisdiction of  incorporation  of each Subsidiary,  is set forth in Section
2.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. Except as set forth in Section 2.1(b)
of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  neither  the  Company nor any  Subsidiary
directly or indirectly  owns any equity or similar  interest in, or any interest
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, directly or indirectly, any
equity or similar interest in, any Person.

2.2  Certificate  of  Incorporation  and  By-Laws.  The Company  has  heretofore
furnished  to  Parent  a  complete  and  correct  copy  of  the  Certificate  of
Incorporation and By-laws, or equivalent organizational documents, as amended or
restated to the date hereof, of the Company and each of its  Subsidiaries.  Such
Certificate of Incorporation, By-laws and equivalent organizational documents of
the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in full force and effect.

2.3      Capitalization.

(a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 20,000,000 shares of
Class A Company Common Stock,  10,000,000 shares of Class B Company Common Stock
and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Company
Preferred  Stock").  As of the date  hereof,  (i)  5,333,185  shares  of Class A
Company Common Stock and (ii)  7,080,053  shares of Class B Company Common Stock
were issued and  outstanding,  all of which are validly  issued,  fully paid and
nonassessable  and were not issued in  violation  of any  preemptive  or similar
rights of any Person, and (iii) no shares of Company Preferred Stock were issued
or  outstanding;  (iv) 421,900  shares of Company  Common Stock were held in the
treasury  of the  Company;  (v) no shares of Company  Common  Stock were held by
Subsidiaries  of the Company;  (vi)  1,400,000  shares of Class A Company Common
Stock were duly reserved for future issuance  pursuant to employee stock options
granted  pursuant  to the Plan;  and (vii)  7,080,053  shares of Class A Company
Common Stock were duly reserved for future issuance upon conversion of shares of
Class B Company Common Stock pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Company.  Except as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, the Company
has no shares of capital stock issued and  outstanding or reserved for issuance.
The rights and  privileges of the Class B Company  Common Stock are set forth in
the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the  Company,  except  such  rights  and
privileges,  if any,  as may be  conferred  under  Delaware  Law. As of the date
hereof, the Class A Company Common Stock is a designated  security of the Nasdaq
National  Market,  and the Company and the Class A Company  Common Stock satisfy
the  criteria  required to be satisfied in order to maintain the Class A Company
Common Stock as such a  designated  security and the Company has no Knowledge of
any basis for the termination of such designation or the taking of any action by
another Person for the purpose of terminating such designation.

(b) Except as described in Section  2.3(a) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,
there are no options, warrants or other rights, calls, agreements,  arrangements
or commitments of any character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock
of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or obligating  the Company or any of
its  Subsidiaries  or which any  thereof is bound to issue or sell any shares of
capital  stock of or other equity  interests in, or any  securities  convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable  for, or representing  the right to purchase
or otherwise  receive,  directly or indirectly,  any such capital stock or other
equity  interest,  or other  arrangement  to  acquire,  at any time or under any
circumstance, capital stock of or other equity interest in the Company or any of
its  Subsidiaries or obligating the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries to grant
any lien on any shares of capital  stock of, or other equity  interests  in, the
Company or any its  subsidiaries.  All shares of Company Common Stock subject to
issuance as aforesaid,  upon issuance on the terms and  conditions  specified in
the instruments  pursuant to which they are issuable,  shall be duly authorized,
validly  issued,  fully  paid  and  nonassessable.  There  are  no  obligations,
contingent  or  otherwise,  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries  to
repurchase,  redeem or otherwise  acquire any shares of Company  Common Stock or
the  capital  stock  of any  subsidiary  or to  provide  funds  to or  make  any
investment  (in the form of a loan,  capital  contribution  or otherwise) in any
such  Subsidiary or any other entity.  Except as described in Section  2.3(a) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule,  all of the outstanding shares of capital stock
of each of the Company's  direct and indirect  Subsidiaries is duly  authorized,
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and were not issued in violation of
any preemptive or similar rights of any Person or entity and all such shares are
owned by the Company free and clear of all security  interests,  liens,  claims,
pledges, restrictions,  agreements,  limitations in the Company's voting rights,
charges or other encumbrances of any nature  whatsoever.  Except as disclosed in
Section 2.3 of the Company Disclosure Schedule,  no holder of Company securities
has any  contractual  right to include any such  securities in any  registration
statement  proposed to be filed by Parent under the Securities  Act. Each of the
Stockholders (as defined in the  Stockholders  Agreement) is the record owner of
the  number of shares of Company  Common  Stock set forth  opposite  its name on
Schedule A of the Stockholders Agreement.  The Company has no Knowledge that any
of such  Stockholders  has appointed or granted any proxy with respect to any of
the shares of Company  Common  Stock  owned by it,  which  appointment  or grant
remains effective.

(c) There are no voting  trusts,  proxies or other  agreements,  commitments  or
understandings  of any character to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party or by which the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  is bound  with
respect to the voting of any  shares of capital  stock of the  Company or any of
its Subsidiaries.

(d) As  promptly  as  practicable  after  the  execution  and  delivery  of this
Agreement and the Related Agreements,  the Company shall deliver instructions to
the transfer agent for the Company Common Stock for the purposes of effectuating
the restrictions on transfer contemplated by the Related Agreements and ensuring
that the legends contemplated  thereunder are placed on certificates for Company
Common Stock contemplated by the Related Agreements.

(e) Reference is made to the  Registration  Rights Agreement dated as of May 20,
1994 (the "Registration  Rights  Agreement"),  among the Company and the parties
thereto.  No shares of capital stock or other  securities that would  constitute
"Registerable Securities" (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) have
been issued by the Company in a private  placement or other  transaction  exempt
from the  registration  requirements  of the  Securities Act to any of the other
parties to the Registration  Rights Agreement (other than the Company) since the
date of the Registration Rights Agreement.

(f) The Company's Form S-8 on file with the SEC with respect to the Plan and all
Company  Options  thereunder is currently  and through the  Effective  Time will
remain, effective.

2.4  Authority  Relative  to this  Agreement.  The  Company  has  all  necessary
corporate  power and  authority  to execute and deliver this  Agreement  and the
Option Agreement and to perform its obligations  hereunder and thereunder and to
consummate the transactions  contemplated hereby and thereby.  The execution and
delivery  by the  Company  of this  Agreement  and  the  Option  Agreement,  the
performance of its obligations hereunder and thereunder, and the consummation by
the Company of the transactions  contemplated hereby, have been duly and validly
authorized by all corporate  action and no other  corporate  proceedings  on the
part of the Company are necessary to authorize  this  Agreement or to consummate
the  transactions so contemplated  (other than, with respect to the Merger,  the
approval and adoption of this  Agreement by the holders of a majority (by voting
power) of the  outstanding  shares of Company  Common Stock in  accordance  with
Delaware Law and the Company's  Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws).  This
Agreement  and the Option  Agreement  have been duly and  validly  executed  and
delivered by the Company  and,  assuming the due  authorization,  execution  and
delivery  thereof by Parent  and  Merger  Sub,  constitutes  a legal,  valid and
binding obligation of the Company.

2.5      No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.

(a) The execution  and delivery by the Company of this  Agreement and the Option
Agreement do not, and the performance of this Agreement and the Option Agreement
will not,  conflict with or violate the Certificate of  Incorporation or By-laws
or equivalent organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or subject  to Section  2.5(b),  conflict  with or violate  any Law in each case
applicable to the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or by which its or any of
their  respective  properties  is bound or affected,  or result in any breach or
violation  of or  constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of
time or both  would  become a  default)  under,  or give rise to any loss of any
material  right or benefit  under,  or increase  any  obligation  of the Company
under, or give to others any rights of termination,  amendment,  acceleration or
cancellation  of, or result in the creation of a lien or  encumbrance  on any of
the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries  pursuant to,
any note,  bond,  mortgage,  indenture,  contract,  agreement,  lease,  license,
permit,  franchise or other instrument or obligation to which the Company or any
of  its  Subsidiaries  is a  party  or by  which  the  Company  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries or its or any of their respective  properties is bound or affected,
except (i) as contemplated by Section 2.6 hereof or (ii) for any such conflicts,
breaches,  violations,  defaults or other  occurrences that would not (A) in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or (B) prevent or materially impair or
delay the consummation of the Merger.  The Board of Directors of the Company has
directed that this Agreement be submitted to the stockholders of the Company for
their approval and adoption.  The affirmative approval and adoption,  by vote or
written consent,  of the holders of Company Common Stock representing a majority
of the votes that may be cast by the holders of all  outstanding  Company Common
Stock (voting as a single class) is the only vote of the holders of any class or
series of capital  stock of the Company  necessary to adopt this  Agreement  and
approve the Merger.  Prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement,  the
Board of Directors of the Company has taken all  requisite  action to cause this
Agreement  and the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  to be  exempt  from  the
provisions of Section 203 of Delaware Law.

(b) The execution  and delivery by the Company of this  Agreement and the Option
Agreement does not, and the performance by the Company of this Agreement and the
Option  Agreement  by the Company  shall not,  require the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to (i) except as set forth in Section 2.5 of the Company Disclosure
Schedule,  obtain any consent or waiver of any Person or the consent,  approval,
authorization,  license, waiver, qualification,  order or permit of any Court or
Governmental Authority required under any Law, Regulation or Order applicable to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,  (ii) observe any waiting period imposed
by, or (iii) make any  filing  with or  notification  to,  any  governmental  or
regulatory  authority,  domestic  or  foreign,  except for (A)  compliance  with
applicable requirements,  if any, of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities  Act"),  the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  as  amended  (the
"Exchange  Act"),  state  securities  laws  ("Blue Sky Laws") or the  pre-Merger
notification requirements of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of
1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"),  (B) the filing and recordation of appropriate
Merger or other  documents  as  required  by  Delaware  Law,  (C) the  filing of
appropriate Merger or other documents as required by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. and the Nasdaq National Market or (D) where the failure
to  obtain  such  consents,   approvals,   authorizations,   licenses,  waivers,
qualifications,  orders or permits,  or to make such  filings or  notifications,
would not (1) have, in the aggregate,  a Material  Adverse Effect or (2) prevent
or materially impair or delay the consummation of the Merger.

2.6      Material Agreements; Compliance; Permits.

(a) Section  2.6(a) of the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule  sets forth a true and
complete  list,  as of  the  date  hereof,  of  all  contracts,  agreements  and
instruments  to which the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party or by
which any of them or any of their  properties  or assets  may be bound  which is
material to the Company and/or its Subsidiaries  and all agreements  pursuant to
which the Company or any subsidiary has granted  exclusive  rights or have terms
of one year or  longer  (collectively,  the  "Material  Agreements").  Each such
Material  Agreement  is in  full  force  and  effect,  is a  valid  and  binding
obligation  of the  Company or such  Subsidiary  and,  to the  Knowledge  of the
Company, of each other party thereto,  and is enforceable against the Company or
such  Subsidiary  in  accordance  with its terms and,  to the  Knowledge  of the
Company,  enforceable against each other party thereto, in each case except that
the  enforcement   thereof  may  be  limited  by  (A)  bankruptcy,   insolvency,
reorganization,  moratorium  or other  similar  law now or  hereafter  in effect
relating to creditors'  rights  generally  and (B) general  principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or
at law),  and there has not  occurred  any  default  by the  Company,  or to the
Knowledge of the Company,  by any party thereto  which remains  unremedied as of
the date hereof, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected to have
a Material  Adverse  Effect.  No condition  exists or event has  occurred  which
(whether  with or without  notice or lapse of time or both,  or the happening or
occurrence of any other event) would  constitute a default by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto
under, or result in a right of termination of, any Material Contract,  except as
would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) As of the date hereof,  Section  2.6(b) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule
sets forth a list, true and correct in all material  respects,  of the number of
theatre  screens in respect of the  teleticketing  agreements  listed in Section
2.6(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

(c)  Section  2.6(a)  of the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule  sets  forth a list,
complete  in  all  material  respects,   of  all   teleticketing,   sponsorship,
three-digit code and online agreements as of the date hereof.

(d) Neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is in conflict with, or in
default or violation of, any law, rule,  regulation,  order,  judgment or decree
applicable to the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or by which its or any of
their respective  properties is bound or affected,  or any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture,  contract,  agreement,  lease,  license,  permit,  franchise or other
instrument or obligation  to which the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a
party or by which the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries or its or any of their
respective  properties  is bound or  affected,  except  for any such  conflicts,
defaults or violations which would not, individually and in the aggregate,  have
a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in
violation  of any of the  provisions  of its  Certificate  of  Incorporation  or
By-laws or equivalent organizational documents.

(e) The Company and its  Subsidiaries  are in  compliance  with the terms of the
Company Approvals, except where the failure to so comply would not, individually
and in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

2.7      SEC Filings; Financial Statements.

(a) Except as set forth in Section  2.7(a) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,
the Company has timely  filed all forms,  reports and  documents  required to be
filed with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  ("SEC") since December 31,
1995  (collectively,  the  "Company  SEC  Reports")  required  to be filed by it
pursuant  to the  federal  securities  Laws and the SEC  rules  and  Regulations
promulgated thereunder. The Company SEC Reports were prepared in accordance, and
complied as of their respective filing dates in all material respects,  with the
requirements  of the  Exchange  Act and the  rules and  regulations  promulgated
thereunder  and did not at the time they were filed (or if amended or superseded
by a  filing  prior  to the  date of this  Agreement,  then on the  date of such
filing)  contain  any untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a
material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make the
statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
made,  not  misleading.  (b)  Each  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements
(including,  in each case, any related notes  thereto)  contained in the Company
SEC Reports (i) complied in all material  respects  with  applicable  accounting
requirements  and the published  rules and  regulations  of the SEC with respect
thereto,  (ii) were prepared in accordance  with generally  accepted  accounting
principles ("GAAP") (except, in the case of unaudited  statements,  as permitted
by Form 10-Q of the SEC) applied on a consistent  basis  throughout  the periods
involved  (except as may be expressly  described in the notes thereto) and (iii)
fairly  present  the  consolidated  financial  position  of the  Company and its
Subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and the consolidated  results of
its  operations  and cash  flows  for the  periods  indicated,  except  that the
unaudited  interim  financial  statements  included in the  Company's  Form 10-Q
reports were or are subject to normal and recurring  year-end  adjustments  that
are neither individually or in the aggregate material.

2.8      Absence of Certain Changes or Events.

(a) Except as set forth in Section  2.8(a) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,
since September 30, 1998, the Company and its Subsidiaries  have conducted their
businesses only in the ordinary and usual course and in a manner consistent with
past  practice  and,  since such  date,  there has not been any  change,  event,
development  or  circumstance  affecting the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
which,  individually or in the aggregate,  has or is reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Except as set forth in Section  2.8(b) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,
during the period from September 30, 1998 to the date of this Agreement,  except
as disclosed in Section 2.8(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or as may have
been  disclosed in the Company's  SEC Reports,  there has not been any change by
the Company in its accounting methods,  principles or practices, any revaluation
by the  Company  of any of its  assets,  including,  writing  down the  value of
inventory or writing off notes or accounts receivable other than in the ordinary
course  of  business,  and there  has not been any  other  action or event,  and
neither  the  Company  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has  agreed in  writing  or
otherwise  to take any other  action,  that would have  required  the consent of
Parent  pursuant to Section 4.1 had such action or event occurred after the date
of this Agreement and prior to the Effective  Time, or any  condition,  event or
occurrence which could reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impair or
delay the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement.

2.9 No Undisclosed Liabilities.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has any  liabilities  or obligations of any nature  (absolute,  accrued,  fixed,
contingent  or  otherwise),  and to the  Knowledge  of the  Company  there is no
existing fact,  condition or circumstance  which could reasonably be expected to
result in such liabilities or obligations, which, in each case, could reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except liabilities or obligations
(i) reflected in the Company SEC Reports or (ii) incurred in the ordinary course
of business  consistent  with past  practice  since  September  30, 1998 and not
required  under GAAP to be  reflected  on a  consolidated  balance  sheet of the
Company.

2.10     Absence of Litigation.

(a) Except as  described  in Section  2.10 of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,
there are no claims,  actions, suits, or proceedings or, to the Knowledge of the
Company,  investigations,  pending  on the date  hereof on behalf of or  pending
against or, and to the  Knowledge of the  Company,  no claims,  actions,  suits,
proceedings  or  investigations,  threatened  against  the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries,  or  any  properties  or  rights  of  the  Company  or  any of its
Subsidiaries,  before any court,  arbitrator or administrative,  governmental or
regulatory  authority  or body,  domestic  or foreign,  except for such  claims,
actions,  suits,  proceedings  or  investigations  that would not, if  adversely
determined,  have or be  reasonably  expected to have,  individually  and in the
aggregate,  a  Material  Adverse  Effect.  Neither  the  Company  nor any of its
Subsidiaries is subject to any  outstanding  order,  writ,  injunction or decree
which, individually or in the aggregate has, or which, insofar as reasonably can
be foreseen, in the future would have a Material Adverse Effect or would prevent
the Company from consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(b) The  arbitration  award in  favor  of the  Company  in the  action  entitled
Promofone,  Inc. et. al. v. Pacer/CATS Corporation (the "Award"),  providing for
monetary damages and certain injunctive relief in favor of the Company,  (a true
and correct  description  of which action and the status thereof is set forth in
the  Company's  Form 10-Q for the quarter  ended  September  30,  1998),  is the
subject of a valid, binding and enforceable judgment of the Supreme Court of the
State of New York  confirming the Award,  and the Company has taken no action or
failed to take any action  and, to the  Knowledge  of the  Company,  there is no
other fact or  circumstance,  that could  reasonably  be  expected  to impair or
otherwise  prejudice  its  ability to collect  the full  amount of the  monetary
damages or enforce to the full extent  thereof the  injunctive  relief,  in each
case provided for by the Award.

2.11     Employee Benefit Plans.

(a) Section 2.11(a) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule  contains a list of all
employee  benefit  plans (as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee  Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended  ("ERISA")) and all bonus, stock option,
stock  purchase,  incentive,  deferred  compensation,  supplemental  retirement,
severance  and other  similar  fringe or  employee  benefit  plans,  programs or
arrangements,  and any current or former employment or executive compensation or
severance agreements,  written or otherwise, for the benefit of, or relating to,
any employee of the Company, or a Subsidiary thereof maintained,  contributed to
or  participated  in by the  Company or any trade or  business  (whether  or not
incorporated)  which is a member of a controlled  group or which is under common
control  with the Company (an "ERISA  Affiliate")  within the meaning of Section
414 of the Code,  or any  Subsidiary  of the Company  (together,  the  "Employee
Plans").  The Company has  delivered  or made  available  to Parent  correct and
complete copies of (a) the plan documents and summary plan descriptions, (b) the
most recent determination letter received from the IRS, (c) the most recent Form
5500 Annual  Report,  (d) the most recent  accounting  statement  and  actuarial
valuation,  and  (e) all  related  agreements,  insurance  contracts  and  other
agreements which implement each such Employee Plan.

(b) Except as set forth in Section 2.11(b) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,
none of the Employee Plans promises or provides retiree medical or other retiree
welfare benefits to any Person;  there has been no "prohibited  transaction," as
such term is defined in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code,  with
respect to any Employee  Plan,  which could result in any material  liability of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;  all Employee Plans are in compliance in
all material  respects with the requirements  prescribed by any and all statutes
(including ERISA and the Code),  orders,  or governmental  rules and regulations
currently in effect with respect thereto (including all applicable  requirements
for notification,  reporting and disclosure to participants or the Department of
Labor,  Internal Revenue Service or Secretary of the Treasury),  and the Company
and each of its  Subsidiaries  and ERISA  Affiliates have performed all material
obligations  required to be  performed  by them under,  are not in any  material
respect in default  under or violation  of, and have no Knowledge of any default
or  violation by any other party to, any of the Employee  Plans;  each  Employee
Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code and each corresponding
trust  exempt   under   Section  501  of  the  Code  has  received  a  favorable
determination  letter from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), and nothing
has  occurred  which  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  cause  the loss of such
qualification  or  exemption;  all  contributions  required  to be  made  to any
Employee  Plan  pursuant to Section 412 of the Code,  the terms of the  Employee
Plan or any collective bargaining  agreement,  have been made on or before their
due dates and a  reasonable  amount has been accrued for  contributions  to each
Employee Plan for the current plan years;  no Employee Plan is a  "multiemployer
plan" (within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA) and neither the Company nor
any  Subsidiary or ERISA  Affiliate has  contributed  to or had an obligation to
contribute to any  multiemployer  plan during the five year period ending on the
date hereof;  and no Employee  Plan is a  "single-employer  plan under  multiple
controlled groups" as described in Section 4063 of ERISA.

(c) With  respect to each  Employee  Plan that is an "employee  pension  benefit
plan"  (within the meaning of Section  3(2) of ERISA) and subject to Title IV of
ERISA,  other  than a  multiemployer  plan or a  "single  employer  plan"  under
multiple  controlled  groups, (i) no notice of intent to terminate any such plan
has been filed and no  amendment to treat any such plan as  terminated  has been
adopted;  (ii) the PBGC has not  instituted  proceedings  to terminate  any such
plan;  (iii) no other event or condition has occurred which could  reasonably be
expected to constitute  grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination,
or  the  appointment  of a  trustee  to  administer,  any  such  plan;  (iv)  no
accumulated  funding deficiency,  whether or not waived,  exists with respect to
any such plan,  and no condition  has occurred or exists which by the passage of
time would be expected to result in an accumulated  funding deficiency as of the
last day of the current  plan year of any such plan;  (v) all  required  premium
payments  to the PBGC have been paid  when  due;  (vi) no  reportable  event (as
described in Section  4043 of ERISA) has occurred  with respect to any such plan
(excluding  events  for which  the  30-day  notice  has been  waived);  (vii) no
amendment  with respect to which security is required under Section 307 of ERISA
has been made or is reasonably  expected to be made; and (viii) all costs of any
such  plan  have  been  provided  for on the  basis  of  consistent  methods  in
accordance  with  sound  actuarial  assumptions  and  practices.  Since the last
valuation date of each such plan,  there has been no amendment or change to such
plan that would  materially  increase the amount of benefits  thereunder and, to
the Knowledge of the Company,  there has been no event or occurrence  that would
cause the excess of assets over benefit  liabilities  as listed to be reduced or
the amount by which benefit liabilities exceed assets as listed to be increased.

(d) Section 2.11(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of each
current or former employee,  officer, director or investor of the Company or any
of its  Subsidiaries  who holds, as of the date of this  Agreement,  any option,
warrant or other right to purchase  Company  Common  Stock or Company  Preferred
Stock,  if any,  together  with the number of shares of Company  Common Stock or
Company  Preferred Stock, if any, subject to such option,  warrant or right, the
date of grant or issuance of such option,  warrant or right, the extent to which
such option,  warrant or right is vested and/or exercisable,  the exercise price
of such option,  warrant or right, whether such option is intended to qualify as
an incentive  stock option within the meaning of Section 422(b) of the Code, and
the expiration date of each such option,  warrant and right.  Section 2.11(e) of
the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule  also sets  forth  the  total  number of such
options,  warrants  and  rights.  True and  complete  copies  of each  agreement
(including  all amendments and  modifications  thereto)  between the Company and
each holder of such options,  warrants and rights relating to the same have been
furnished to Parent and are listed on Section 2.11(e) of the Company  Disclosure
Schedule.

2.12  Labor  Matters.  Except  as set  forth  in  Section  2.12  of the  Company
Disclosure Schedule,  there are no controversies pending or, to the Knowledge of
the Company, threatened,  between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any
of their respective  employees,  which controversies have or could reasonably be
expected to have a Material  Adverse Effect;  neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries  is a party to any collective  bargaining  agreement or other labor
union contract applicable to persons employed by the Company or its Subsidiaries
nor to the Knowledge of the Company are there any  activities or  proceedings of
any  labor  union to  organize  any such  employees;  and,  the  Company  has no
Knowledge  of any  strikes,  slowdowns,  work  stoppages,  lockouts,  or threats
thereof,  by or with  respect  to any  employees  of the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries which have had a Material Adverse Effect. The Company does not have
nor at the Effective Time will the Company have any obligation  under the Worker
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (the "WARN Act").

2.13  Registration  Statement;  Proxy   Statement/Prospectus.   The  information
supplied by the Company for inclusion in the Registration  Statement will not at
the time the  Registration  Statement  (including  any amendments or supplements
thereto) is declared effective,  contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements  therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made,  not  misleading.  The  information  supplied by the Company for
inclusion in the proxy  statement/prospectus  to be sent to the  stockholders of
the Company in  connection  with the meeting of the  Company's  stockholders  to
consider  the  Merger  (the  "Company   Stockholders'   Meeting")   (such  proxy
statement/prospectus,  as amended or supplemented,  is referred to herein as the
"Proxy  Statement")  will not, on the date the Proxy Statement (or any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto) is first mailed to Company  stockholders,  at the
time of the Company Stockholders' Meeting and at the Effective Time, contain any
statement which, at such time and in light of the  circumstances  under which it
shall be made,  is false or  misleading  with respect to any material  fact,  or
shall omit to state any material fact  necessary in order to make the statements
made therein not false or misleading in light of the  circumstances  under which
they were made,  or omit to state any  material  fact  necessary  to correct any
statement  in any earlier  communication  with  respect to the  solicitation  of
proxies  for the  Company  Stockholders'  Meeting  which  has  become  false  or
misleading. If at any time prior to the Effective Time any event relating to the
Company or any of its  respective  Affiliates,  officers or directors  should be
discovered  by the  Company  which  should be set forth in an  amendment  to the
Registration Statement or an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement, the
Company  shall  promptly  inform  Parent and  Merger  Sub.  Notwithstanding  the
foregoing,  the Company makes no  representation or warranty with respect to any
information  supplied by Parent or Merger Sub which is  contained  in any of the
foregoing  documents.  The Proxy Statement shall comply in all material respects
as to form and  substance  with the  requirements  of the  Exchange  Act and the
Regulations promulgated thereunder.

2.14 Restrictions on Business Activities. Except as set forth in Section 2.14 of
the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  there is no Material  Agreement,  judgment,
injunction,  order or decree binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or any of their properties which has had or could reasonably be expected to have
the effect of prohibiting or materially  impairing any business  practice of the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries or the conduct of business by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted or as proposed to be conducted by
the Company.

2.15 Title to  Property.  Except as  described  in Section  2.15 of the  Company
Disclosure  Schedule,  the Company  owns no real  property.  Section 2.15 of the
Company  Disclosure  Statement  sets forth a true and complete  list of all real
property  leased by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  and the  aggregate
monthly  rental or other fee  payable  under such  lease as of the date  hereof.
Except as  described  in Section 2.15 of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  the
Company  and each of its  Subsidiaries  have good and valid title to, or a valid
leasehold  interest in all of their  properties and assets  necessary to conduct
the business as presently  conducted,  including properties and assets reflected
on the September 30, 1998 balance sheet of the Company included in the Company's
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1998, free and clear of all liens,
charges and encumbrances,  except liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or are
being  contested in good faith by  appropriate  proceedings  (and such amount is
adequately  provided  for in  accordance  with  GAAP)  and  such  liens or other
imperfections  of title, if any, as do not materially  detract from the value of
or  interfere  with the present use of the property  affected  thereby or which,
individually or in the aggregate,  would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and
all leases pursuant to which the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  lease from
others real or personal  property are in good  standing,  valid and effective in
accordance  with their  respective  terms,  and there is not,  under any of such
leases,  any existing default or event of default (or event which with notice or
lapse of time, or both,  would  constitute a material  default and in respect of
which the Company or such  subsidiary  has not taken  adequate  steps to prevent
such a default from  occurring),  except  where the lack of such good  standing,
validity and  effectiveness or the existence of such default or event of default
would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

2.16 Taxes.  For purposes of this  Agreement,  "Tax" or "Taxes" shall mean taxes
and governmental impositions of any kind in the nature of (or similar to) taxes,
payable to any federal,  state,  local or foreign  taxing  authority,  including
income,   franchise,   profits,  gross  receipts,  ad  valorem,  custom  duties,
alternative  or add-on  minimum  taxes,  estimated,  environmental,  disability,
registration,  value added,  sales,  use,  service,  real or personal  property,
capital stock,  license,  payroll,  withholding,  employment,  social  security,
workers'   compensation,    unemployment   compensation,   utility,   severance,
production, excise, stamp, occupation,  premiums, windfall profits, transfer and
gains taxes,  and interest,  penalties and additions to tax imposed with respect
thereto;  and  "Tax  Returns"  shall  mean  returns,   reports  and  information
statements,  including any schedule or attachment thereto, with respect to Taxes
required to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service or any other governmental
or taxing  authority  or agency,  domestic or foreign,  including  consolidated,
combined  and unitary tax  returns.  Except as set forth in Section  2.16 of the
Company Disclosure Schedule and, for all subsections of this Section 2.16 except
for subsections  (d), (f) and (h),  except as would not,  individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect:

(a) All  federal,  state,  local and foreign  Tax  Returns  required to be filed
(taking into  account  extensions)  by or on behalf of the Company,  each of its
Subsidiaries,  and each affiliated,  combined,  consolidated or unitary group of
which the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  is or has been a member have been
timely filed, and all such Tax Returns are true, complete and correct.

(b) All  Taxes  payable  by or  with  respect  to the  Company  and  each of its
Subsidiaries have been timely paid, or are adequately  reserved for (rather than
reserves for deferred Taxes  established to reflect timing  differences  between
book and Tax  treatment) in  accordance  with GAAP on the  respective  company's
Balance Sheet.  Neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has incurred a
Tax  liability  from the  date of the  latest  Balance  Sheet  other  than a Tax
liability in the ordinary course of business.

(c) Neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has granted in writing any
waiver of any  federal,  state,  local or foreign  statute of  limitations  with
respect  to, or any  extension  of a period for the  assessment  of, any Tax. No
deficiencies  for any Taxes have been asserted or assessed in writing (or to the
Knowledge of the Company, orally) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
that are not adequately  reserved for in accordance  with GAAP on the respective
company's Balance Sheet.

(d) Neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has made an election under
Section 341(f) of the Code.

(e) The  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  have  not made  any  payments,  are not
obligated to make any payments, and are not a party to any agreements that under
any circumstances  could obligate any of them to make any payments that will not
be deductible under Section 280G of the Code.

(f) All  stockholders  who  beneficially own Class B Company Common Stock with a
fair market value  greater  than the fair market value of 5% of the  outstanding
Class A Company  Common Stock are United States  persons  (within the meaning of
Section 7701 (a)(30) of the Code).

(g) Other than with  respect  to its  Subsidiaries,  the  Company is not and has
never been a member of an affiliated,  consolidated,  combined or unitary group,
and  neither  the  Company  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party  to any Tax
allocation or sharing  agreement (other than any agreement  between or among the
Company and its  Subsidiaries)  or has a liability for Taxes with respect to the
acquisition  of assets,  however  effected,  of  PromoFone,  Inc.  Teleticketing
Services, Inc. and Teleticketing Company, L.P.

(h) Section 2.16 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth the tax years and
any Tax Returns currently under  examination by any Governmental  Authority with
respect to the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries.  The U.S. federal income Tax
Returns of the Company  and each of its  Subsidiaries  consolidated  in such Tax
Returns  through  December  31,  1994 have  closed  by virtue of the  applicable
statute of limitations.

(i) The Company and each of its  Subsidiaries  have complied with all applicable
Laws  relating to the  payment  and  withholding  of Taxes  (including,  without
limitation, withholding of Taxes pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442 and 3406 of the
Code or similar provisions under any foreign Laws) and have, within the time and
in the manner required by Law, withheld from employee wages and paid over to the
proper Governmental  Authorities all amounts required to be so withheld and paid
over under all applicable Laws.

2.17  Environmental  Matters.  The Company  currently is and, to its  Knowledge,
always has been in material  compliance with all Federal,  state and local laws,
ordinances, regulations and orders relating to the protection of the environment
applicable to its properties, facilities or operations.

2.18  Brokers.  Except as set forth in Section  2.18 of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  no, broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage,
finder's  or  other  fee or  commission  in  connection  with  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement based upon  arrangements  made by or on behalf of
the  Company.  The Company has  heretofore  furnished  to Parent a complete  and
correct copy of all agreements  between the Company and  investment  bankers set
forth in Section 2.18 of the Company Disclosure  Schedule pursuant to which such
firm would be entitled to any payment relating to the transactions  contemplated
hereunder.

2.19     Intellectual Property.

(a)  Section  2.19(a) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule  sets forth,  for the
Intellectual  Property owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries,  a complete and
accurate  list  of  all  United  States  and  foreign  (a)  patents  and  patent
applications;   (b)   Trademark   registrations   (including   Internet   domain
registrations)  and  applications  and  material  unregistered  Trademarks;  (c)
copyright registrations and applications,  and material unregistered copyrights,
indicating  for each,  the  applicable  jurisdiction,  registration  number  (or
application number), and date issued (or date filed).

(b) Section 2.19(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and
accurate list of all written and material oral license  agreements  granting any
right to use or practice any rights under any Intellectual Property, whether the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the licensee or licensor  thereunder,  and
any assignments,  consents,  forbearances to sue, judgments, Orders, settlements
or  similar  obligations  relating  to any  Intellectual  Property  to which the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party or  otherwise  bound (other than
off-the-shelf software applications programs having an acquisition price of less
than $5,000) (collectively,  the "License Agreements"),  indicating for each the
title,  the  parties,  date  executed,  whether or not it is  exclusive  and the
Intellectual  Property  covered  thereby.  The License  Agreements are valid and
binding  obligations of Company or its  Subsidiaries,  enforceable in accordance
with their terms,  and there exists no event or condition which will result in a
material  violation or breach of, or  constitute  (with or without due notice or
lapse of time or both) a  material  default by the  Company or its  Subsidiaries
under any such License Agreement.

(c) No  royalties,  honoraria or other fees are payable to any third parties for
the use of or right to use any  Intellectual  Property  except  pursuant  to the
License  Agreements  set forth in  Section  2.19(c)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule.

(d)  Except as has not had,  nor is not  reasonably  likely to have,  a Material
Adverse  Effect,  and  except as set forth in  Section  2.19(d)  of the  Company
Disclosure Schedule:

(i) the  Company  or its  Subsidiaries  exclusively  own,  free and clear of all
Liens, all owned Intellectual Property,  and have a valid,  enforceable right to
use all of the licensed Intellectual Property;

(ii) the  Company  has  taken  reasonable  steps  to  protect  the  Intellectual
Property;

(iii) the conduct of the Company's and its Subsidiaries' businesses as currently
conducted or planned to be conducted  does not  infringe  upon any  Intellectual
Property rights (other than patents) of or controlled by any third party nor, to
the Knowledge of the Company,  infringe any patent owned by or controlled by any
third party;

(iv)  except as set  forth on  Section  2.19(d)(iv)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  there  is no  Litigation  pending,  or to  the  Company's  Knowledge,
threatened  (A) alleging  that the  Company's  activities  or the conduct of its
businesses  or that of any of its  Subsidiaries  infringes  upon,  violates,  or
constitutes  the  unauthorized  use of the  Intellectual  Property rights of any
third party or (B) challenging the ownership, use, validity or enforceability of
any Intellectual Property;

(v) to the  Knowledge  of the  Company,  no  third  party  is  misappropriating,
infringing,  diluting,  or  violating  any  Intellectual  Property  owned by the
Company  or any  of its  Subsidiaries  and,  except  as  set  forth  on  Section
2.19(d)(v) of the Company Disclosure Schedule,  no such claims have been brought
against any third party by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and

(vi) the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not result in
the loss or impairment of the Company's or any of its Subsidiaries' right to own
or use any of the  Intellectual  Property,  nor will they require the consent of
any  Governmental  Authority or third party in respect of any such  Intellectual
Property.

(e) Section  2.19(e)(i) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule  lists all Software
material  (either  singly or in the  aggregate)  to the  business of the Company
(other than off-the-shelf  software  applications programs having an acquisition
price of less than $5,000) which are owned, licensed to or by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries,  leased to or by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
otherwise used by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  and identifies which
Software  is owned,  licensed,  leased or  otherwise  used,  as the case may be.
Section  2.19(e)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists all Software sold,
licensed,  leased  or  otherwise  distributed  by  the  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries  to any  third  party,  and  identifies  which  Software  is  sold,
licensed,  leased, or otherwise distributed as the case may be. The Software set
forth in Section  2.19(e)(i)-(ii) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule which the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  purports to own that is or could reasonably
be expected to be,  either  individually  or in the  aggregate,  material to the
conduct of the business of the Company, was either developed (i) by employees of
Company or any of its Subsidiaries within the scope of their employment; (ii) by
independent  contractors who have assigned their rights to Company or any of its
Subsidiaries pursuant to enforceable written agreements;  or (iii) has otherwise
been rightfully assigned. Neither Pacer/Cats, Falconwood nor any Subsidiaries or
Affiliates  thereof  have a right or license to use the  Software  other than as
listed in Section 2.19(e)(ii) of the Company Disclosure  Schedule.  For purposes
of this Section  2.19(e),  "Software"  means any and all (i) computer  programs,
including  any  and all  software  implementations  of  algorithms,  models  and
methodologies,  whether  in  source  code or object  code,  (ii)  databases  and
compilations,  including  any and all data  and  collections  of  data,  whether
machine readable or otherwise,  (iii)  descriptions,  flow-charts and other work
product used to design,  plan,  organize and develop any of the foregoing,  (iv)
the  technology  supporting  any  Internet  site(s)  operated by or on behalf of
Company or any of its Subsidiaries,  and (v) all  documentation,  including user
manuals and training materials, relating to any of the foregoing.

(f) All  Trademarks  material to the conduct of the business of the Company have
been in continuous use by the Company or its  Subsidiaries.  To the Knowledge of
the Company and its Subsidiaries, there has been no prior use of such Trademarks
by any third party which would confer upon said third party  superior  rights in
such Trademarks;  and the registered  Trademarks have been  continuously used in
the form appearing in, and in connection  with the goods and services listed in,
their  respective  registration  certificates or identified in their  respective
pending applications.

(g) The Company has taken  reasonable  steps in accordance  with normal industry
practice  to protect  the  Company's  rights in Trade  Secrets  of the  Company.
Without  limiting  the  foregoing,  the  Company  has and  enforces  a policy of
requiring  each  employee,  consultant  and  contractor  to execute  proprietary
information,  confidentiality and assignment agreements substantially consistent
with the Company's  standard forms thereof (complete and current copies of which
have been delivered to the Parent).  Except under  confidentiality  obligations,
there has been no material disclosure of any Company or Subsidiary  confidential
information or Trade Secrets.

(h) All  Software  owned  by the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries,  and all
Software  licensed from third parties by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
is free from any  significant  software  defect or programming or  documentation
error,  operates and runs in a reasonable and efficient  business manner, to the
Knowledge of the Company conforms to the specifications  thereof,  if applicable
and,  with  respect  to  the  Software  owned  by  the  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries, the applications can be compiled from their associated source code
without undue burden,  if the failure to be able to do or the existence of which
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company has
or at the Effective Time will have all material  documentation  relating to use,
maintenance and operation of the Software used in the conduct of business of the
Company.

(i) Except as set forth in Section 2.19(i) of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,
the  disclosure  under the heading  "Other  Matters"  contained in the Company's
Quarterly  Report on Form  10-Q for the  period  ending  September  30,  1998 is
accurate and in compliance with applicable Law in all material respects.

(j) For purposes of this Section 2.19,  Material  Adverse Effect shall include a
material  adverse effect on the  proprietary  software and system of the Company
known as MARS.

2.20  Insurance.  Section 2.20 of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule sets forth a
true and complete  list of all material  insurance  policies and fidelity  bonds
covering the assets, business,  equipment,  properties,  operations,  employees,
officers and directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries. There is no claim by
the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  pending  under any of such  policies or
bonds as to which  coverage  has been  questioned,  denied  or  disputed  by the
underwriters of such policies or bonds, other than any claim which will not have
a Material Adverse Effect. All premiums currently due and payable under all such
policies  and bonds  have been paid and the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  are
otherwise in full compliance with the terms of such policies and bonds (or other
policies and bonds providing  substantially similar insurance coverage).  Except
as set  forth  in  Section  2.20  of the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  to the
Knowledge of the Company,  such  policies of insurance and bonds are of the type
and in amounts customarily  carried by Persons conducting  businesses similar to
those of the Company and its Subsidiaries and amounts reasonable in light of the
assets of the Company and its  Subsidiaries.  To the Knowledge of the Company as
of the date  hereof,  there is not any  threatened  termination  of or  material
premium increase with respect to any of such policies or bonds.

2.21 No Restrictions  on the Merger.  The Board of Directors of the Company has,
prior to the date hereof,  approved the execution and delivery by the Company of
this Agreement and the Option Agreement and the entry by certain stockholders of
the Company into the  Stockholders  Agreement and the consummation of the Merger
and the other transactions  contemplated by this Agreement, the Option Agreement
and the Stockholders Agreement. Together with the corporate proceedings referred
to in Section 2.4, such approval is  sufficient to render  inapplicable  to this
Agreement,   the  Option  Agreement  and  the  Stockholders  Agreement  and  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby  and  thereby,   including  the  Merger,  the
provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware  Law. No provision of the  Certificate
of Incorporation,  By-laws or other governing  instruments of the Company or any
of its  Subsidiaries  (i)  restricts or impairs the ability of Parent to vote or
otherwise exercise the rights of a stockholder with respect to securities of the
Company or the  Surviving  Corporation  that may be  acquired or  controlled  by
Parent or (ii) except for the Plan, entitles any Person to acquire securities of
the Company or the Surviving  Corporation on a basis which will not be available
to Parent  after the  Effective  Time,  as a result of the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,  the Stockholders Agreement or the
Option  Agreement  or  the  acquisition  of  securities  of the  Company  or the
Surviving Corporation by Parent or Merger Sub.

2.22 Pooling; Tax Matters. To the Knowledge of the Company,  neither the Company
nor any of its  Affiliates  has taken or agreed to take any  action or failed to
take any action that would  prevent the Merger from being  treated for financial
accounting  purposes as a "pooling of interests" in accordance with GAAP and the
Regulations and  interpretations  of the SEC (a "Pooling").  To the Knowledge of
the Company,  neither the Company nor any of its  Affiliates has taken or agreed
to take any action,  failed to take any action or knows of any fact,  agreement,
plan or other  agreement  that is  reasonably  likely to prevent the Merger from
constituting a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.

2.23 Affiliates. Section 2.23 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true
and complete  list of all Persons who, to the  Knowledge of the Company,  may be
deemed to be  Affiliates  of the Company,  excluding  all its  Subsidiaries  but
including all directors and executive officers of the Company.

2.24 Certain Business Practices.  As of the date of this Agreement,  neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any director, officer, employee or agent
of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  has in any material respect (i) used
any funds for unlawful  contributions,  gifts,  entertainment  or other unlawful
payments relating to political  activity,  (ii) made any unlawful payment to any
foreign  or  domestic  government  official  or  employee  or to any  foreign or
domestic  political  party or campaign or violated any  provision of the Foreign
Corrupt  Practices Act of 1977, as amended,  (iii)  consummated any transaction,
made any payment,  entered into any agreement or  arrangement or taken any other
action in violation of Section  1128B(b) of the Social Security Act, as amended,
or (iv) made any other unlawful payment.

2.25  Interested  Party  Transactions.  Except as  disclosed  in the Company SEC
Reports and Section 2.25 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company
nor any of its  Subsidiaries is indebted to any director,  officer,  employee or
agent of the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  (except  for  amounts  due as
normal salaries and bonuses and in reimbursement of ordinary  expenses),  and no
such Person is indebted to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than in
respect of loans or advances in the ordinary  course of business to employees in
excess of $5,000 per employee or $100,000 in the aggregate), and there have been
no other transactions of the type required to be disclosed pursuant to Items 402
and 404 of Regulation  S-K under the  Securities  Act and the Exchange Act since
January 1, 1996.

2.26 Interest Rate and Foreign Exchange  Contracts.  Neither the Company nor its
Subsidiary  is  currently a party to or  currently  engaged in, or is party to a
current  agreement or has agreed to enter into,  any interest rate swaps,  caps,
floors  or  option  agreements  or  any  other  interest  rate  risk  management
arrangement or foreign exchange contracts.

2.27 Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Company has been advised by its financial
advisor,  SalomonSmithBarney,  substantially to the effect that, in its opinion,
as of the date hereof,  the  consideration to be received by the stockholders of
the Company in the Merger is fair to such  stockholders  of the  Company  from a
financial point of view, a copy of which has been provided to Parent.

                                  Article III

             REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB

                  Parent and Merger Sub hereby, jointly and severally, represent
and warrant to the Company that:

3.1      Organization and Qualification, Subsidiaries.

(a) Each of Parent and  Merger  Sub is a  corporation  duly  organized,  validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of its respective  jurisdiction  of
incorporation  or  organization  and has all the requisite  corporate  power and
authority,  and is in  possession  of all  franchises,  grants,  authorizations,
licenses,  permits,  easements,  consents,  certificates,  approvals  and orders
("Parent  Approvals")  necessary  to  own,  lease  and  operate  its  respective
properties  and to carry on its  business as it is now being  conducted,  except
where the failure to be so  organized,  existing and in good standing or to have
such power,  authority and Parent  Approvals  would not,  individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is duly
qualified or licensed as a foreign  corporation  to do business,  and is in good
standing,  in each  jurisdiction  where the character of the  properties  owned,
leased  or  operated  by  it  or  the  nature  of  its  activities   makes  such
qualification  or licensing  necessary,  except for such  failures to be so duly
qualified or licensed and in good standing that would not,  either  individually
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions
contemplated  hereby and has engaged in no other business other than incident to
its creation and this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

3.2  Capitalization.  As of the date hereof,  the  authorized  capital  stock of
Parent consists of (i) 1,800,000,000  shares of Parent Common Stock of which, as
of November 17, 1998,  459,333,610 shares were issued and outstanding,  and (ii)
5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share, of which none are
issued or outstanding. All of the outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock are,
and all shares to be issued as part of the Merger  Consideration  will be,  when
issued in accordance  with the terms hereof,  duly  authorized,  validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.

3.3 Authorization of Agreement.  Each of Parent and Merger Sub has all requisite
corporate  power and  authority to execute and deliver this  Agreement  and each
instrument required hereby to be executed and delivered by it at the Closing, to
perform  its  obligations   hereunder  and  thereunder  and  to  consummate  the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery by each
of Parent and Merger Sub of this Agreement and each  instrument  required hereby
to be executed and delivered by the Parent and Merger Sub at the Closing and the
performance of their respective  obligations  hereunder and thereunder have been
duly and  validly  authorized  by the Board of  Directors  of each of Parent and
Merger  Sub and by Parent as the sole  stockholder  of Merger  Sub.  Except  for
filing of the Certificate of Merger, no other corporate  proceedings on the part
of Parent or Merger Sub are  necessary  to  authorize  the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby.  This  Agreement  has been duly executed and
delivered  by each of Parent  and Merger Sub and,  assuming  due  authorization,
execution and delivery  hereof by the Company,  constitutes  a legal,  valid and
binding obligation of each of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against each of
Parent and Merger Sub in accordance with its terms.

3.4 Approvals.  Except as required under Parent's Senior Secured  Revolving Line
of Credit  facility  effective  November 25, 1997 with Chase Manhattan Bank N.A.
and Dai-Ichi Kangyo as co-agent, the execution and delivery by Parent and Merger
Sub of this  Agreement do not, and the  performance  by Parent and Merger Sub of
this  Agreement  shall  not,  require  Parent or Merger  Sub to (i)  obtain  any
consent,  approval,  authorization,  license,  waiver,  qualification,  order or
permit of,  (ii)  observe  any waiting  period  imposed by or (iii)  require the
Company  to make  any  filing  with or  notification  to,  any  governmental  or
regulatory  authority,  domestic  or  foreign,  except (A) for  compliance  with
applicable  requirements,  if any, of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, Blue
Sky Laws or the pre-Merger notification requirements of the HSR Act, (B) for the
filing and  recordation of appropriate  Merger or other documents as required by
Delaware  Law, (C) for the filing of  appropriate  Merger or other  documents as
required by the New York Stock Exchange, or (D) where the failure to obtain such
consents, approvals, authorizations,  licenses, waivers, qualifications,  orders
or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not (1) have, in the
aggregate,  a Material  Adverse  Effect or (2) prevent or  materially  impair or
delay the consummation of the Merger.

3.5 No  Violation.  Parent  and Merger  Sub are not in,  and the  execution  and
delivery  by  Parent  and  Merger  Sub of  this  Agreement  does  not,  and  the
performance of this Agreement by Parent or Merger Sub will not, conflict with or
violate the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  or By-laws of Parent or Merger Sub,
conflict  with or violate any Law, in each case  applicable  to Parent or Merger
Sub or by which its or any of their respective  properties is bound or affected,
or result in any breach or  violation  of or  constitute  a default (or an event
that with  notice or lapse of time or both  would  become a  default)  under any
note, bond, mortgage,  indenture,  contract,  agreement, lease, license, permit,
franchise or other instrument or obligation to which the Parent or Merger Sub is
a party or by which Parent or Merger Sub or any of their  respective  properties
is bound or affected,  except,  for any such  conflicts,  breaches,  violations,
defaults  or other  occurrences  that would not (1) have,  in the  aggregate,  a
Material Adverse Effect or (2) prevent or materially impair or delay the ability
of the Parent or Merger Sub to perform their respective obligations hereunder.

3.6      Reports.

(a) Parent has timely  filed all forms,  reports  and  documents  required to be
filed  with the SEC  since  January  1,  1997  (collectively,  the  "Parent  SEC
Reports") required to be filed by it pursuant to the federal securities laws and
the SEC rules and  regulations  promulgated  thereunder.  The Parent SEC Reports
were prepared in accordance, and complied as of their respective filing dates in
all material  respects,  with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules
and Regulations  promulgated  thereunder and did not at the time they were filed
(or if amended or  superseded  by a filing prior to the date of this  Agreement,
then on the date of such filing) contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in
order to make the statements  therein,  in the light of the circumstances  under
which they were made, not misleading.

(b) Each of the consolidated financial statements (including,  in each case, any
related notes  thereto)  contained in the Parent SEC Reports (i) complied in all
material  respects with  applicable  accounting  requirements  and the published
rules and  Regulations  of the SEC with respect  thereto,  (ii) were prepared in
accordance with GAAP (except, in the case of unaudited statements,  as permitted
by Form 10-Q of the SEC) applied on a consistent  basis  throughout  the periods
involved  (except as may be expressly  described in the notes thereto) and (iii)
fairly  presents  the  consolidated  financial  position of the Parent as at the
respective dates thereof and the consolidated results of its operations and cash
flows for the periods  indicated,  except that the unaudited  interim  financial
statements  included in the  Company's  Form 10-Q reports were or are subject to
normal  and  recurring  year-end  adjustments  that  have  not  been and are not
expected to be material in amount to the Parent.

3.7 Absence of Certain Changes or Events.  Since  September 30, 1998,  there has
not occurred any event,  development  or change  which,  individually  or in the
aggregate,  has  resulted  in or could  reasonably  be  expected  to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.

3.8 Registration Statement; Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The information supplied
by Parent for inclusion in the Registration Statement shall not, at the time the
Registration  Statement  (including any  amendments or  supplements  thereto) is
declared  effective by the SEC,  contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements  therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. The information supplied by Parent for inclusion
in the Proxy  Statement  shall  not,  on the date the Proxy  Statement  is first
mailed  to the  Company's  stockholders,  at the time of  Company  Stockholders'
Meeting and at the Effective Time, contain any statement which, at such time, is
false or  misleading  with  respect to any material  fact,  or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements  made therein,  in light
of the circumstances under which they are made, not false or misleading; or omit
to state any material  fact  necessary  to correct any  statement in any earlier
communication  with  respect  to the  solicitation  of proxies  for the  Company
Stockholders'  Meeting which has become false or  misleading.  The  Registration
Statement will comply as to form in all material respects with the provisions of
the   Securities   Act.   Notwithstanding   the   foregoing,   Parent  makes  no
representation, warranty or covenant with respect to any information supplied by
the Company which is contained in any of the foregoing documents.

3.9 Pooling; Tax Matters. To the Knowledge of Parent,  neither Parent nor any of
its  Affiliates  has taken or  agreed  to take any  action or failed to take any
action that would  prevent the Merger  from being  treated as a Pooling.  To the
Knowledge  of  Parent,  neither  Parent nor any of its  Affiliates  has taken or
agreed  to take any  action,  failed to take any  action,  or knows of any fact,
agreement,  plan or other  circumstance that is reasonably likely to prevent the
Merger from  constituting a reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368(a)
of the Code.

                                   Article IV

                     CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER

4.1 Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger. The Company covenants
and agrees that,  between the date of this  Agreement  and the  Effective  Time,
except as expressly  required or permitted  by this  Agreement or unless  Parent
shall otherwise agree in writing,  the Company shall conduct and shall cause the
businesses of its Subsidiaries to be conducted, only in, and the Company and its
Subsidiaries  shall  not take any  action  except  in,  the  ordinary  course of
business and in a manner  consistent  with past practice;  and the Company shall
use  its  commercially  reasonable  efforts  to  preserve  intact  the  business
organization of the Company and its Subsidiaries, to keep available the services
of the  present  officers,  employees  and  consultants  of the  Company and its
Subsidiaries,  to maintain in effect  Material  Agreements  and to preserve  the
present    relationships   of   the   Company   and   its   Subsidiaries    with
theatres/exhibitors,  movie studios, advertisers, sponsors, customers, suppliers
and other Persons with which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has business
relations. By way of amplification and not limitation, except as contemplated by
this Agreement,  neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall,  between
the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, directly or indirectly do, or
propose to do, any of the following without the prior written consent of Parent:

(a) amend or otherwise  change the  Certificate of  Incorporation  or By-laws or
equivalent  organizational document of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
alter through merger, liquidation, reorganization, restructuring or in any other
fashion  the  corporate  structure  or  ownership  of the  Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;

(b) issue,  sell,  pledge,  dispose of or encumber,  or authorize  the issuance,
sale, pledge,  disposition or encumbrance of, any shares of capital stock of any
class, or any options,  warrants,  convertible securities or other rights of any
kind to acquire any shares of capital stock, or any other ownership  interest of
the Company,  any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates  (except for the issuance of
shares of Company  Common  Stock  issuable  pursuant to employee  stock  options
granted prior to the date hereof under the Plan,  which options are  outstanding
on the date  hereof),  or any assets of the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
(except for sales,  transfers  or other  disposition  of assets in the  ordinary
course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice);

(c)  declare,  set aside or pay any dividend or other  distribution  (whether in
cash,  stock or  property or any  combination  thereof) in respect of any of its
capital stock (except that a wholly owned  Subsidiary of the Company may declare
and pay a  dividend  to its  parent)  split,  combine or  reclassify  any of its
capital  stock or issue or  authorize  or  propose  the  issuance  of any  other
securities  in  respect  of,  in lieu of or in  substitution  for  shares of its
capital stock or amend the terms of, repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, or
permit any Subsidiary to  repurchase,  redeem or otherwise  acquire,  any of its
securities or any securities of its Subsidiaries;

(d) sell, transfer, license, sublicense or otherwise dispose of any Intellectual
Property rights, or amend or modify in any material way any existing  agreements
with respect to any Intellectual  Property rights (except in the ordinary course
of business in a manner consistent with past practice);

(e) acquire (by merger,  consolidation,  or  acquisition of stock or assets) any
corporation,  limited  liability  company,  partnership,  joint venture or other
business  organization or division thereof;  incur any indebtedness for borrowed
money or issue any debt securities or assume,  guarantee  (other than guarantees
of bank debt of the Company's  Subsidiaries  entered into in the ordinary course
of business) or endorse or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for,
the  obligations  of any Person,  or make any loans or  advances,  except in the
ordinary  course of business  consistent  with past  practice  and as  otherwise
permitted  under any loan or credit  agreement  to which the Company is a party;
authorize any capital  expenditures  which are, in the  aggregate,  in excess of
$1,500,000 for the Company and its Subsidiaries  taken as a whole; or enter into
or  amend  in any  material  respect  any  contract,  agreement,  commitment  or
arrangement with respect to any of the matters set forth in this Section 4.1(e);

(f) (i)  except  as set  forth  in  Section  4.1(f)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule, increase the compensation payable or to become payable to its officers
or  employees,  except  for  increases  in salary or wages of  employees  of the
Company or its  Subsidiaries  who are not officers of the Company in  accordance
with past practices,  or grant any severance or termination pay or stock options
to, or enter into any  employment  or  severance  agreement  with any  director,
officer  or  other  employee  of the  Company  or any  of its  Subsidiaries,  or
establish,  adopt, enter into or amend any collective bargaining,  bonus (except
for such  bonuses  expected to be awarded to employees of the Company in respect
of 1998  performance as identified in Section  4.1(f) of the Company  Disclosure
Schedule), profit sharing, thrift, compensation, stock option, restricted stock,
pension, retirement, deferred compensation,  employment,  termination, severance
or other plan, agreement,  trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of
any current or former  directors,  officers or employees unless required by Law;
or (ii) pay to any officer or director any special  performance bonus payable as
a result of any action taken by such officer or director in connection  with any
Litigation.

(g)  change,  other  than in the  ordinary  course of  business  and in a manner
consistent  with  past  practice  or  GAAP  (none  of  which  changes  shall  be
unreasonable  or unusual),  any  accounting  policies or  procedures  (including
procedures with respect to reserves,  revenue recognition,  payments of accounts
payable and collection of accounts receivable) unless required by Law;

(h) create,  incur,  suffer to exist or assume any material Lien on any of their
material assets;

(i) other than in the ordinary course of business  consistent with past practice
or as set forth in Section 4.1(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule,  (A) enter
into any  Material  Agreement,  (B) modify,  amend or  transfer in any  material
respect or terminate  any Material  Agreement to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries  is a party or waive,  release  or assign  any  material  rights or
claims  thereunder  or (C) enter into or extend  any lease with  respect to real
property with any third party requiring annual payments in excess of $50,000;

(j) make any material tax election not  consistent  with past practice or settle
or compromise any material federal, state, local or foreign income tax liability
or agree to an extension of a statute of limitations  with respect to a material
amount of Taxes;

(k) (i) settle any  Litigation for an amount in excess of $100,000 or settle any
Litigation  disclosed on Section 2.10 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or (ii)
waive,  assign or release any material  rights or claims  except in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice; or

(l)  authorize,  recommend,  propose or announce an  intention  to do any of the
foregoing, or agree or enter into any contract to do any of the foregoing.

4.2      Solicitation of Other Proposals.

(a) From the date of this  Agreement  until the earlier of the Effective Time or
the  termination  of this  Agreement in accordance  with its terms,  the Company
shall  not,  nor  shall it  permit  any of its  Subsidiaries  to,  nor  shall it
authorize  or  permit  any of  its  or  their  respective  officers,  directors,
employees,  representatives agents or Affiliates, directly or indirectly, to (i)
solicit,  initiate or knowingly  encourage or take any action to  facilitate  or
encourage  any  inquiries or the making of any  proposal  that  constitutes,  an
Acquisition   Proposal  or  (ii)   participate   or  engage  in  discussions  or
negotiations  with, or provide any  information  to, any Person  (including  any
"person"  as defined in Section  13(d)(3) of the  Exchange  Act)  concerning  an
Acquisition  Proposal  or which  might  reasonably  be  expected to result in an
Acquisition  Proposal.  For purposes of this  Agreement,  the term  "Acquisition
Proposal" shall mean any inquiry,  proposal or offer from any person (other than
Parent,  Merger  Sub  or any  of  their  Affiliates)  relating  to  any  merger,
consolidation,   recapitalization,  liquidation  or  other  direct  or  indirect
business  combination,  involving the Company or any Material  Subsidiary or the
issuance or acquisition of shares of capital stock or other equity securities of
the  Company  or any  Material  Subsidiary  representing  20% or more (by voting
power)  of the  outstanding  capital  stock  of the  Company  or  such  Material
Subsidiary  (except for the issuance of shares of Company  Common Stock pursuant
to employee stock options  granted under the Plan and outstanding on the date of
this  Agreement  or the  issuance  of the  Option to  Parent)  or any  tender or
exchange offer that if consummated would result in any Person, together with all
Affiliates thereof,  beneficially owning shares of capital stock or other equity
securities of the Company or any Material  Subsidiary  representing  20% or more
(by  voting  power) of the  outstanding  capital  stock of the  Company  or such
Material Subsidiary, or the acquisition,  license, purchase or other disposition
of a substantial portion of the technology, business or assets of the Company or
any Material  Subsidiary outside the ordinary course of business or inconsistent
with past practice,  or any other  transaction  the  consummation of which could
reasonably be expected to impede,  interfere with,  prevent or materially  delay
the  consummation  of  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  or  which  would
reasonably  be  expected  to dilute  materially  the  benefits  to Parent or its
Affiliates  of  the  transactions   contemplated   hereby.   The  Company  shall
immediately  cease and cause to be terminated and shall cause its Affiliates and
Subsidiaries  and  its  or  their  respective  officers,  directors,  employees,
representatives or agents, to terminate all existing discussions or negotiations
with any Persons conducted  heretofore with respect to, or that could reasonably
be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may participate in discussions or
negotiations  with, or furnish  information with respect to the Company pursuant
to a  confidentiality  agreement  substantially  similar  to that then in effect
between the  Company  and  Parent,  to any Person if and only if such Person has
submitted an unsolicited  written Acquisition  Proposal (under  circumstances in
which the Company has complied with its obligations under Section 4.2(a)) to the
Board of Directors  of the Company and such Board of  Directors  (i) believes in
good faith based on such matters as it deems  relevant,  including the advice of
the Company's  financial advisor,  that such Acquisition  Proposal is a Superior
Proposal and (ii) receives the advice of outside  counsel to the Company that is
reasonably  competent  to render  such  advice,  to the effect  that taking such
action  is  required  to  satisfy  the  fiduciary  duties  of such  Board  under
applicable  Law and (iii)  determines  in good faith that  taking such action is
required to satisfy the fiduciary duties of the Board under applicable Law.

(c)  Except  as set  forth  in the  following  sentence,  neither  the  Board of
Directors  of the Company  nor any  committee  thereof  shall (i) (1) approve or
recommend,  or propose to approve or recommend,  any Acquisition  Proposal other
than the  Merger,  (2)  withdraw or modify or propose to withdraw or modify in a
manner  adverse to Parent or Merger Sub its  approval or  recommendation  of the
Merger, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, (3) fail to mail
the Proxy Statement to the Company's stockholders when the Proxy Statement shall
be  available  for  mailing  or  fail  to  include  therein  such  approval  and
recommendation,  (4) upon a request by Parent (which request is reasonable under
the facts and  circumstances) to reaffirm the approval or recommendation of this
Agreement  or the Merger,  fail to do so as promptly  as  practicable  but in no
event  later  than five (5)  calendar  days  after  such  request is made or (5)
resolve or announce its intention to do any of the foregoing; or (ii) resolve to
authorize  the Company to, and  (regardless  of whether  such  authorization  is
given)  the  Company  shall not,  enter  into an  agreement  or  contract  or an
agreement in principle,  letter of intent or similar  document or  understanding
with any person  (other  than  Parent,  Merger  Sub or any of their  Affiliates)
relating  to an  Acquisition  Proposal  other than the Merger.  The  immediately
preceding  sentence  notwithstanding,  in the event that prior to the  Effective
Time the Board of Directors  of the Company  receives a Superior  Proposal,  the
Board of  Directors  of the Company may take,  and the Company may take upon the
express authorization of such Board, any action referred to in such sentence (x)
if such Board of Directors receives the advice of outside counsel to the Company
that is reasonably competent to render such advice to the effect that, and after
receipt of and having taken into account such advice,  such Board  determines in
its good faith  judgment  that,  taking  such  action is required to satisfy the
fiduciary duties of such Board under applicable Law; (y) if such Board furnishes
Parent two (2) business  days' prior written notice of the taking of such action
(which notice shall include a description  of the material  terms and conditions
of the Superior  Proposal,  identify the person  making the same and specify the
date and time for the  expiration  of the two (2) day  period  required  by this
provision);  and (z)  simultaneously  with the taking of such action the Company
pays to Parent the  Termination  Fee referred to in Section 8.3. For purposes of
this Agreement,  (A) "Material  Subsidiary"  means any Subsidiary of the Company
whose consolidated, revenues, net income or assets constitute 10% or more of the
revenues,  net income or assets of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a
whole and (B) the term  "Superior  Proposal"  means  any bona  fide  Acquisition
Proposal to effect a merger,  consolidation or sale of all or substantially  all
of the assets or capital  stock of the Company which is on terms which the Board
of Directors of the Company  determines  by a majority  vote of its directors in
its good faith  judgment  (based on the  written  opinion,  with only  customary
qualifications,  of a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation that
the consideration provided in such Acquisition Proposal likely exceeds the value
of the consideration provided for in the Merger (or words to such effect), after
taking into account all relevant  factors,  including,  any  conditions  to such
Acquisition   Proposal,   the  timing  of  the  closing  thereof,  the  risk  of
nonconsummation,  the ability of the person making the  Acquisition  Proposal to
finance the transaction  contemplated  thereby and any required  governmental or
other  consents,  filings and  approvals) to be more  favorable to the Company's
stockholders  than the Merger (or any revised  proposal  made by Parent) and for
which financing,  to the extent required,  is then fully committed to the Person
making such Acquisition Proposal.

(d) In addition to the obligations of the Company set forth in this Section 4.2,
the Company shall immediately advise Parent orally and in writing of any request
for information  with respect to any Acquisition  Proposal,  or any inquiry with
respect to or which could result in an Acquisition Proposal,  the material terms
and  conditions  of such  request,  Acquisition  Proposal  or  inquiry,  and the
identity of the person  making the same.  The Company  shall inform  Parent on a
prompt and current basis of the status and content of any discussions  regarding
any  Acquisition  Proposal with a third party and as promptly as  practicable of
any change in the price,  structure  or form of the  consideration  or  material
terms of and  conditions  regarding  the  Acquisition  Proposal  or of any other
developments or circumstances which could reasonably be expected to culminate in
the  taking  of  any of the  actions  referred  to in  Section  4.2(c).  Nothing
contained  in this Section  4.2(d)  shall  prevent the Board of Directors of the
Company  from  complying  with Rule 14d-9 and Rule 14e-2  promulgated  under the
Exchange Act with regard to a tender or exchange  offer by a third party or from
making such disclosure as may be required by applicable Law.

4.3  Insurance.  During the period  beginning on the date of this  Agreement and
ending  at  the  Effective  Time,  the  Company  shall,   and  shall  cause  its
Subsidiaries to, use commercially  reasonable  efforts to maintain in full force
and effect all  self-insurance  or insurance,  as the case may be,  currently in
effect.

4.4 Y2K  Compliance.  During the period  beginning on the date of this Agreement
and ending at the Effective Time, the Company shall use commercially  reasonable
efforts to take or cause to be taken such actions in respect of "Y2K compliance"
as are necessary to prevent a significant  disruption in the Company's  business
or services.

                                   Article V

                              ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

5.1      Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Registration Statement.

(a) As promptly as practicable following the date of this Agreement, the Company
shall prepare and file with the SEC a preliminary proxy or information statement
relating  to the  Merger and this  Agreement  and (i)  obtain  and  furnish  the
information required to be included by the SEC in the Proxy Statement and, after
consultation with Parent,  respond promptly to any comments made by the SEC with
respect to the Proxy Statement to be mailed to its  stockholders at the earliest
practicable date after the Registration  Statement is declared  effective by the
SEC,  provided that no amendment or supplement  to the Proxy  Statement  will be
made by the Company  without  consultation  with Parent and its counsel and (ii)
use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the necessary  approvals of the Merger
and this Agreement by its stockholders.

(b) Parent shall prepare and file with the SEC a Registration  Statement on Form
S-4 (the  "Registration  Statement"),  in which  the  Proxy  Statement  shall be
included  as a  prospectus,  and shall use all  reasonable  efforts  to have the
Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC as promptly as practicable.
Parent shall obtain and furnish the  information  required to be included in the
Registration  Statement  and,  after  consultation  with  the  Company,  respond
promptly  to any  comments  made by the SEC  with  respect  to the  Registration
Statement and cause the prospectus included therein,  including any amendment or
supplement thereto,  to be mailed to the Company's  stockholders at the earliest
practicable date after the Registration  Statement is declared  effective by the
SEC.  Parent  shall also take any action  required to be taken under Blue Sky or
other  securities  laws or New York  Stock  Exchange  rules and  regulations  in
connection with the issuance of Parent Common Stock in the Merger.

(c) The  Proxy  Statement  shall  include  the  recommendation  of the  Board of
Directors of the Company in favor of approval and adoption of this Agreement and
the Merger  except to the  extent  that the  Company  shall  have  withdrawn  or
modified  its  approval  or  recommendation  of the  Agreement  or the Merger as
permitted by Section 4.2(c). The Company shall not amend or supplement the Proxy
Statement without the consent of Parent and its counsel unless required to do so
by applicable Law.

(d) Parent and the Company shall make all necessary  filings with respect to the
Merger  under  the  Securities  Act and the  Exchange  Act  and  the  rules  and
regulations thereunder and under applicable Blue Sky or similar securities laws,
rules and regulations,  and shall use all reasonable  efforts to obtain required
approvals and clearances with respect thereto.

5.2 Meeting of Company  Stockholders.  The Company shall promptly after the date
hereof  take all  action  necessary  in  accordance  with  Delaware  Law and its
Certificate of  Incorporation  and By-laws to convene the Company  Stockholders'
Meeting as soon as  practicable  following the date upon which the  Registration
Statement  becomes  effective.  Once the Company  Stockholders  Meeting has been
called and noticed,  the Company  shall not postpone or adjourn  (other than for
the absence of a quorum) the Company  Stockholders'  Meeting without the consent
of Parent. Except as may be otherwise required for the Board of Directors of the
Company to comply with its fiduciary  duties to  stockholders  imposed by Law as
advised by outside  legal  counsel,  the Board of Directors of the Company shall
declare that this  Agreement is advisable and  recommend  that the Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby be approved and adopted by the stockholders
of the Company and include in the  Registration  Statement and Proxy Statement a
copy of such recommendations;  provided, however, that the Board of Directors of
the Company shall submit this Agreement to the Company's stockholders whether or
not the Board of Directors of the Company  determines at any time  subsequent to
declaring  its  advisability  that this  Agreement  is no longer  advisable  and
recommends  that the  stockholders of the Company reject it. Unless the Board of
Directors of the Company has withdrawn its  recommendation  of this Agreement in
compliance  with  Section  4.2(c),  the  Company  shall use its best  efforts to
solicit  from  stockholders  of the  Company  proxies in favor of the Merger and
shall take all other action necessary or advisable to secure the vote or consent
of stockholders required by Delaware Law to effect the Merger.

5.3      Access to Information; Confidentiality.

(a) Upon  reasonable  notice the Company and Parent  shall each (and shall cause
each of their  respective  Subsidiaries  to) afford to the officers,  employees,
accountants,  counsel and other representatives of the other, reasonable access,
during the period prior to the  Effective  Time, to all its  properties,  books,
contracts,  commitments and records and, during such period, each of the Company
and Parent  shall (and shall  cause each of their  respective  Subsidiaries  to)
furnish  promptly  to  the  other  all  information   concerning  its  business,
properties  and personnel as such other party may reasonably  request,  and each
party shall make available to the other party the  appropriate  individuals  for
discussion of such party's business, properties and personnel as the other party
may reasonably request.  No investigation  pursuant to this Section 5.3(a) shall
affect any representations or warranties of the parties herein or the conditions
to the obligations of the parties hereto.

(b) Each party shall keep all  information  obtained  pursuant to Section 5.3(a)
confidential  in  accordance  with the terms of the  confidentiality  agreement,
dated January 7, 1999 (collectively,  the "Confidentiality Agreement"),  between
Parent and the Company.  Anything contained in the Confidentiality  Agreement to
the contrary notwithstanding, the Company and Parent hereby agree that each such
party  may  issue  press  release(s)  or  make  other  public  announcements  in
accordance with Section 5.10.

5.4      Reasonable Efforts.

(a) Upon the terms and subject to the  conditions  set forth in this  Agreement,
each party  hereto  shall use its  reasonable  efforts  to take,  or cause to be
taken,  all actions,  and do, or cause to be done,  and to assist and  cooperate
with the other  party or  parties  in doing,  all  things  necessary,  proper or
advisable to  consummate  and make  effective,  in the most  expeditious  manner
practicable,  the Merger and the other transactions  contemplated  hereby and by
the  Stockholders  Agreement.  The Company and Parent shall use their reasonable
efforts to (i) obtain  all  licenses,  permits,  consents,  waivers,  approvals,
authorizations,  qualifications  or orders  (including  all  United  States  and
foreign governmental and regulatory rulings and approvals),  and the Company and
Parent shall make all filings (including,  without limitation,  all filings with
United States and foreign  governmental or regulatory agencies) under applicable
Law required in  connection  with the  authorization,  execution and delivery of
this  Agreement  by the Company and Parent and the  consummation  by them of the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger (in connection with which
Parent and the Company will  cooperate  with each other in  connection  with the
making of all such filings,  including providing copies of all such documents to
the nonfiling  party and its advisors  prior to filings and, if requested,  will
accept all reasonable  additions,  deletions or changes  suggested in connection
therewith) and (ii) to furnish all  information  required for any application or
other  filing  to be  made  pursuant  to any  applicable  Law or any  applicable
Regulations of any Governmental Authority (including all information required to
be included in the Proxy Statement or the Registration  Statement) in connection
with the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement;  provided,  however, that
neither  Parent nor any of its  Affiliates  shall be under any obligation to (x)
make  proposals,  execute or carry out agreements or submit to Orders  providing
for the sale or other disposition or holding separate (through the establishment
of a trust or otherwise) of any assets or categories of assets of Parent, any of
its  Affiliates,  the Company or the  holding  separate of the shares of Company
Common Stock or imposing or seeking to impose any  limitation  on the ability of
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates to conduct their business or own
such assets or to  acquire,  hold or exercise  full rights of  ownership  of the
shares Company Common Stock or (y) otherwise take any step to avoid or eliminate
any  impediment  which  may be  asserted  under any Law  governing  competition,
monopolies or restrictive  trade practices which, in the reasonable  judgment of
Parent,  might result in a limitation  of the benefit  expected to be derived by
Parent as a result of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby or might adversely
affect the Company or Parent or any of Parent's Affiliates. Neither party hereto
will  take  any  action  which  to  its  Knowledge  will  result  in  any of the
representations or warranties made by such party pursuant to Articles II or III,
as the case may be, becoming untrue or inaccurate in any material respect.

(b) The Company and Parent shall cooperate with one another:

(i) in connection  with the  preparation of the  Registration  Statement and the
Proxy Statement;

(ii) in connection with the preparation of any filing required by the HSR Act;

(iii) in determining whether any action by or in respect of, or filing with, any
governmental  authority,  agency or official, or other third party, is required,
or any actions, licenses, permits, consents, waivers, approvals, authorizations,
qualifications  or orders are required to be obtained from parties in connection
with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(iv) in seeking any actions, licenses,  permits, consents,  waivers,  approvals,
authorizations,  qualifications  or orders,  or making any  filings,  furnishing
information required in connection therewith or with the Registration  Statement
or the Proxy Statement and seeking timely to obtain any such actions,  licenses,
permits, consents, waivers, approvals, authorizations, qualifications or orders,
or making any filings; and

(v)  in  order  to  facilitate  the  achievement  of  the  benefits   reasonably
anticipated from the Merger.

(c) The Company shall use all  reasonable  efforts to cause its  Affiliates  and
other  Persons to transfer  and assign all rights  necessary  for the Company to
continue to conduct its business  consistent with  historical  operations and as
currently  conducted  pursuant  to  documentation  and  in a  manner  reasonably
acceptable to Parent.

5.5      Stock Options.

(a) At the Effective Time, each  outstanding  stock option to purchase shares of
Company Common Stock (each a "Company Option") under the Plan, whether vested or
unvested,  will be assumed by Parent.  Each Company  Option so assumed by Parent
under this  Agreement  shall continue to have, and be subject to, the same terms
and  conditions  set forth in the Plan  immediately  prior to the Effective Time
(and after giving effect to the transactions  contemplated hereby),  except that
such  Company  Option will be  exercisable  for that  number of whole  shares of
Parent  Common  Stock  equal to the  product  of the number of shares of Company
Common Stock that were purchasable  under such Company Option  immediately prior
to the  Effective  Time  multiplied by the Exchange  Ratio,  rounded down to the
nearest whole number of shares of Parent Common Stock and the per share exercise
price for the shares of Parent  Common  Stock  issuable  upon  exercise  of such
assumed Company Option will be equal to the quotient  determined by dividing the
exercise  price per share of Company  Common Stock at which such Company  Option
was exercisable  immediately  prior to the Effective Time by the Exchange Ratio,
and rounding the resulting exercise price up to the nearest whole cent.

(b) Parent shall  reserve for  issuance a sufficient  number of shares of Parent
Common Stock for delivery  upon  exercise of Company  Options  assumed by Parent
under  this  Agreement.  Parent  will  file  as soon as  practicable  after  the
Effective  Date a  registration  statement on Form S-8 under the  Securities Act
covering  the shares of Parent  Common Stock  issuable  upon the exercise of the
Company Options  assumed by Parent pursuant to Section 5.5(a),  and will use its
reasonable  efforts to cause such registration  statement to become effective on
or about the Effective Time or soon as thereafter as practicable and to maintain
such  registration  in effect until the exercise or  expiration  of such assumed
Company Options.

5.6      Employee Benefits.

(a) Participation in Employee  Benefits of Parent.  After the Effective Time and
on a schedule  determined by Parent in connection  with its  integration  of its
business  with  that of the  Company,  the  employees  of the  Company  shall be
eligible to  participate  in the  employee  benefit  plans of Parent to the same
extent as any similarly situated and geographically located employees of Parent.

(b) Benefit Plans.  As of the Effective  time,  Parent shall (or shall cause the
Surviving Corporation to) either continue the existing Employee Plans or provide
(or cause the Surviving Corporation to provide) benefits to employees and former
employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries  that are no less favorable in the
aggregate to such employees than those provided under the "Parent Benefit Plans"
(as  defined  below)  (as they may be  amended  from time to time) to  similarly
situated  employees of Parent and its Subsidiaries.  "Parent Benefit Plan" means
any employee benefit plan, arrangement,  practice,  contract or agreement of any
type  (including  but not limited to a plan described in Section 3(3) of ERISA),
maintained by Parent or its Subsidiaries.

(c) Service  Credit.  With  respect to any  Employee  Plan which is an "employee
benefit plan" as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA,  for purposes of  determining
eligibility to  participate,  vesting,  entitlement  to benefits,  including for
severance benefits,  vacation  entitlement and service awards,  service with the
Company  or any  Subsidiary  shall be  treated  as  service  with  Parent or its
Subsidiaries;  provided,  however,  that such service shall not be recognized to
the extent that such recognition would result in a duplication of benefits. Such
service  also shall  apply for  purposes  of  satisfying  any  waiting  periods,
evidence of  insurability  requirements,  or the  application of any preexisting
condition limitations.  Company employees shall be given credit for amounts paid
under a  corresponding  benefit  plan  during the same  period for  purposes  of
applying  deductibles,  copayments  and  out-of-pocket  maximums  as though such
amounts had been paid in accordance  with the terms and conditions of the Parent
Benefit Plan.

(d)  Compensation  Contracts.   Parent  shall,  or  shall  cause  the  Surviving
Corporation  to,  assume  and  honor  the  obligations  of the  Company  and its
Subsidiaries under all employment,  severance, consulting and other compensation
contracts,   arrangements,    commitments   or   understandings   ("Compensation
Contracts"),  in accordance with their terms, as disclosed in Section 5.6 of the
Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  each  as  amended  to  the  date  hereof  or  as
contemplated hereby.  Parent hereby acknowledges that the Merger will constitute
a "Change in Control" for purposes of all  Compensation  Contracts  and Employee
Plans,  if applicable.  The provisions of this Section 5.6(d) are intended to be
for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable  by, each person who is a party to,
a participant in or a beneficiary of any Employee Plan,  contract,  arrangement,
commitment or understanding referred to in Section 5.6(d).

(e) Falconwood Plan. As of Closing, the Company shall (i) cause all employees of
the Company to be  one-hundred  percent  (100%) vested in their accrued  benefit
under The Falconwood Group Defined Benefit Pension Plan (the "Falconwood Plan"),
(ii) enter into an agreement in the form set forth in Exhibit D attached  hereto
(the "Falconwood Termination  Agreement"),  and cause the other parties to enter
into such agreement, and take or cause to be taken such actions as are necessary
to  effectuate  its  withdrawal  from  the  Falconwood  Plan as a  participating
employer,  and (iii)  take or cause to be taken such  actions as are  necessary,
including   amending  the  Falconwood  Plan  if  needed,   to  insure  that  the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will result, for
purposes of the Plan,  in a  termination  of  employment by the employees of the
Company, thereby entitling employees of the Company to an immediate distribution
of their accrued benefits under the Falconwood Plan as of Closing.

(f) Certain Notices.  For notices and payments related to events occurring prior
to the Closing Date, the Company shall cause  Falconwood to be  responsible  for
any notices  required to be given to  employees  of the Company  pursuant to the
WARN Act,  Section 4980B of the Code ("COBRA") and/or Section 402(f) of the Code
("Rollover Notice"),  and for any payments or benefits required pursuant to such
laws or on account of violation of any requirement of such laws.

5.7      Pooling; Tax-Free Reorganization .

(a) The Company will not  Knowingly  take,  or Knowingly  permit any  controlled
Affiliate of the Company to take, any actions that could prevent the Merger from
being treated as a Pooling,  it being  understood  and agreed that if Deloitte &
Touche LLP, the Company's independent  accountants,  advises the Company that an
action  would not prevent the Merger from being so treated,  such action will be
conclusively deemed not to constitute a breach of this Section 5.7.

(b) None of Parent,  Merger Sub and the Company  shall take or agree to take any
action  or fail  to take  any  action,  except  as  expressly  provided  in this
Agreement,   that  is  likely  to  prevent  the  Merger  from  qualifying  as  a
reorganization  within  the  meaning of  Section  368(a) of the Code;  provided,
however,  that any such actions,  or any such failures to take any action,  with
respect to or in  connection  with the Parent  Rights  Agreement  (other than an
amendment to such agreement) shall not constitute a breach of this covenant..

(c)  Parent  and the  Company  shall  cooperate  and use their  best  efforts in
obtaining the tax opinions of SASM&F,  counsel to the Company,  and OHS, counsel
to Parent.  In connection  therewith,  the Company,  Parent and Merger Sub shall
deliver to SASM&F and OHS representation letters (the "Representation Letters"),
dated as of the Closing Date, in form and substance  substantially  identical to
those agreed upon concurrently  herewith by the Company,  Parent and Merger Sub,
on which SASM&F and OHS shall be entitled to rely in rendering their  respective
opinions  pursuant to Sections 6.2(g) and 6.3(d);  provided,  however,  that the
failure  of the  Company,  Parent  or  Merger  Sub to make  any  statement  in a
Representation  Letter  because  of an event,  or a change  in facts or law,  in
either case outside of such party's  control,  shall not  constitute a breach of
this covenant.  Parent and the Company shall,  and shall cause their  respective
subsidiaries to, take the position for all tax and accounting  purposes that the
Merger qualifies as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the
Code.

5.8      Notification of Certain Matters.

(a) The Company shall give prompt notice to Parent, and Parent shall give prompt
notice to the Company,  of the occurrence,  or non-occurrence,  of any event the
occurrence,  or  non-occurrence,  of  which  results  in any  representation  or
warranty  contained in this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material
respect  (or, in the case of any  representation  or warranty  qualified  by its
terms by materiality or Material  Adverse  Effect,  then untrue or inaccurate in
any respect)  and any failure of the Company,  Parent or Merger Sub, as the case
may be,  to  comply  with or  satisfy  in any  material  respect  any  covenant,
condition  or  agreement  to be  complied  with or  satisfied  by it  hereunder;
provided,  however, that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 5.8
shall not limit or  otherwise  affect the  remedies  available  hereunder to the
party receiving such notice.

(b)  Between  the date hereof and the  Effective  Time,  each of the Company and
Parent  will  give  prompt  notice  to the  other  of (i) any  notice  or  other
communication from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may
be  required  in  connection   with  the  Merger,   (ii)  any  notice  or  other
communication  from any  Governmental  Authority in connection  with the Merger,
(iii) any  Litigation,  relating to or  involving  or  otherwise  affecting  the
Company,  Parent or their  Subsidiaries  that relates to the consummation of the
Merger,  (iv) the occurrence of a default or event that, with notice or lapse of
time or both,  will  become a default  under any  contract  which is material to
Parent or any  Material  Contract  of the  Company,  and (v) any change  that is
reasonably  likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or Parent or
is likely to delay or impede  the  ability  of either  Parent or the  Company to
consummate the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement or to fulfill their
respective obligations set forth herein.

(c) Each of the Company  and Parent  will give (or will cause  their  respective
Subsidiaries  to give) any notices to third  Persons,  and use,  and cause their
respective  Subsidiaries  to use, all reasonable  efforts to obtain any consents
from  third  Persons  (i)  necessary,  proper or  advisable  to  consummate  the
transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,  (ii) otherwise required under any
contracts,   licenses,  leases  or  other  agreements  in  connection  with  the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  or (iii)  required  to
prevent a Material  Adverse Effect on the Company or Parent from occurring prior
to or after the  Effective  Time.  If any party  shall  fail to obtain  any such
consent from a third Person,  such party will use all  reasonable  efforts,  and
will take any such actions reasonably  requested by the other parties,  to limit
the adverse effect upon the Company and Parent,  their respective  Subsidiaries,
and their  respective  businesses  resulting,  or which would  result  after the
Effective Time, from the failure to obtain such consent.

5.9  Listing on the New York Stock  Exchange.  Parent  shall use its  reasonable
efforts  to cause the  Parent  Common  Stock to be  issued  in the  Merger to be
approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange,  subject to official notice
of issuance, prior to the Effective Time.

5.10 Public Announcements.  Parent and the Company shall consult with each other
before  issuing any press release or other public  announcement  with respect to
the Merger or this Agreement and shall not issue any such press release prior to
such  consultation,  except as may be required  by law or any listing  agreement
related to the trading of the shares of either party on any national  securities
exchange  or  national  automated  quotation  system,  in which  case the  party
proposing to issue such press release or make such public announcement shall use
reasonable  efforts to consult in good faith with the other party before issuing
any such press release or making any such public announcement.

5.11  Takeover  Laws.  If  any  "fair  price,"   "moratorium,"   "control  share
acquisition,"  "shareholder  protection" or other form of antitakeover  statute,
regulation or charter provision or contract is or shall become applicable to the
Merger or the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Stockholders Agreement,
the Company and the Board of Directors of the Company shall grant such approvals
and take such actions as are  necessary  under such laws and  provisions so that
the transactions  contemplated hereby and thereby may be consummated as promptly
as practicable on the terms contemplated hereby and thereby and otherwise act to
eliminate  or minimize  the effects of such  statute,  regulation,  provision or
contract on the transactions  contemplated hereby or thereby.  The Company shall
not take,  and shall not permit any of its  controlled  Affiliates to take,  any
action which would require or permit, or could reasonably be expected to require
or permit,  the Company or any other  Person or entity to treat Parent or Merger
Sub, acting  pursuant to and as permitted by this Agreement or the  Stockholders
Agreement,  as an  "interested  stockholder"  or "related  person" with whom the
Company is  prevented  for any  period of time  pursuant  to Section  203 of the
Delaware Law from  engaging in any "business  combination"  or taking any action
(including any charter or by-law amendment) that has the effect of rendering any
such statutes applicable to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

5.12 Accountant's Letters. Upon reasonable notice from the other, the Company or
Parent shall cause their respective independent public accountants to deliver to
Parent or the Company, as the case may be, a letter covering such matters as are
requested by Parent or the Company,  as the case may be, and as are  customarily
addressed in  accountant's  "comfort"  letters in connection  with  registration
statements similar to Form S-4.

5.13 Stop  Transfer.  The  Company  acknowledges  and  agrees to be bound by and
comply with the provisions of Section 2.1 of the Stockholders  Agreement as if a
party  thereto with respect to transfers of record of ownership of shares of the
Company Common Stock,  and agrees to notify the transfer agent for any shares of
Company Common Stock and provide such  documentation and do such other things as
may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of such Stockholders Agreement.

5.14  Indemnification  of Directors and  Officers.  Parent and Mergers Sub agree
that all rights to  indemnification,  (if any) for acts or  omissions  occurring
prior to the  Effective  time now  existing  in favor of the  current  or former
directors or officers of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  as provided in their
respective  certificates of incorporation  or by-laws (or comparable  charter or
organizational  documents)  shall survive the Merger and shall  continue in full
force and effect in  accordance  with their  terms for a period of not less than
six years from the Effective Time.

5.15 Plan Funding  Status.  The Company shall  deliver to Parent's  actuary such
information  prior  to the  Closing  Date  as the  actuary  deems  necessary  to
accurately evaluate the funding status of Falconwood Plan.

5.16 Software Documentation.  The Company shall deliver to Parent at or prior to
the  Effective  Time copies of all material  documentation  relating to the use,
maintenance and operation of the Software.

5.17  Subsidiary  Investments.   MF  Investments,   Corp.  shall  not  make  any
investments in or purchase,  directly or  indirectly,  any equity or debt (other
than U.S.  governmental  obligations)  or similar  interest  in or any  interest
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, directly or indirectly, any
equity or debt (other than U.S. governmental obligations) or similar interest in
any Person.

5.18  Legends,  Instructions  to Transfer  Agent.  The Company will (i) issue or
implement  all  the  stop  transfer  instructions  contemplated  by the  Related
Agreements and (ii) ensure that the legends  contemplated  thereby are placed on
certificates for Company Common Stock as contemplated by the Related Agreements,
subject to the holders of such  certificates  complying  with their  obligations
thereunder.

5.19  Maintenance of  Designation.  The Company will use  reasonable  efforts to
maintain the Class A Company Common Stock as a designated security of the Nasdaq
National Market, and will notify Parent promptly if it determines that the Class
A Company Common Stock no longer satisfies the criteria required to be satisfied
in order to maintain the Class A Common  Stock as such a designated  security or
if it receives any written  notice that a  proceeding  for  termination  of such
designation is contemplated.

5.20 Amendment of Registration Rights Agreement.  The Company will, and will use
its best efforts to cause the holders of a  majority-in-interest  of the holders
of Registrable Shares (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) to enter
into an Amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement in substantially the form
of Exhibit E attached hereto.

5.21 Company  Release.  Contingent upon the execution and delivery to Parent and
Merger Sub of the Jarecki/Falconwood Release, immediately prior to the Effective
Time,  the Company  shall  execute and deliver to Dr.  Henry G.  Jarecki and the
Falconwood Corporation a release in the form of Exhibit F attached hereto.

5.22 Waiver of Bonus.  The Company shall use its best efforts to obtain a waiver
from any  officer  or  director  of the  Company  with  respect  to any  special
performance  bonus  authorized  but not  paid by the  Company  prior to the date
hereof  which  bonus  arises in  connection  with  action  taken in  respect  of
Litigation.

5.23 All Reasonable Efforts and Further Assurances.  Each of the parties to this
Agreement  shall use all  reasonable  efforts  to  effectuate  the  transactions
contemplated  hereby and to fulfill and cause to be fulfilled the  conditions to
Closing under this Agreement.  Each party hereto,  at the reasonable  request of
another party hereto,  shall execute and deliver such other  instruments  and do
and perform  such other acts and things as may be  necessary  or  desirable  for
effecting  completely the  consummation  of this Agreement and the  transactions
contemplated hereby.

                                   Article VI

                              CONDITIONS OF MERGER

6.1 Conditions to Obligation of Each Party to Effect the Merger.  The respective
obligations  of each  party  to  effect  the  Merger  shall  be  subject  to the
satisfaction at or prior to the Effective Time of the following conditions:

(a)  Effectiveness of the  Registration  Statement.  The Registration  Statement
shall have been declared  effective by the SEC under the Securities Act; no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued  by  the  SEC;  and no  proceedings  for  that  purpose;  and no  similar
proceeding in respect of the Proxy  Statement  shall have been  initiated or, to
the Knowledge of Parent or the Company, threatened by the SEC;

(b) Stockholder Approval. This Agreement and the Merger shall have been approved
and adopted by the requisite vote of the stockholders of the Company;

(c) New York Stock Exchange Listing.  The shares of Parent Common Stock issuable
to the  Company's  stockholders  pursuant  to this  Agreement  shall  have  been
authorized  for listing on the New York Stock  Exchange upon official  notice of
issuance.

(d) No Injunctions or Restraints; Illegality. No Court or Governmental Authority
having jurisdiction over the Company, Acquiror or Merger Sub shall have enacted,
issued,  promulgated,  enforced or entered any Law, Regulation or order (whether
temporary,  preliminary or permanent)  which is then in effect and which has the
effect of making the Merger illegal or otherwise prohibiting consummation of the
Merger substantially on the terms contemplated by this Agreement.

(e) Regulatory Approvals.  All approvals and consents of applicable Governmental
Authorities  required to  consummate  the Merger  shall have been  received  the
failure to obtain which would prevent the  consummation  of the Merger or have a
Material  Adverse  Effect on the Company or the Parent,  and the waiting  period
under the HSR Act and  Foreign  Competition  Laws  shall  have  expired  or been
terminated

6.2  Additional  Conditions  to  Obligations  of  Parent  and  Merger  Sub.  The
obligations  of Parent and  Merger Sub to effect the Merger are also  subject to
the following conditions:

(a)  Representations  and Warranties.  (a) The representations and warranties of
the  Company  contained  in this  Agreement  shall  be true and  correct  in all
material  respects  on  and  as  of  the  Effective  Time,  except  for  changes
contemplated by this Agreement  (together with the Company Disclosure  Schedule)
(except for those (x)  representations  and  warranties  that are  qualified  by
materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in which case such  representations  and
warranties shall be true and correct in all respects and (y) representations and
warranties  which  address  matters  only as of a  particular  date or only with
respect to a specific  period  (which  shall be true and correct in all material
respects as of such date or with respect to such  period)),  with the same force
and effect as if made on and as of the Effective Time, and the Parent and Merger
Sub  shall  have  received  a  certificate  to such  effect  signed by the Chief
Executive  Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and of each of the
Subsidiaries.

(b) Agreements  and  Covenants.  The Company shall have performed or complied in
all  material  respects  with all  agreements  and  covenants  required  by this
Agreement to be performed  or complied  with by it on or prior to the  Effective
Time.  Parent and Merger Sub shall have  received a  certificate  to such effect
signed by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

(c)  Consents  Obtained.  Parent  shall  have  received  evidence,  in form  and
substance  reasonably  satisfactory to it, that consents or waivers with respect
to those contracts and agreements have been obtained the failure to obtain which
either  individually or in the aggregate could  reasonably be expected to have a
Material  Adverse  Effect on the  Company or  prevent  the  consummation  of the
Merger.

(d) Pooling of  Interests.  Parent  shall have  received a written  opinion from
Ernst & Young,  Parent's  independent public accountants,  in form and substance
reasonably  satisfactory  to  Parent,  dated as of the  Closing  Date,  that the
Merger, can properly be accounted for as a Pooling.

(e) Related  Agreements.  Each of the Related  Agreements shall be in full force
and effect as of the Effective Time and become  effective in accordance with the
respective  terms thereof and the actions required to be taken thereunder by the
parties thereto  immediately  prior to the Effective Time shall have been taken,
except  (i) in the  event of an  impossibility  of  performance  under  any such
Related  Agreements  by virtue of the death,  disability  or  incapacity  of any
natural  person who is a party to any Related  Agreement  prior to the Effective
Time unless, when taken together,  all such impossibilities of performance shall
have a Material Adverse Effect,  (ii) the failure of Employment  Agreements with
respect to any individuals other than Messrs. Jarecki,  Leatherman,  Slutsky and
Gukeisen to be in full force and effect at the Effective Time as aforesaid shall
not, in and of itself, be deemed to constitute non-satisfaction of the condition
contained in this Section 6.2(e)

(f) Falconwood Termination Agreement. The Falconwood Termination Agreement shall
have been executed and delivered by the parties thereto and be in full force and
effect as of the Effective Time.

(g) Tax Opinion.  Parent shall have received an opinion from OHS, tax counsel to
Parent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent, dated as of the
Closing Date, on the basis of facts,  representations  and assumptions set forth
in such opinion and the Representation Letters, all of which are consistent with
the state of facts  existing as of the  Effective  Time,  to the effect that the
Merger will qualify as a reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
the Code.

(h)  Jarecki/Falconwood  Release.  Contingent upon the execution and delivery by
the Company of the  release  described  in Section  5.21,  each of Dr.  Henry G.
Jarecki and The  Falconwood  Corporation  shall have  executed  and  delivered a
release  in the form of  Exhibit  G  attached  hereto  (the  "Jarecki/Falconwood
Release").

6.3 Additional  Conditions to Obligations of the Company.  The obligation of the
Company to effect the Merger is also subject to the following conditions:

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of Parent
and Merger Sub  contained  in this  Agreement  shall be true and  correct in all
material  respects  on  and  as  of  the  Effective  Time,  except  for  changes
contemplated  by this  Agreement,  (except  for  those (x)  representations  and
warranties  that are qualified by materiality  or Material  Adverse  Effect,  in
which case such  representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all
respects and (y) representations and warranties which address matters only as of
a particular date or only with respect to a specific period (which shall be true
and correct in all  material  respects  as of such date or with  respect to such
period)),  with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the  Effective
Time, and the Company shall have received a certificate to such effect signed by
the Chief Financial Officer of Parent,  with respect to Parent and the President
of Merger Sub, with respect to the Merger Sub.

(b)  Agreements  and  Covenants.  Parent and Merger Sub shall have  performed or
complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants  required by
this  Agreement  to be  performed  or  complied  with by them on or prior to the
Effective Time, and the Company shall have received a certificate to such effect
signed by Chief  Financial  Officer  of Parent,  with  respect to Parent and the
President of Merger Sub, with respect to the Merger Sub.

(c) Consents  Obtained.  The Company shall have received  evidence,  in form and
substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to it,  that  consents  or waivers to those
contracts or agreements  have been  obtained,  the failure to obtain which would
prevent the consummation of the Merger.

(d) Tax Opinion.  The Company  shall have  received an opinion from SASM&F,  tax
counsel to the Company,  in form and substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to the
Company,  dated as of the Closing Date,  on the basis of facts,  representations
and assumptions set forth in such opinion and the Representation Letters, all of
which are consistent  with the state of facts existing as of the Effective Time,
to the effect that (i) the Merger will  qualify as a  reorganization  within the
meaning  of  Section  368(a)  of the  Code  and  (ii) no  gain  or loss  will be
recognized by the  stockholders of the Company upon the exchange of their shares
of Company Common Stock pursuant to the Merger,  except with respect to cash, if
any, received in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock.

                                  Article VII

                               RELATED AGREEMENTS

7.1 Related  Agreements.  Simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement,  the following  parties are executing  and  delivering  the following
agreements,  being hereinafter  referred to as the "Related  Agreements"),  each
dated as of the date hereof:

(a) Affiliate  Agreements.  Each of the Persons  identified  on Schedule  7.1(a)
attached hereto is entering into an Affiliate  Agreement with Parent,  effective
as of the Effective Time (the "Affiliate  Agreement"),  in the form of Exhibit H
attached hereto.

(b)  Employee  Offer  Letters.  (i) Each of the Persons  identified  on Schedule
7.1(b)  attached  hereto is entering into an employment  agreement  with Parent,
effective  as of the  Effective  Time,  in  substantially  the form of Exhibit I
attached hereto (the "Employment  Agreements") and (ii) J. Russell Leatherman is
executing  a  personal  services  agreement  with  Parent,  effective  as of the
Effective Time, in the form of Exhibit J attached hereto.

(c) Release  Agreements.  Each of the Persons  identified on Schedule  7.1(c) is
entering into a Release Agreement, in the form of Exhibit K attached hereto (the
"Release Agreements").

(d) Assignment Agreements.  Each of the Persons identified on Schedule 7.1(d) is
entering  into an  Assignment  Agreement,  , in the form of  Exhibit L  attached
hereto (the "Assignment Agreements").

(e) Stockholders  Agreement.  Each of the stockholders of the Company identified
on Schedule 7.1(e) is entering into the Stockholders Agreement with Parent.

(f) Option  Agreement.  The Company is entering into the Option  Agreement  with
Parent.

(g) Falconwood Agreement. Parent and the Falconwood Plan Trustees (as defined in
the Falconwood Agreement) are entering into an agreement, in the form of Exhibit
M attached hereto (the "Falconwood Agreement").

(h) Non-Competition  Agreements. The Company, the Parent and each stockholder of
the Company  identified on Schedule  7.1(h) is entering  into a  Non-Competition
Agreement,  in the form of  Exhibit  N  attached  hereto  (the  "Non-Competition
Agreement").

                                  Article VIII

                        TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

8.1  Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger  contemplated
hereby may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time, notwithstanding
approval thereof by the stockholders of the Company:

(a) By mutual  written  consent  duly  authorized  by the Boards of Directors of
Parent and the Company; or

(b) By  either  Parent  or the  Company  if  the  Merger  shall  not  have  been
consummated by September 30, 1999; provided,  however,  that if the Merger shall
not have been  consummated  solely due to the waiting  period (or any  extension
thereof) under the HSR Act not having expired or been terminated, then such date
shall be extended to December 31, 1999; and provided, further, that the right to
terminate this Agreement  under this Section shall not be available to any party
whose willful  failure to fulfill any material  obligation  under this Agreement
has been the cause of, or  resulted  in, the  failure of the Merger to have been
consummated on or before such date; or

(c) By either  Parent or the Company,  if a court of competent  jurisdiction  or
governmental,  regulatory  or  administrative  agency or  commission  shall have
issued an Order, decree or ruling or taken any other action, in each case having
the effect of permanently  restraining,  enjoining or otherwise  prohibiting the
Merger and such Order, decree or ruling has become final and nonappealable; or

(d) By either Parent or the Company,  if, at the Company  Stockholders'  Meeting
(including any adjournment or postponement  thereof),  the requisite vote of the
stockholders of the Company shall not have been obtained; or

(e) By Parent, if the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof
shall have (i) failed to recommend  approval and adoption of this  Agreement and
the Merger by the  Stockholders  of the Company,  or  withdrawn or modified,  or
proposed to withdraw or modify, in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, its
approval or  recommendation  of the Merger,  this Agreement or the  transactions
contemplated  hereby,  (ii) engaged in discussions with a third party concerning
an  Acquisition  Proposal,  (iii)  failed  to mail the  Proxy  Statement  to its
stockholders  within a reasonable period of time after the Proxy Statement shall
be  available  for  mailing  or failed to  include  therein  such  approval  and
recommendation  (including  the  recommendation  that  the  stockholders  of the
Company vote in favor of the Merger),  (iv) made any recommendation with respect
to  any  Acquisition  Proposal  other  than  a  recommendation  to  reject  such
Acquisition  Proposal,  (v) upon a request by Parent,  failed,  as  required  by
Section  4.2(c)(i)(4),  to reaffirm any such  approval or  recommendation,  (vi)
taken any action  prohibited by Section 4.2,  (vii) entered into a definitive or
binding  agreement  with  respect to a Superior  Proposal,  (viii)  breached the
Option  Agreement in any material  respect or (ix)  resolved to or announced its
intention to do any of the foregoing; or

(f) By Parent,  if a third party acquires 33% or more of  outstanding  shares of
capital  stock  or  other  equity  interests  of the  Company  or  any  Material
Subsidiary; or

(g) By Parent,  if neither  Parent nor Merger Sub is in  material  breach of its
obligations under this Agreement, and (1) there has been a breach by the Company
of any of its representations and warranties  hereunder such that Section 6.2(a)
will not be  satisfied  or (2) there has been the willful  breach on the part of
the Company of any of its  covenants or agreements  contained in this  Agreement
such that Section  6.2(a) will not be satisfied,  and, in both case (1) and case
(2),  such breach (if curable) has not been cured within  thirty (30) days after
notice to the Company from Parent; or

(h) By the Company,  if it is not in material  breach of its  obligations  under
this  Agreement,  and (1) if there has been a breach by Parent or Merger  Sub of
any of their  respective  representations  and  warranties  hereunder  such that
Section 6.3(a) will not be satisfied or (2) there has been the willful breach on
the part of  Parent  or  Merger  Sub of any of  their  respective  covenants  or
agreements  contained in this  Agreement  such that  Section  6.3(a) will not be
satisfied,  and, in both case (1) and case (2), such breach (if curable) has not
been cured  within  thirty (30) days after  notice to Parent and Merger Sub from
the Company; or

(i) By Parent,  if any of the  stockholders  who are parties to the Stockholders
Agreement  shall have  breached  in any  material  respect  any  representation,
warranty,  covenant or agreement  thereof and such breach has not been  promptly
cured after notice to any such stockholder;  provided, however, that such breach
shall be of the kind that denies Parent the material  benefits  contemplated  by
the Stockholders Agreement.

8.2 Effect of Termination.  Except as provided in this Section 8.2, in the event
of the  termination  of this  Agreement  pursuant to Section 8.1, this Agreement
(other than the first sentence of Section  5.3(b),  this Section 8.2 and Section
8.3 and Article IX, which shall survive such  termination) will forthwith become
void,  and there will be no liability on the part of the Parent,  the Merger Sub
or the Company or any of their respective officers or directors to the other and
all rights and  obligations of any party hereto will cease,  except that nothing
herein  will  relieve  any  party  from  liability  for  any  breach,  prior  to
termination   of  this   Agreement  in  accordance   with  its  terms,   of  any
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement.

8.3      Fees and Expenses.

(a) Except as set forth in this Section  8.3, all fees and expenses  incurred in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
paid  by the  party  incurring  such  expenses,  whether  or not the  Merger  is
consummated;  provided, however, that Parent and the Company shall share equally
all fees and expenses,  other than attorneys' fees,  incurred in relation to the
printing and filing of the Proxy Statement (including any preliminary  materials
related thereto), the Registration Statement (including financial statements and
exhibits) and any amendments or supplements  thereto and all filing fees payable
in connection with filings made under the HSR Act.

(b)      In the event that:

(i) Parent  terminates  this  Agreement  pursuant to Section  8.1(e) (other than
8.1(e)(ii)) or Section 8.1(f); or

(ii) Parent or the Company  terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1(d)
hereof  because of the failure to obtain the required  approval from the Company
stockholders  and  either  (x) at the time of such  termination  or prior to the
Company  Stockholders'  Meeting  there shall have been an  Acquisition  Proposal
(whether  or not such  Acquisition  Proposal  or any  inquiry,  announcement  or
agreement  relating to such  Acquisition  Proposal  shall have been  rejected or
shall  have  been  withdrawn  prior  to the time of such  termination  or of the
Company  Stockholders'  Meeting) or (y) the Company  shall have  entered  into a
binding agreement in connection with an Acquisition  Proposal within twelve (12)
months following termination of this Agreement,

the Company shall pay to Parent,  simultaneously  with such  termination of this
Agreement referred to in clauses (i) or (ii)(x) of this Section 8.3(b) or at the
time a binding  agreement  is entered  into in  connection  with an  Acquisition
Proposal as contemplated in clause (ii)(y) of this Section 8.3(b), a fee in cash
equal to  $12,000,000,  plus the amount of Parent  Stipulated  Expenses  paid to
Parent pursuant to Section 8.3(c) (the "Termination Fee"), which amount shall be
payable  by wire  transfer  of  immediately  available  funds not later than two
business days after the date of such termination.

(c) If this  Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant to Sections  8.1(e),  8.1(f) or
8.1(g) and provided that (i) Parent is not then in breach of its representations
and  warranties  under this Agreement such that Section 6.3(a) of this Agreement
would not be satisfied or (ii) Parent is not otherwise in material breach of its
obligations under this Agreement such that Section 6.3(b) will not be satisfied,
then the Company  shall  reimburse  Parent,  within three (3)  business  days of
Parent's request therefor,  for all Parent Stipulated Expenses.  As used in this
Agreement, the term "Parent Stipulated Expenses" shall mean those reasonable and
documented  out-of-pocket  fees and  expenses  actually  incurred  by  Parent in
connection with this Agreement,  the Stockholder  Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby which do not exceed $2,500,000 in the aggregate.

(d) If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.1(h) and provided that
(i) the  Company  is not then in breach of its  representations  and  warranties
under this Agreement  such that Section  6.2(a) of this  Agreement  would not be
satisfied  or (ii) the  Company  is not  otherwise  in  material  breach  of its
obligations under this Agreement such that Section 6.2(b) will not be satisfied,
then Parent shall  reimburse the Company,  within three (3) business days of the
Company's request therefor, for all Company Stipulated Expenses. As used in this
Agreement,  the term "Company  Stipulated  Expenses" shall mean those reasonable
and documented  out-of-pocket fees and expenses actually incurred by the Company
in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby which
do not exceed $2,500,000 in the aggregate.

8.4  Amendment.  This  Agreement may be amended by the parties  hereto by action
taken by or on behalf of their respective  Boards of Directors at any time prior
to the Effective Time; provided,  however, that, after approval of the Merger by
the stockholders of the Company, no amendment may be made which would reduce the
amount or change  the type of  consideration  into  which  each share of Company
Common Stock shall be converted upon consummation of the Merger.  This Agreement
may not be amended  except by an  instrument  in writing  signed by the  parties
hereto.

8.5 Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time, any party hereto may extend
the time for the  performance  of any of the  obligations or other acts required
hereunder,   waive  any  inaccuracies  in  the  representations  and  warranties
contained  herein  or in  any  document  delivered  pursuant  hereto  and  waive
compliance with any of the agreements or conditions  contained herein.  Any such
extension  or waiver  shall be valid if set forth in an  instrument  in  writing
signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby.

                                   Article IX

                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

9.1      Survival of Representations and Warranties.

(a)  Except  as  set  forth  in  Section   9.1  (b)  of  this   Agreement,   the
representations,  warranties  and  agreements  of each party  hereto will remain
operative and in full force and effect regardless of any  investigation  made by
or on behalf of any other party hereto, any Person controlling any such party or
any of their officers, directors,  representatives or agents whether prior to or
after the execution of this Agreement.

(b) The  representations  and warranties in this Agreement will terminate at the
Effective Time or upon the  termination  of this  Agreement  pursuant to Article
VIII; provided,  however, this Section 9.1(b) shall in no way limit any covenant
or agreement of the parties which by its terms  contemplates  performance  after
the  Effective  Time or after the  termination  of this  Agreement  pursuant  to
Article VIII.

9.2 Notices. All notices or other communications which are required or permitted
hereunder shall be in writing and sufficient if delivered  personally or sent by
nationally  recognized  overnight  courier or by registered  or certified  mail,
postage prepaid, return receipt requested,  or by telecopier,  with confirmation
as provided above addressed as follows:

(a)      If to Parent or Merger Sub:

                                    America Online, Inc.
                                    22000 AOL Way
                                    Dulles, Virginia  20166
                                    Telecopier: (703) 265-0006
                                    Attention:     Donn M. Davis
                                                   Senior Vice President, 
                                                   Business Development

                                    With copies to:

                                    America Online, Inc.
                                    22000 AOL Way
                                    Dulles, Virginia  20166
                                    Telecopier:(703) 265-2208
                                    Attention: General Counsel

                                    and

                                    Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
                                    666 Fifth Avenue
                                    New York, New York 10103
                                    Telecopier: (212) 506-5151
                                    Attention:     Martin H. Levenglick, Esq.

(b)      If to the Company:

                                    MovieFone, Inc.
                                    355 Madison Avenue
                                    New York, New York  10017
                                    Telecopier: (212) 450-8025
                                    Attention:        Adam Slutsky

                                    With a copy to:

                                    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
                                    919 Third Avenue
                                    New York, New York  10022
                                    Telecopier: (212) 735-2000
                                    Attention:  Morris J. Kramer, Esq.

or to such  other  address  as the party to whom  notice is to be given may have
furnished to the other party in writing in accordance herewith. All such notices
or  communications  shall be deemed to be  received  (a) in the case of personal
delivery, on the date of such delivery, (b) in the case of nationally recognized
overnight courier,  on the next business day after the date when sent (c) in the
case of facsimile transmission or telecopier, upon confirmed receipt, and (d) in
the case of mailing,  on the third  business day following the date on which the
piece of mail containing such communication was posted.

9.3  Disclosure  Schedules.  The  Company  Disclosure  Schedule  and the  Parent
Disclosure  Schedule  each shall be divided into sections  corresponding  to the
sections and  subsections of this  Agreement.  Disclosure of any fact or item in
any Section of a party's Disclosure  Schedule shall not, should the existence of
the  fact or item or its  contents  be  relevant  to any  other  Section  of the
Disclosure Schedule, be deemed to be disclosed with respect to such sections.

9.4      Certain Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement, the term:

(a) "Affiliates" means Persons that directly or indirectly,  through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
first mentioned Person; including,  without limitation, any partnership or joint
venture in which the Company  (either  alone,  or through or  together  with any
other Subsidiary) has, directly or indirectly, an interest of 5% or more;

(b)  "Balance  Sheet"  means the balance  sheet of the Company  contained in the
Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1998.

(c) "beneficial owner" with respect to any shares of Company Common Stock, means
a Person who shall be deemed to be the  beneficial  owner of such  shares  which
such Person or any of its Affiliates or associates  beneficially owns,  directly
or indirectly, which such Person or any of its Affiliates or associates (as such
term is defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) has,  directly or indirectly,
the right to acquire  (whether such right is exercisable  immediately or subject
only  to the  passage  of  time),  pursuant  to any  agreement,  arrangement  or
understanding  or upon the exercise of  consideration  rights,  exchange rights,
warrants  or  options,  or  otherwise,  or the  right  to vote  pursuant  to any
agreement,  arrangement  or  understanding  or  which  are  beneficially  owned,
directly or indirectly, by any other Persons with whom such Person or any of its
Affiliates  or  Person  with  whom  such  Person  or any of  its  Affiliates  or
associates has any agreement,  arrangement or  understanding  for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any shares;

(d) "Code" means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(e) "control"  (including  the terms  "controlled  by" and "under common control
with") means the  possession,  directly or indirectly or as trustee or executor,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a
Person,  whether  through the  ownership of stock,  as trustee or  executor,  by
contract or credit arrangement or otherwise;

(f) "Court" means any court or arbitration  tribunal of the United  States,  any
domestic state, or any foreign country, and any political subdivision thereof.

(g) "Governmental  Authority" means any governmental  agency or authority (other
than a Court) of the United States,  any domestic state, or any foreign country,
and any  political  subdivision  or agency  thereof,  and includes any authority
having governmental or quasi-governmental powers.

(h) "Intellectual  Property" means trademarks,  service marks, trade names, URLs
and Internet domain names and applications  therefor (and all interest therein),
designs,  slogans and general  intangibles  of like  nature,  together  with all
goodwill related to the foregoing  (including any registrations and applications
for any of the foregoing) (collectively,  "Trademarks");  patents (including any
registrations,  continuations,  continuations in part, renewals and applications
for  any  of  the  foregoing);   copyrights  (including  any  registrations  and
applications  for any of the  foregoing);  computer  programs and other computer
software;   databases;   technology,   trade  secrets  and  other   confidential
information,  know-how, proprietary technology, processes, formulae, algorithms,
models,  user interfaces,  customer lists,  inventions,  source codes and object
codes and  methodologies,  architecture,  structure,  display screens,  layouts,
development tools,  instructions,  templates,  marketing materials,  inventions,
trade dress,  logos and designs and all  documentation  and media  constituting,
describing or relating to the foregoing (collectively, "Trade Secrets"), used in
or necessary for the conduct of Company's and each of its Subsidiaries' business
as currently conducted or contemplated to be conducted.

(i) "Knowledge"  means (i) in the case an individual,  knowledge of a particular
fact or other matter if such  individual is actually aware of such fact or other
matter,  or (b) a prudent  individual  in such  individual's  position  could be
expected to discover or  otherwise  become aware of such fact or other matter in
the course of conducting a reasonable  (for an  individual in such  individual's
position to undertake)  investigation  concerning  the existence of such fact or
other matter and (ii) in the case of an entity (other than an  individual)  such
entity will be deemed to have  "Knowledge" of a particular  fact or other matter
if any  individual  who is serving,  or has at any time  served,  as a director,
officer,  partner,  executor,  or  trustee  of such  Person  (or in any  similar
capacity) has, or at any time had, Knowledge of such fact or other matter.

(j)  "Law"  means  all  laws,  statutes,   ordinances  and  Regulations  of  any
Governmental Authority;

(k)  "Lien"  means  any  mortgage,   pledge,   security  interest,   attachment,
encumbrance,  lien or charge of any kind (including any agreement to give any of
the foregoing);  provided,  however,  that the term "Lien" shall not include (i)
statutory  liens  for  Taxes,  which  are not yet due and  payable  or are being
contested in good faith by  appropriate  proceedings,  (ii)  statutory or common
laws  liens to secure  landlords,  lessors  or  renters  under  leases or rental
agreements  confined to the premises  rented,  (iii) deposits or pledges made in
connection  with, or to secure payment of, workers'  compensation,  unemployment
insurance,  old age pension or other social  security  programs  mandated  under
applicable  Laws,  (iv)  statutory  or common  law  liens in favor of  carriers,
warehousemen,  mechanics and materialmen,  to secure claims for labor, materials
or supplies and other like liens, and (v) restrictions on transfer of securities
imposed by applicable state and federal securities Laws.

(l) "Litigation" means any suit, action,  arbitration,  cause of action,  claim,
complaint,   criminal   prosecution,   investigation,   governmental   or  other
administrative  proceeding,  whether at law or at equity, before or by any Court
or Governmental Authority or before any arbitrator;

(m) "Material  Adverse Effect" means any fact,  event,  change,  circumstance or
effect  that is  materially  adverse to the  business,  financial  condition  or
results of operations of the (1) Company and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole
when such term is used in relation to the Company and/or the Subsidiaries or (2)
the Parent  and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  when such term is used in
relation to the Parent.

(n) "Merger  Shares"  means shares of Parent Common Stock issued in exchange for
shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the Merger in accordance with Article
I of this Agreement.

(o) "Order" will mean any judgment, order or decree of any Court or Governmental
Authority.

(p) "Person" means an individual, corporation,  partnership, association, trust,
unincorporated  organization,  limited liability company,  other entity or group
(as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act); and

(q) "Subsidiary" or  "Subsidiaries" of the Company,  the Surviving  Corporation,
Parent or any other Person means any  corporation,  partnership,  joint venture,
limited  liability  company  or other  legal  entity of which the  Company,  the
Surviving Corporation,  Parent or such other Person, as the case may be, (either
alone or  through or  together  with any other  Subsidiary)  owns,  directly  or
indirectly,  more than 50% of the stock or other equity interests the holders of
which are generally  entitled to vote for the election of the board of directors
or other governing body of such corporation or other legal entity.

9.5  Interpretation.  When a reference  is made in this  Agreement  to Sections,
subsections,  Schedules  or  Exhibits,  such  reference  shall be to a  Section,
subsection,  Schedule or Exhibit to this Agreement unless  otherwise  indicated.
The words "include," "includes" and "including" when used herein shall be deemed
in each case to be followed by the words "without limitation." The word "herein"
and  similar  references  mean,  except  where a  specific  Section  or  Article
reference is expressly indicated,  the entire Agreement rather than any specific
Section or Article.  The table of contents  and the  headings  contained in this
Agreement  are for  reference  purposes only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

9.6  Severability.  If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all
other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall  nevertheless  remain in
full  force  and  effect  so long as the  economic  or  legal  substance  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby is not affected in any manner  adverse to any
party.  Upon such  determination  that any term or other  provision  is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being  enforced,  the parties hereto shall  negotiate in
good faith to modify this  Agreement so as to effect the original  intent of the
parties  as  closely  as  possible  in an  acceptable  manner  to the  end  that
transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

9.7 Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement  (including  all exhibits and  schedules
hereto) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and
undertakings (other than the Confidentiality  Agreement), both written and oral,
among the parties,  or any of them,  with respect to the subject  matter  hereof
and, except as otherwise  expressly  provided herein, are not intended to confer
upon any other Person any rights or remedies hereunder.

9.8  Assignment.  This  Agreement  shall not be assigned by  operation of law or
otherwise,  except  that  Parent  and  Merger Sub may assign all or any of their
rights hereunder to any Affiliate provided that no such assignment shall relieve
the assigning party of its obligations hereunder.

9.9 Parties in Interest.  This Agreement  shall be binding upon and inure solely
to the benefit of each party hereto,  and nothing in this Agreement,  express or
implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any right, benefit
or remedy of any nature  whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement,  other
than Section (which is intended to be for the benefit of the Indemnified Parties
and may be enforced by such Indemnified Parties).

9.10 Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver; Remedies Cumulative.  No failure or delay
on the part of any party  hereto in the  exercise  of any right  hereunder  will
impair such right or be  construed  to be a waiver of, or  acquiescence  in, any
breach of any representation,  warranty or agreement herein, nor will any single
or partial exercise of any such right preclude other or further exercise thereof
or of any other right. All rights and remedies existing under this Agreement are
cumulative  to,  and not  exclusive  to,  and not  exclusive  of,  any rights or
remedies otherwise available.

9.11 Governing Law. This Agreement and the agreements, instruments and documents
contemplated  hereby will be governed by and  construed in  accordance  with the
Laws of the State of Delaware (exclusive of conflicts of law principles). Courts
within the State of Delaware  will have  jurisdiction  over any and all disputes
between the parties hereto, whether in law or equity, arising out of or relating
to this Agreement and the  agreements,  instruments  and documents  contemplated
hereby.  The parties consent to and agree to submit to the  jurisdiction of such
Courts,  provided,  however, that such consent to jurisdiction is solely for the
purpose referred to in this Section 9.11 and shall not be deemed to be a general
submission to the  jurisdiction of such Courts or in the State of Delaware other
than for such  purpose.  Each of the parties  hereby  waives,  and agrees not to
assert in any such dispute,  to the fullest extent  permitted by applicable Law,
any claim (i) that such party is not personally  subject to the  jurisdiction of
such Courts,  (ii) that such party and such party's  property is immune from any
legal process issued by such Courts or (iii) for forum non conveniens.

9.12  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when
executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement.

                [Remainder of this page intentionally left blank]


                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  Parent,  Merger Sub and the Company have
caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their
respective officers thereunto duly authorized.

                                       AMERICA ONLINE, INC.


                                       By  /s/Donn M. Davis
                                         Name:  Donn M. Davis
                                         Title: Senior Vice President, 
                                                Business Development
                                                   

                                       MF ACQUISITION CORPORATION


                                       By  /s/Donn M. Davis
                                         Name:  Donn M. Davis
                                         Title: President


                                       MOVIEFONE, INC.


                                       By /s/Andrew Jarecki 
                                         Name:  Andrew Jarecki
                                         Title: Chief Executive Officer

                      LIST OF EXHIBITS TO MERGER AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT A                  Stockholders Agreement
EXHIBIT B                  Stock Option Agreement
EXHIBIT C                  Certificate of Merger
EXHIBIT D                  Falconwood Termination Agreement
EXHIBIT E                  Registration Rights Agreement
EXHIBIT F                  Company Release
EXHIBIT G                  Jarecki/Falconwood Release
EXHIBIT H                  Affiliate Agreement
EXHIBIT I                  Employment Agreements
EXHIBIT J                  Personal Services Agreement
EXHIBIT K                  Release Agreements
EXHIBIT L                  Assignment Agreements
EXHIBIT M                  Falconwood Agreement
EXHIBIT N                  Non-Competition Agreements

                      LIST OF SCHEDULES TO MERGER AGREEMENT

Section 2.1(b)       Subsidiaries and other equity interests
Section 2.3          Contractual Registration Rights
Section 2.3(a)       Shares Reserved got Future Issuance; Arrangements 
                     Concerning Company Stock
Section 2.5          Consents
Section 2.6(a)       Material Agreements
Section 2.6(b)       Teleticketing agreements.
Section 2.7(a)       SEC Reports
Section 2.8(a)       Events since September 30, 1998
Section 2.8(b)       Accounting Changes and certain other events since 
                     September 30, 1998
Section 2.10         Litigation
Section 2.11 (a)     Employee Benefit Plans
Section 2.11 (b)     Compliance with ERISA
Section 2.11(d)      Company affiliates holding options, warrants or other 
                     rights to purchase Stock
Section 2.11 (e)     Outstanding Stock Options
Section 2.12         Labor Matters
Section 2.14         Restrictions on Business Activities
Section 2.15         Real Property
Section 2.16         Certain Tax Matters
Section 2.19(a)      Intellectual Property
Section 2.19(b)      Intellectual Property License Agreements
Section 2.19 (c)     Royalties
Section 2.19(d)(iv)  Intellectual Property Litigation
Section 2.19 (d)(v)  Intellectual Property Claims
Section 2.19(e)(i)   Software which is owned or licensed
Section 2.19(e)(ii)  Software which is sold or leased
Section 2.19 (i)     Exceptions to "other Matters" contained in the Company's 
                     Quarterly Report for the
                     Period ended September 30, 1998.
Section 2.20         Insurance Policies
Section 2.23         Affiliates
Section 2.25         Interested Party Transactions
Section 4.1(f)       Compensation Increases and Bonuses.
Section 5.6          Compensation Contracts
Schedule 7.1(a)      Persons entering into Affiliate Agreements
Schedule 7.1(b)      Persons entering into Employment Agreements
Schedule 7.1(c)      Persons/entities entering into Releases
Schedule 7.1(d)      Persons/entities entering into Assignment Agreements
Schedule 7.1(e)      Stockholders entering into a Stockholders Agreement with 
                     Parent
Schedule 7.1(h)      Stockholders entering into a Non-Competition Agreement

All of the schedules have been omitted  pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation
S-K. The Company hereby agrees to furnish  supplementally  a copy of any omitted
schedule to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.

                                                                      EXHIBIT A


                                                   STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, 
                                                   dated as of February 1,1999
                                                   (this "Agreement"), by and 
                                                   among AMERICA ONLINE, INC.,
                                                   a Delaware   corporation
                                                   ("Acquiror"),  and each of
                                                   the parties identified on
                                                   Schedule A hereto 
                                                   (individually a "Stockholder"
                                                   and collectively  the
                                                   "Stockholders").

                  WHEREAS,  MovieFone, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Company"),
Acquiror and MF  Acquisition  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation  and a newly
formed   wholly   owned   direct   subsidiary   of  Acquiror   ("Newco"),   have
contemporaneously  with  the  execution  of  this  Agreement,  entered  into  an
Agreement  and  Plan of  Merger  dated  as of  February  1,  1999  (the  "Merger
Agreement") which provides,  among other things, that Newco shall be merged (the
"Merger")  with  and into the  Company  pursuant  to the  terms  and  conditions
thereof; and

                  WHEREAS,  as an essential condition and inducement to Acquiror
to  enter  into  the  Merger  Agreement  and  in  consideration   therefor,  the
undersigned  Stockholders  and the  Acquiror  have  agreed  to enter  into  this
Agreement; and

                  WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, the Stockholders own of record
the shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, or Class B common
stock,  par value $0.01 per share,  of the Company  (collectively,  the "Company
Common Stock") set forth opposite  their  respective  names on Schedule A hereto
and desire to enter into this  Agreement  with respect to such shares of Company
Common Stock; and

                  WHEREAS,  capitalized  terms  used  herein  and not  otherwise
defined  herein  shall have the  meanings  ascribed  to such terms in the Merger
Agreement.

                  NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  foregoing and the
mutual covenants and agreements  contained  herein and in the Merger  Agreement,
and for other good and valuable  consideration,  the receipt and  sufficiency of
which are hereby  acknowledged,  and intending to be legally  bound hereby,  the
parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

                                   Article 1

                                Voting of Shares

1.1 Stockholders  Agreement.  Each Stockholder  hereby agrees to (a) appear,  in
person or by proxy, or cause the holder of record on any applicable  record date
(the  "Record  Holder")  to appear,  in person or by proxy,  for the  purpose of
obtaining  a quorum at any annual or  special  meeting  of  stockholders  of the
Company  and at any  adjournment  thereof,  including  those  at  which  matters
relating to the Merger,  the Merger  Agreement or any  transaction  contemplated
thereby are  considered,  and (b) vote,  or cause the Record  Holder to vote, in
person or by proxy, or to the extent written consents are solicited, execute and
deliver  written  consents  with  respect  to, all of the shares of the  Company
Common Stock owned by Stockholder, or with respect to which such Stockholder has
voting  power or control,  and all of the shares of Company  Common  Stock which
shall,  or with  respect to which voting  power or control  shall,  hereafter be
acquired  by such  Stockholder  (collectively,  the  "Shares")  in  favor of the
Merger,  the Merger  Agreement and the  transactions  contemplated by the Merger
Agreement.


1.2 No Ownership  Interest.  Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed
to vest in Acquiror  any direct or indirect  ownership or incidence of ownership
of or with respect to any Shares. All rights, ownership and economic benefits of
and  relating  to  the  Shares  shall  remain   vested  in  and  belong  to  the
Stockholders,   and  Acquiror  shall  have  no  authority  to  manage,   direct,
superintend,  restrict,  regulate,  govern, or administer any of the policies or
operations  of the  Company or  exercise  any power or  authority  to direct the
Stockholders  in the voting of any of the Shares,  except as otherwise  provided
herein, or the performance of the Stockholders'  duties or  responsibilities  as
stockholders of the Company.

1.3 Evaluation of Investment.  Each Stockholder,  by reason of its knowledge and
experience  in  financial  and  business  matters,  believes  itself  capable of
evaluating the merits and risks of the investment in shares of common stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of Acquiror  ("Acquiror  Common Stock"),  contemplated by
the Merger Agreement.

1.4 Documents Delivered.  Each Stockholder acknowledges receipt of copies of the
following documents:

     (a) the Merger Agreement and all Annexes thereto;

     (b) the Option Agreement

     (c) Acquiror's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal  year ended 
         June 30, 1998;

     (d) Acquiror's Proxy Statement dated September 28, 1998; and

     (e) each  report  filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  
         by the Acquiror on Forms 8-K and 10-Q since June 30, 1998.

Each Stockholder also acknowledges that he possesses the information relating to
the Company which he deems  relevant to his  investment  in the Acquiror  Common
Stock should the Merger be  consummated.  

1.5 No Inconsistent  Agreements.  Each  Stockholder  hereby covenants and agrees
that,  except as  contemplated by this Agreement and the Merger  Agreement,  the
Stockholder  (a) has not  entered,  and shall not enter at any time  while  this
Agreement  remains in effect,  into any voting  agreement  or voting  trust with
respect to the Shares and (b) has not  granted,  and shall not grant at any time
while  this  Agreement  remains  in effect,  a proxy or power of  attorney  with
respect  to  the  Shares,  in  either  case  which  is  inconsistent  with  such
Stockholder's obligations pursuant to this Agreement.

                                   Article 2

                                    Transfer

2.1 Transfer of Title.  (a) Each  Stockholder  hereby  covenants and agrees that
such  Stockholder  will not, prior to the termination of this Agreement,  either
directly  or  indirectly,  offer or  otherwise  agree to sell,  assign,  pledge,
hypothecate,  transfer,  exchange, or voluntarily dispose of any Shares, options
to purchase  Company Common Stock  ("Options") or any other securities or rights
("Rights")  convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Company Common Stock,
owned either directly or indirectly by such Stockholder or with respect to which
such  Stockholder  has  the  power  of  disposition,  whether  now or  hereafter
acquired,  without  the prior  written  consent of  Acquiror  (provided  nothing
contained herein will be deemed to restrict the exercise of Options), unless the
Person  to  whom  Shares  or  Options   have  been  sold,   assigned,   pledged,
hypothecated, transferred, exchanged or disposed agrees in writing in advance to
be bound by this Agreement as if a party hereto.

                   (b) Each Stockholder  hereby agrees and consents to the entry
of stop transfer  instructions by the Company against the transfer of any Shares
in a  manner  not  consistent  with the  terms  of  Section  2.1(a)  hereof  and
acknowledges and agrees that each certificate representing any Shares shall bear
the following legend:

                  This certificate and the shares represented hereby are subject
                  to  certain   limitations   on  transfer  and  certain  voting
                  restrictions set forth in the Stockholders  Agreement dated as
                  of February 1, 1999 by and among America Online,  Inc. and the
                  parties  identified  in Schedule A thereto (a copy of which is
                  available for  inspection at the offices of MovieFone,  Inc.),
                  and any  transferee of this  certificate  or any of the shares
                  represented hereby shall be bound by the provisions thereof.

As soon as  practicable  after the execution and delivery of this Agreement (and
in no event more than three (3)  Business  Days  thereafter),  each  Stockholder
shall surrender each certificate  representing any of such Shares to the Company
in exchange for one or more  certificates  representing  such Shares bearing the
foregoing legend.

                                   Article 3

                 Representations and Warranties of Stockholders

          Each  Stockholder  hereby  severally  and not jointly  represents  and
warrants to Acquiror, as follows:

3.1 Authority  Relative to Agreement.  In the case of any Stockholder  that is a
corporation, partnership or trust, such Stockholder is duly organized, formed or
created under the laws of the  jurisdiction  of its  organization,  formation or
creation. Such Stockholder,  in the case of any individual, is competent and, in
the case of any Stockholder that is a corporation,  partnership or trust has the
power and  authority  to execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement,  to perform its
obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. In
the case of any  Stockholder  that is a corporation,  partnership or trust,  all
necessary  corporate,  partnership or trust action on behalf of such Stockholder
has been taken to authorize  this  Agreement.  This  Agreement has been duly and
validly  executed  and  delivered  by such  Stockholder  and,  assuming  the due
authorization,  execution and delivery by Acquiror,  constitutes a legal,  valid
and binding obligation of such Stockholder, enforceable against such Stockholder
in accordance with its terms.

3.2  No  Conflict.  The  execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  by  such
Stockholder do not, and the  performance  of this Agreement by such  Stockholder
will not, result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event that with
notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others
any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result
in the creation of a lien or encumbrance on any of the Shares, Options or Rights
pursuant to, any note, bond, mortgage,  indenture,  contract,  agreement, lease,
license,  permit,  franchise or other  instrument  or  obligation  to which such
Stockholder  is a party or by which  such  Stockholder  is bound or to which the
Shares,  Options or Rights are subject or by which they are  affected and in the
case of any  Stockholder  that  is a  corporation,  partnership  or  trust,  the
applicable organizational documents or trust agreement.

3.3 Title to the Shares. The Shares, Options and Rights held by such Stockholder
are owned free and clear of all  security  interests,  liens,  claims,  pledges,
options,  rights of first refusal,  agreements  (except that, in the case of any
Stockholder  that  is a  trust,  the  Shares,  Options  or  Rights  held by such
Stockholder  are held for the  benefit of the  beneficiaries  of the  applicable
trust pursuant to the terms of the applicable trust  agreement),  limitations on
such Stockholder's  voting rights,  charges and other encumbrances of any nature
whatsoever,  and such Stockholder has not appointed or granted any proxy,  which
appointment or grant remains effective,  with respect to the Shares,  Options or
Rights.

                                   Article 4

                                  Miscellaneous

4.1 No  Solicitation.  From the date  hereof  until  the  Effective  Time or, if
earlier,  the termination of the Merger  Agreement,  each Stockholder  shall not
(whether   directly   or   indirectly   through   advisors,   agents   or  other
intermediaries) (a) solicit,  initiate or encourage any Acquisition  Proposal or
(b) engage in  discussions  or  negotiations  with,  or disclose any  non-public
information  relating to the Company or its  Subsidiaries to any Person that has
made  an  Acquisition  Proposal  or  has  advised  the  Stockholder,  or to  his
Knowledge,  any other Stockholder or the Company, that such Person is interested
in  making an  Acquisition  Proposal.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  nothing
contained in this Section 4.1 shall restrict any Stockholder from fulfilling its
legal or fiduciary duties arising by reason of such Stockholder's capacity as an
officer or  director  of the  Company or as a trustee of a trust,  in each case,
acting  in such  capacity;  provided,  however,  that  in no  event  shall  such
Stockholder fail to perform its obligations under Section 1.1 of this Agreement.

4.2  Termination.  This Agreement  shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of
(a) the termination of the Merger  Agreement in accordance with its terms or (b)
the  Effective  Time.  Upon such  termination,  no party  shall have any further
obligations or liabilities  hereunder,  provided that no such termination  shall
relieve any party from liability for any breach of this Agreement  prior to such
termination.

4.3 Enforcement of Agreement.  The parties hereto agree that irreparable  damage
would occur in the event that any of the  provisions of this  Agreement were not
performed in accordance with its specified terms or were otherwise breached.  It
is  accordingly  agreed that the parties  shall be entitled to an  injunction or
injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to specific performance of
the terms and  provisions  hereof in addition to any other  remedy to which they
are entitled at law or in equity.

4.4 Successors and Affiliates.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and
shall be binding  upon the  parties  hereto and their  respective  heirs,  legal
representatives  and permitted  assigns.  If any  Stockholder  shall at any time
hereafter  acquire ownership of, or voting power with respect to, any additional
Shares in any  manner,  whether by the  exercise  of any  Options or Rights,  by
operation of law or  otherwise,  such Shares shall be held subject to all of the
terms and provisions of this  Agreement.  Without  limiting the foregoing,  each
Stockholder  specifically  agrees  that  the  obligations  of  such  Stockholder
hereunder shall not be terminated by death or incapacity of the Stockholder.

4.5 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Affiliate Agreements, in
the form  attached  as Exhibit H to the Merger  Agreement,  if and to the extent
entered into by each of the  Stockholders  and Acquiror,  constitutes the entire
agreement among Acquiror and the Stockholders with respect to the subject matter
hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings,  both written and
oral,  among  Acquiror and the  Stockholders  with respect to the subject matter
hereof.  4.6 Captions and  Counterparts.  The captions in this Agreement are for
convenience  only  and  shall  not  be  considered  a  part  of  or  affect  the
construction  or  interpretation  of  any  provision  of  this  Agreement.  This
Agreement  may  be  executed  in  several  counterparts,  each  of  which  shall
constitute one and the same instrument.

4.7  Amendment.  This  Agreement  may not be amended  except by an instrument in
writing signed by the parties hereto.

4.8 Waivers.  Except as provided in this Agreement,  no action taken pursuant to
this Agreement,  including without  limitation any investigation by or on behalf
of any party,  shall be deemed to  constitute  a waiver by the party taking such
action  of  compliance  with  any  representations,   warranties,  covenants  or
agreements  contained  in this  Agreement.  The waiver by any party  hereto of a
breach of any provision  hereunder shall not operate or be construed as a wavier
of any prior or subsequent breach of the same or any other provision hereunder.

4.9  Severability.  If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all
other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall  nevertheless  remain in
full force and effect.  Upon such determination that any term or other provision
is invalid,  illegal or incapable of being  enforced,  the parties  hereto shall
negotiate  in good faith to modify this  Agreement  so as to effect the original
intent of the parties as closely as possible to the fullest extent  permitted by
applicable law in a mutually  acceptable  manner in order that the terms of this
Agreement remain as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

4.10  Notices.  All  notices  or other  communications  which  are  required  or
permitted  hereunder shall be in writing and sufficient if delivered  personally
or sent by nationally-recognized overnight courier or be registered or certified
mail, postage prepaid,  return receipt requested,  or by electronic mail, with a
copy  thereof to be  delivered  by mail (as  aforesaid)  within 24 hours of such
electronic mail, or by telecopier, with confirmation as provided above addressed
as follows:

                           (a)      If to a Stockholder:

                                    At the address set forth opposite such
                                    Stockholder's name on Schedule A hereto


                           (b)      If to Acquiror or Newco:

                                    America Online, Inc.
                                    Attention:
                                    Telecopier:
                                    E-mail:

                                    With a copy to:

                                    Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
                                    666 Fifth Avenue
                                    New York, New York  10103
                                    Attention:  Martin H. Levenglick
                                    Telecopier:  (212) 506-5151
                                    E-mail:  [email protected]

or to such  other  address  as the party to whom  notice is to be given may have
furnished to the other party in writing in accordance herewith. All such notices
or  communications  shall be deemed to be  received  (a) in the case of personal
delivery, on the date of such delivery, (b) in the case of nationally-recognized
overnight courier,  on the next business day after the date when sent (c) in the
case of facsimile  transmission or telecopier or electronic mail, upon confirmed
receipt, and (d) in the case of mailing, on the third business day following the
date on which the piece of mail containing such communication was posted.

4.11  Governing  Law;  Consent  to  Jurisdiction.  (a) This  Agreement  shall be
governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware
regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under  applicable  principles
of conflicts of law.

                  (b) Each Stockholder  hereby  irrevocably and  unconditionally
submits,  for itself and its property,  to the nonexclusive  jurisdiction of the
United  States  District  Court of the  Southern  District of New York,  and any
appellate court from such court,  in any action or proceeding  arising out of or
relating to this  Agreement,  or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment,
and each of the parties hereto hereby  irrevocably  and  unconditionally  agrees
that all  claims in respect of any such  action or  proceeding  may be heard and
determined in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final
judgment  in any  such  action  or  proceeding  shall be  conclusive  and may be
enforced in other  jurisdictions  by suit on the judgment or in any other manner
provided by law.  Nothing in this shall affect any right that  Acquiror or Newco
may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding  relating to this Agreement
against any Stockholder or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

                  (c) Each Stockholder  hereby  irrevocably and  unconditionally
waives,  to the  fullest  extent  it may  legally  and  effectively  do so,  any
objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit,
action or proceeding  arising out of or relating to this  Agreement in any court
referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby
irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of forum
non  conveniens  to the  maintenance  of such action or  proceeding  in any such
court.

                  (d)  Each   Stockholder   hereby   irrevocably   appoints  and
designates CT Corporation System,  whose address is 1633 Broadway,  New York, NY
10019,  or any other person  having and  maintaining  a place of business in the
State of New York  whom the  Parent  or Newco  may from  time to time  hereafter
designate  (having given 30 days' notice thereof to the Acquiror and Newco),  as
the true and lawful attorney and duly authorized agent for acceptance of service
of legal process from Acquiror and Newco.  Without  prejudice to the  foregoing,
each party to this Agreement  irrevocably  consents to service of process in the
manner  provided for notices in Section  4.10.  Nothing in this  Agreement  will
affect the right of any party to this  Agreement  to serve  process in any other
manner permitted by law.

4.12  Definitions.  Capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the
meaning set forth in the Merger Agreement.

4.13  Obligations of  Stockholders.  Except as provided in Article 3 and Section
4.16, the obligations of the  Stockholders  hereunder shall be "several" and not
"joint"  or  "joint  and  several."  Without  limiting  the  generality  of  the
foregoing,  under no  circumstances  will any Stockholder  have any liability or
obligation  with respect to any  misrepresentation  or breach of covenant of any
other Stockholder.

4.14  Officers  and  Directors.  No person  who is or becomes  (during  the term
hereof)  a  director  or  officer  of  the  Company   makes  any   agreement  or
understanding  herein in his or her  capacity as such  director or officer,  and
nothing  herein  will  limit  or  affect,  or  give  rise  to any  liability  to
Stockholder  by virtue of, any actions  taken by any  Stockholder  in his or her
capacity as an officer or director of the Company in exercising its rights under
the Merger Agreement.

4.15 Interpretation. The parties have participated jointly in the negotiation of
this  Agreement.  In the  event  that an  ambiguity  or  question  of  intent or
interpretation  arises,  this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly
by the parties,  and no  presumption  or burden of proof shall arise favoring or
disfavoring  any party by virtue of the  authorship  of the  provisions  of this
Agreement.

4.16 Expenses.  If the Merger Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.1(i)
as a result  of a breach by one or more  parties  to this  Agreement,  then each
party in breach of this  Agreement  jointly and  severally  agrees to  reimburse
Parent,  within five (5) business  days of Parent's  request  therefor,  for all
Parent Stipulated Expenses and all fees and expenses incurred in connection with
the enforcement or realization of Acquiror's rights and remedies hereunder.

                [Remainder of this page intentionally left blank]

                     COUNTERPART SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE
               STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 1999

                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  each of the  parties  hereto have caused
this  Stockholders  Agreement to be duly  executed as of the date first  written
above.

                                           AMERICA ONLINE, INC.


                                           By:/s/Donn Davis
                                              Name:Donn Davis
                                              Title:Senior Vice President,
                                                    Business Development

                        COUNTERPART SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE
               STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 1999

STOCKHOLDER:

TIMBER NATION TRUST #1                             THE TIMBER TOP TRUST


By:/s/Henry G. Jarecki                             By:/s/Henry G. Jarecki
   Name:Henry G. Jarecki                              Name:Henry G. Jarecki
   Title:Trustee                                      Title:Trustee

THE TIMBER FALLS TRUST                             THE TIMBER EDGE TRUST


By:/s/Henry G. Jarecki                             By:/s/Henry G. Jarecki 
   Name:Henry G. Jarecki                              Name:Henry G. Jarecki
   Title:Trustee                                      Title:Trustee

                                                   THE TIMBER ACRES TRUST


/s/Thomas A. Jarecki                               By:/s/Henry G. Jarecki
THOMAS A. JARECKI                                     Name:Henry G. Jarecki
                                                      Title:Trustee

                                                   THE TIMBER ACRES TRUST II


/s/Andrew R. Jarecki                                 By:/s/Andrew R. Jarecki
ANDREW R. JARECKI                                       Name:Andrew R. Jarecki
                                                        Title:Trustee


/s/Eugene D. Jarecki                               /s/Robert Gukeisen
EUGENE D. JARECKI                                  ROBERT GUKEISEN


/s/J Russell Leatherman                            /s/Divonne Jarecki
J. RUSSELL LEATHERMAN                              DIVONNE JARECKI


                                                   /s/Adam Slutsky
                                                   ADAM SLUTSKY

                        COUNTERPART SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE
               STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 1999


JARFAM L.P.                                 THE JEF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

By:  AIROLG, INC., its General Partner      By:  THE RAPMIL CORPORATION, 
                                                 its General Partner


By: /s/Stanley A. Lefkowitz                 By: /s/Stanley A. Lefkowitz
    Name:Stanley A. Lefkowitz                   Name:Stanley A. Lefkowitz  
    Title:Vice President                        Title:Vice President

FALCONWOOD FOUNDATION, INC.


By:/s/Henry G. Jarecki
     Name:Henry G. Jarecki
     Title:Director

By:/s/Andrew R. Jarecki
     Name:Andrew R. Jarecki
     Title:Director

By:/s/Stanley A. Lefkowitz
     Name:Stanley A. Lefkowitz
     Title:Director

                                   Schedule A

Stockholder                   Number of Shares of MovieFone, Inc.
                              Common Stock Beneficially Owned

Falconwood Foundation         75,000 shares of Class A Common Stock
                             

Robert Gukeisen               366,410 shares of Class A Common Stock
                                                          
                             
Andrew R. Jarecki             Zero (0) shares of Class A Common Stock
                                                          
                             
Divonne Jarecki               3,990 shares of Class A Common Stock
                             
                             
Eugene D. Jarecki             84,560 shares of Class A Common Stock
                              

Thomas A. Jarecki             161,350 shares of Class A Common Stock
                             

J. Russell Leatherman         166,105 shares of Class A Common Stock
                              

Adam Slutsky                  105,280 shares of Class A Common Stock
                               

Timber Nation Trust #1        139,860 shares of Class B Common Stock
                              

The Timber Edge Trust         1,266,410 shares of Class B Common
                              Stock
                             

The Timber Falls Trust        75,000 shares of Class A Common Stock
                              3,434,280 shares of Class B Common Stock
                              

The Timber Acres Trust        956,840 shares of Class B Common Stock
                                                           

The Timber Acres Trust II     1,422,770 shares of Class A Common Stock
                                                           

The Timber Top Trust          1,156,620 shares of Class B Common Stock
                              

JARFAM L.P.                   197,267 shares of Class A Common Stock
                              

The JEF Limited Partnership   166,043 shares of Class B Common Stock
                              

                                                                      EXHIBIT B


                                                              STOCK       OPTION
                                                     AGREEMENT             (this
                                                     "Agreement"),  dated  as of
                                                     February  1, 1999,  between
                                                     MOVIEFONE, INC., a Delaware
                                                     corporation            (the
                                                     "Company"),   and   AMERICA
                                                     ONLINE,  INC.,  a  Delaware
                                                     corporation ("Grantee").

                  WHEREAS, the Company,  Grantee and MF Acquisition Corporation,
a Delaware  corporation  and a newly formed  wholly owned direct  subsidiary  of
Grantee ("Newco"),  have  contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement
entered into an  Agreement  and Plan of Merger dated as of February 1, 1999 (the
"Merger  Agreement")  which  provides,  among other things,  that Newco shall be
merged with and into the Company  pursuant to the terms and conditions  thereof;
and

                  WHEREAS, as an essential condition and inducement to Grantee's
entering into the Merger  Agreement and in consideration  therefor,  the Company
has agreed to grant Grantee the Option (as hereinafter defined);

                  WHEREAS,  capitalized  terms  used  herein  and not  otherwise
defined  herein  shall have the  meanings  ascribed  to such terms in the Merger
Agreement.

                  NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  foregoing and the
mutual covenants and agreements  contained  herein and in the Merger  Agreement,
and for other good and valuable  consideration,  the receipt and  sufficiency of
which are hereby  acknowledged,  and intending to be legally  bound hereby,  the
parties hereby agree as follows:

1. Grant of Option.  The Company hereby grants to Grantee an irrevocable  option
(the "Option") to purchase,  subject to the terms hereof, up to 6,186,762 shares
(such shares being referred to herein as the "Option  Shares") of fully paid and
nonassessable  Class A Common Stock,  par value $0.01 per share,  of the Company
("Class A Company  Common  Stock"),  which  number of shares the Company  hereby
represents and warrants is the number of shares of Class A Common Stock that has
voting power equal to approximately fifteen percent (15%) of the voting power of
the shares of Class A Company  Common Stock and Class B Common Stock,  par value
$0.01 per share,  of the Company  ("Class B Company Common Stock" and,  together
with  Class  A  Company  Common  Stock,   "Company  Common  Stock")  issued  and
outstanding  (before giving effect to the exercise of the Option) as of the date
hereof,  at a purchase price of $29.25 per share, as adjusted in accordance with
the  provisions  of Section 8 of this  Agreement  (such  price,  as  adjusted if
applicable,  the "Option  Price").  In  addition,  Grantee may elect to purchase
Option  Shares  issuable and pay some or all of the total  Option Price  payable
upon an  exercise of this  Option by  surrendering  a portion of the Option with
respect to such number of Option  Shares as is  determined  by dividing  the (i)
total  Option  Price  payable in respect  of the number of Option  Shares  being
purchased  in such  manner  by (ii) the  excess  of the Fair  Market  Value,  as
determined  below,  per share of Class A Company  Common  Stock as of the Option
Closing Date (as defined below) over the per share Option Price. The Fair Market
Value  per  share of Class A Company  Common  Stock  shall be (i) if the Class A
Company  Common  Stock  is  listed  on  the  Nasdaq  National  Market,  national
securities exchange or other nationally recognized exchange or trading system as
of the Option  Closing  Date,  the last reported sale price per share of Class A
Company  Common Stock thereon on the Option Closing Date, or if no such price is
reported on such date,  such price on the next preceding  business day for which
such  price is  reported,  or (ii) if the  Class A Company  Common  Stock is not
listed on the Nasdaq  National  Market,  national  securities  exchange or other
nationally  recognized exchange or trading system as of the Option Closing Date,
the amount  determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company to
represent  the value per share the Class A Common  Stock  would have if publicly
traded on a  nationally  recognized  exchange or trading  system  (assuming  the
absence of unusual market  conditions and no premium for control or discount for
minority interests, illiquidity or restrictions on transfer).

2. (a) Exercise of Option.  Grantee may  exercise the Option,  in whole or part,
and from time to time,  if,  but only if, a  Triggering  Event  (as  hereinafter
defined) shall have occurred  prior to the  occurrence of an Option  Termination
Event (as  hereinafter  defined),  provided  that  Grantee  shall  have sent the
written notice of such exercise (as provided in Section 2(e) hereof) on or prior
to the last date of the one (1) year period following such Triggering Event (the
"Option Expiration Date"). The right to exercise the Option shall terminate upon
the first to occur of the Option Expiration Date or an Option Termination Event.

(b) Triggering  Events. The term "Triggering Event" shall mean the occurrence of
the earliest date, if any, upon or after  termination of the Merger Agreement on
which Grantee shall have the unconditional  right to receive the Termination Fee
pursuant to Section 8.3(b) of the Merger Agreement.

(c) Option Termination  Events.  The term "Option  Termination Event" shall mean
any of the following events:

(i)      the Effective Time; or

(ii) the  termination  of the Merger  Agreement  other than under  circumstances
which  constitute  (or upon  satisfaction  of the  condition  to  payment of the
Termination Fee set forth in Section 8.3(b)(ii)(y) of the Merger Agreement would
constitute) a Triggering Event under this Agreement; or

(iii) the occurrence of the date which is eighteen (18) months after termination
of the Merger Agreement under  circumstances  which, if the condition to payment
of the Termination Fee set forth Section  8.3(b)(ii)(y)  of the Merger Agreement
were satisfied,  would constitute a Triggering Event under this Agreement unless
such a Triggering  Event resulting from the  satisfaction of such conditions has
occurred prior to such date.


Notwithstanding  the  termination  of the Option,  Grantee  shall be entitled to
purchase  those Option  Shares with respect to which it may have  exercised  the
Option in  accordance  with the terms  hereof  prior to the  termination  of the
Option,  and the termination of the Option will not affect any rights  hereunder
which by their terms do not terminate or expire prior to or at such termination.

(d) Notice of Triggering  Event.  The Company shall notify Grantee in writing as
promptly as  practicable  following its becoming  aware of the occurrence of any
Triggering  Event,  it being  understood  that the giving of such  notice by the
Company  shall not be a condition to the right of Grantee to exercise the Option
or for a  Triggering  Event to have  occurred  and that the failure to give such
notification  shall not  itself be deemed to be a breach of this  Agreement  for
purposes of Section 8.1(e)(viii) of the Merger Agreement.

(e) Notice of  Exercise;  Closing.  In the event that Grantee is entitled to and
desires to exercise  the Option,  it shall send to the Company a written  notice
(such notice being  herein  referred to as an "Exercise  Notice" and the date of
issuance of an Exercise  Notice being herein  referred to as the "Notice  Date")
indicating  that Grantor is exercising  the Option and  specifying (i) the total
number of Option Shares that it will purchase  pursuant to such  exercise,  (ii)
whether the Option  Price will be paid in cash or by  surrender  of a portion of
the Option and (iii) a place and date not earlier than three (3)  Business  Days
and not later than ten (10)  Business  Days from the Notice Date for the closing
of such purchase (the "Option Closing Date");  provided,  that if the closing of
the purchase and sale  pursuant to the Option (the "Option  Closing")  cannot be
consummated,  by  reason  of any  applicable  Order,  the  period  of time  that
otherwise  would run pursuant to this Section shall run instead from the date on
which such  restriction  on  consummation  has expired or been  terminated;  and
provided  further,  without  limiting the foregoing,  that if, in the reasonable
opinion of Grantee,  prior  notification to or approval of any regulatory agency
is required in connection  with such  purchase,  the Company or Grantee,  as the
case may be, shall promptly file the required notice or application for approval
and shall  expeditiously  process the same and the period of time that otherwise
would run pursuant to this sentence shall run instead from the date on which any
required  notification periods have expired or been terminated or such approvals
have been  obtained  and any  requisite  waiting  period or  periods  shall have
passed.

(f) Purchase Price.  At the Option Closing,  if the Option Price will be paid in
cash, Grantee shall pay to the Company the aggregate Option Price in immediately
available  funds by wire  transfer to a bank account  designated by the Company;
provided that the failure by Grantee to effect such a wire transfer because of a
failure or refusal of the Company to  designate  such a bank  account  shall not
relieve the Company of its obligations under Section 2(g) at the Option Closing.

(g) Issuance of Option Shares.  At the Option Closing,  simultaneously  with the
delivery of  immediately  available  funds as provided in Section 2(f) hereof if
the Option  Price will be paid in cash and  surrender  of this  Agreement to the
Company,  the Company  shall deliver to Grantee a  certificate  or  certificates
representing the number of Option Shares purchased by Grantee and, if the Option
shall have been exercised in part only and the entire  remaining  portion of the
Option shall not have been  surrendered to pay the Option Price, a new agreement
in the form of this  Agreement  evidencing the rights of Grantee to purchase the
balance of the Option Shares purchasable  hereunder.  If at the time of issuance
of any  Option  Shares  pursuant  to an  exercise  of all or part of the  Option
hereunder,  the Company shall have issued any rights or other  securities  which
are attached to or otherwise  associated  with the Class A Company Common Stock,
then each Option Share issued  pursuant to such  exercise  shall also  represent
such  rights or other  securities  with terms  substantially  the same as and at
least as  favorable  to Grantee as are  provided  under any  stockholder  rights
agreement or similar agreement of the Company then in effect.

(h) Legend. Certificates for Option Shares delivered at an Option Closing may be
endorsed with a restrictive legend that shall read substantially as follows:

                  The transfer of the shares  represented by this certificate is
                  subject to resale  restrictions  arising under the  Securities
                  Act of 1933, as amended.

It is understood and agreed that the reference to the resale restrictions of the
Securities  Act, in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of  substitute
certificate(s)  without such  reference if Grantee  shall have  delivered to the
Company a copy of a letter  from the staff of the SEC, or an opinion of counsel,
reasonably  satisfactory  to the Company,  to the effect that such legend is not
required for purposes of the Securities Act.

(i) Record Grantee; Expenses. Upon the delivery by Grantee to the Company of the
Exercise  Notice and the tender of the  applicable  Option Price in  immediately
available funds or the requisite portion of the Option,  Grantee shall be deemed
to be the holder of record of the Option  Shares  issuable  upon such  exercise,
notwithstanding that the stock transfer books of the Company may then be closed,
that  certificates  representing  such  Option  Shares  may not then  have  been
actually  delivered  to Grantee  or the  Company  may have  failed or refused to
designate the bank account  described in Section 2(f). The Company shall pay all
expenses that may be payable in connection  with the  preparation,  issuance and
delivery  of stock  certificates  under this  Section 2 in the name of  Grantee.
Grantee  shall pay all  expenses  that may be  payable  in  connection  with the
issuance and delivery of stock  certificates or a substitute option agreement in
the name of any assignee,  transferee or designee of Grantee and any filing fees
and other expenses arising from compliance by Grantee pursuant to the HSR Act.

(j)  Consents.  The  obligation of the Company to issue Option Shares to Grantee
hereunder is subject to the conditions that (i) any waiting period under the HSR
Act applicable to the issuance of the Option Shares hereunder shall have expired
or  been  terminated;   (ii)  all  material  consents,   approvals,   orders  or
authorizations of, or registrations,  declarations or filings with, any Federal,
state or local  administrative  agency or commission or other Federal,  state or
local governmental authority or instrumentality,  if any, required in connection
with the issuance of the Option  Shares  hereunder  shall have been  obtained or
made, as the case may be; and (iii) no  preliminary  or permanent  injunction or
other order by any court of  competent  jurisdiction  prohibiting  or  otherwise
restraining  such issuance shall be in effect.  It is understood and agreed that
at any time  during  which the  Option is  exercisable,  each party will use its
reasonable efforts to satisfy all such conditions to closing,  so that an Option
Closing may take place as promptly as  practicable;  provided  that  neither the
Company nor Grantee nor any subsidiary or affiliate  thereof will be required to
agree to any divestiture by itself or any of its affiliates of shares of capital
stock or of any business,  assets or property, or the imposition of any material
limitation on the ability of any of them to conduct  their  businesses or to own
or exercise control of such assets, properties and stock.

3. Evaluation of Investments. Grantee, by reason of its knowledge and experience
in financial and business  matters,  believes  itself  capable of evaluating the
merits  and  risks of an  investment  in the  Option  and the  securities  to be
purchased pursuant to this Agreement (collectively the "Option Securities"). The
Company,  by reason of its  knowledge  and  experience in financial and business
matters,  believes  itself  capable  of  evaluating  the  merits and risks of an
investment in any Grantee Common Stock.

4. Documents Delivered.  Grantee acknowledges receipt of copies of the following
documents:

(a)The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,1997;

(b) The Company's  Proxy  Statement for the 1998 annual meeting of the Company's
stockholders;

(c) The Company's  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed since December 31, 1997;
and

(d) Current Reports on Form 8-K filed since December 31, 1997.

5. Investment  Intent.  Grantee represents and warrants that it is entering into
this  Agreement and is acquiring  and/or will acquire the Option  Securities for
its own account and not with a view to resale or distribution of all or any part
of the Option Securities in violation of applicable Law. The Company  represents
that, if it obtains any  securities of Grantee  pursuant to this  Agreement,  it
will  acquire  them  for  its own  account  and not  with a view  to  resale  or
distribution of any such securities.

6.  Reservation  of Shares.  The  Company  agrees (i) that it shall at all times
maintain,  free from preemptive  rights,  sufficient  authorized but unissued or
treasury  shares of Class A Company  Common Stock (or Other  Option  Securities)
issuable  pursuant to this Agreement so that the Option may be exercised without
additional  authorization  of Class A Company  Common  Stock  (or  Other  Option
Securities)  after giving  effect to all other  options,  warrants,  convertible
securities  and other rights to purchase  Class A Company Common Stock (or Other
Option  Securities);  (ii) that it will not,  by  charter  amendment  or through
reorganization,  consolidation, merger, dissolution or sale of assets, or by any
other voluntary act, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any
of the covenants to be observed or performed hereunder by the Company; and (iii)
promptly  to take all  action as may from time to time be  required  in order to
permit  Grantee to exercise  the Option and the Company to duly and  effectively
issue  shares of Class A Company  Common  Stock  (or  Other  Option  Securities)
pursuant hereto.

7. Division of Option;  Lost Options.  This  Agreement  (and the Option  granted
hereby)  are  exchangeable,  without  expense,  at the option of  Grantee,  upon
presentation  and  surrender of this  Agreement at the  principal  office of the
Company, for other agreements  providing for Options of different  denominations
entitling the holder  thereof to purchase,  on the same terms and subject to the
same  conditions  as are set forth  herein,  in the aggregate the same number of
Option Shares (or Other Option Securities)  purchasable hereunder.  Upon receipt
by the Company of evidence  reasonably  satisfactory  to it of the loss,  theft,
destruction or mutilation of this Agreement,  and (in the case of loss, theft or
destruction) of reasonably satisfactory indemnification,  and upon surrender and
cancellation  of this  Agreement,  if  mutilated,  the Company  will execute and
deliver a new agreement of like tenor and date.

8.  Adjustment  Upon  Changes in  Capitalization.  The  number of Option  Shares
purchasable  upon the exercise of the Option shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 8.

(a) Additional Shares Adjustment.  Excluding  issuances  contemplated by Section
8(b),  in the event  that any  additional  shares of  Company  Common  Stock are
issued,  the  number of shares of Class A Company  Common  Stock  subject to the
Option will be  adjusted so that,  immediately  after such  issuance  and giving
effect  thereto,  such number  constitutes  the same percentage of the number of
shares of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding as the number of shares of
Class A Common Stock  subject to the Option  immediately  prior to such issuance
constitutes  as a  percentage  of the number of shares of Company  Common  Stock
issued and outstanding immediately prior to such issuance.

(b) Transaction Adjustment. In the event of any change in Class A Company Common
Stock  by  reason  of  stock  dividends,  splits,  mergers,   recapitalizations,
combinations,  subdivisions,  conversions,  exchanges of shares or other similar
transactions,  then the Option Shares  purchasable upon exercise hereof shall be
appropriately adjusted so that Grantee shall receive upon exercise of the Option
and payment of the  aggregate  Option  Price  hereunder  the number and class of
shares or other  securities  (any such  shares or other  securities  referred to
herein as "Other Option  Securities") or property  (including cash) that Grantee
would have owned or been  entitled to receive  after the happening of any of the
events  described  above if the Option had been exercised  immediately  prior to
such event, or the record date therefor, as applicable.

(c) Option  Price  Adjustment.  Whenever  the number of shares of Option  Shares
subject to this Option are adjusted  pursuant to Section 8(a) or (b), the Option
Price shall be appropriately adjusted, if applicable,  by multiplying the Option
Price by a fraction,  the  numerator  of which  shall be equal to the  aggregate
number of Option Shares purchasable under the Option prior to the adjustment and
the denominator of which shall be equal to the aggregate number of Option Shares
purchasable under the Option immediately after the adjustment.

(d)  Substitute  Option.  In the event that the Company enters into an agreement
(i) to consolidate  with or merge into any Person,  other than Grantee or one of
its  subsidiaries,  and the  Company  will not be the  continuing  or  surviving
corporation in such  consolidation or merger,  (ii) to permit any Person,  other
than  Grantee  or one of its  subsidiaries,  to merge into the  Company  and the
Company will be the continuing or surviving corporation,  but in connection with
such merger, the shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to
the  consummation  of such merger will be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other  securities  of the  Company  or any  other  Person  or cash or any  other
property, or the shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to
the consummation of such merger will, after such merger, represent less than 50%
of the outstanding voting securities of the merged company,  or (iii) to sell or
otherwise  transfer all or substantially all of its assets to any Person,  other
than  Grantee  or one of its  subsidiaries,  then,  and in each such  case,  the
agreement  governing  such  transaction  will make proper  provision so that the
Option will, upon the  consummation  of any such  transaction and upon the terms
and conditions set forth herein,  be converted into, or exchanged for, an option
with identical terms  appropriately  adjusted to acquire the number and class of
shares or other  securities  or property  that  Grantee  would have  received in
respect  of Class A  Company  Common  Stock  if the  Option  had been  exercised
immediately  prior to such  consolidation,  merger,  sale,  or transfer,  or the
record date therefor, as applicable, otherwise be adjusted as appropriate.

9.  Registration  Rights.  The Company will, if requested by Grantee at any time
and from time to time  within  three (3) years  after a  Triggering  Event  (the
"Registration  Period"), as expeditiously as possible prepare and file up to two
(2)  registration  statements  under the Securities Act if such  registration is
necessary in order to permit the sale or other disposition of Option Shares that
have been  acquired by or are  issuable to Grantee  upon  exercise of the Option
("Registrable  Securities")  in  accordance  with  the  method  of sale or other
disposition contemplated by Grantee,  including a "shelf" registration statement
under Rule 415 under the  Securities  Act or any  successor  provision,  and the
Company  will use its best  efforts  to qualify  such  Option  Shares  under any
applicable  Blue Sky Law.  The Company  will use its best  efforts to cause each
such  registration  statement  to become  effective,  to obtain all  consents or
waivers  of  other  parties  which  are  required  therefor  and  to  keep  such
registration  statement  effective  for such  period  not in  excess of nine (9)
months from the day such  registration  statement first becomes effective as may
be  reasonably  necessary  to  allow  Grantee  to  effect  such  sale  or  other
disposition.  The  obligations  of the Company  hereunder to file a registration
statement  and to maintain its  effectiveness  may be suspended  for one or more
periods of time not exceeding  ninety (90) days in the aggregate if the Board of
Directors of the Company shall have  determined in good faith that the filing of
such  registration  or  the  maintenance  of  its  effectiveness  would  require
disclosure of nonpublic  information  that would materially and adversely affect
the Company or would be in any way  prohibited  by law. The expenses  associated
with the preparation and filing of any such registration  statement  pursuant to
this Section 9 and any sale covered thereby  (including any fees related to blue
sky  qualifications  and  filing  fees in  respect  of the  SEC or the  National
Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc.) ("Registration  Expenses") will be for
the account of the Company except for  underwriting  discounts or commissions or
brokers' fees in respect of Option Shares to be sold by Grantee and the fees and
disbursements  of  Grantee's  counsel.  Grantee  will  provide  all  information
reasonably requested by the Company for inclusion in any registration  statement
to be filed  hereunder.  If during the  Registration  Period the  Company  shall
propose to register under the Securities Act the offering,  sale and delivery of
Company  Common Stock for cash for its own account or for any other  stockholder
of the Company pursuant to a firm commitment underwriting,  it will, in addition
to the Company's other obligations under this Section 9, allow Grantee the right
to participate in such  registration  provided that Grantee  participates in the
underwriting;  provided,  further,  that,  if the managing  underwriter  of such
offering advises the Company in writing that in its opinion the number of shares
of Company Common Stock (or other  securities)  requested to be included in such
registration  exceeds the number which it would be in the best  interests of the
Company to sell in such  offering,  the  Company  will,  after  fully  including
therein all shares of Class A Company  Common  Stock to be sold by the  Company,
include  the shares of Class A Company  Common  Stock  requested  to be included
therein by  Grantee  pro rata  (based on the number of shares of Company  Common
Stock  intended to be included  therein) with the shares of Company Common Stock
intended to be included therein by Persons other than the Company and Persons to
whom the Company owes a contractual obligation not to make such a reduction.  In
connection with any offering, sale and delivery of Company Common Stock pursuant
to a registration statement effected pursuant to this Section 9, the Company and
Grantee  will  provide  each other and each  underwriter  of the  offering  with
customary  representations,  warranties  and covenants,  including  covenants of
indemnification  and  contribution.  For  purposes  of  determining  whether two
requests  have been made  under  this  Section 9, only  requests  relating  to a
registration  statement that has become  effective under the Securities Act will
be counted.  The registration rights granted under this Section 9 are subject to
and are limited by any registration rights previously granted by the Company and
Grantee  acknowledges the registration rights granted under this Section 9 shall
be construed subject to any such limitations.

10.      Repurchase of Option and Option Shares.

(a) Repurchase  Offer.  Upon the occurrence of any Repurchase  Event (as defined
herein),  the Company shall (i) deliver an offer (an "Option  Repurchase Offer")
to repurchase the Option from Grantee at a price (the "Option Repurchase Price")
equal to the amount by which (A) the  Competing  Transaction  Price (as  defined
below) exceeds (B) the Option Price,  multiplied by the maximum number of Option
Shares for which the Option may then be exercised  by Grantee,  and (ii) deliver
an offer (an "Option Share  Repurchase  Offer") to repurchase  any Option Shares
held by Grantee at a price (the "Option  Share  Repurchase  Price") equal to the
Competing  Transaction Price multiplied by the number of Option Shares then held
by Grantee,  each of which offers  shall not be revoked,  and may be accepted by
Grantee upon delivery of a written  notice to the Company,  at any time prior to
the first to occur of the  Option  Expiration  Date and the  Option  Termination
Date. Any such notice shall specify a date on which the repurchase of the Option
and/or  Option  Shares shall occur not earlier than three (3) Business  Days and
not later than ten (10)  Business  Days  after the date on which such  notice is
delivered. The term "Competing Transaction Price" shall mean, as of any date for
the determination  thereof,  the price per share of Class A Company Common Stock
paid to the holders thereof upon the consummation of a Competing Transaction or,
in the  event  of a  Competing  Transaction  by way of a sale of  assets  of the
Company,  the Fair  Market  Value of a share of  Class A  Company  Common  Stock
determined as of the fourth trading day following the announcement of such sale.
For purposes of this Agreement,  "Competing  Transaction"  shall mean any of the
following   (other   than   the   Merger):   (i)  any   merger,   consolidation,
recapitalization,  liquidation or other direct or indirect business combination,
involving the Company or any Material  Subsidiary or the issuance or acquisition
of shares of capital  stock or other  equity  securities  of the  Company or any
Material  Subsidiary   representing  50%  or  more  (by  voting  power)  of  the
outstanding capital stock of the Company or such Material Subsidiary (except for
the  issuance of shares of Company  Common  Stock  pursuant  to  employee  stock
options  granted under the Plan and outstanding on the date of this Agreement or
the issuance of the Option to Parent) or (ii) any tender or exchange offer after
consummation  of  which,  any  Person,  together  with all  Affiliates  thereof,
beneficially  owns shares of capital  stock or other  equity  securities  of the
Company or any Material Subsidiary representing 50% or more (by voting power) of
the  outstanding  capital stock of the Company or such Material  Subsidiary,  or
(iii) the acquisition,  license,  purchase or other disposition of a substantial
portion of the  technology,  business or assets of the  Company or any  Material
Subsidiary.  If the consideration paid or received in the Competing  Transaction
shall be other than in cash,  the per share  value of such  consideration  (on a
fully diluted basis) shall be determined by a nationally  recognized  investment
banking firm selected by Grantee and reasonably acceptable to the Company, which
determination shall be conclusive for all purposes of this Agreement.

(b) Repurchase Request. Upon the occurrence of a Repurchase Event and whether or
not the  Company  shall  have made an Option  Repurchase  Offer or Option  Share
Repurchase  Offer under Section 10(a),  at the request (the date of such request
being the "Option  Repurchase  Request Date") of Grantee  delivered prior to the
Option  Termination  Date,  the  Company  (i) shall  repurchase  the Option from
Grantee at the Option  Repurchase Price and (ii) shall repurchase such number of
the Option Shares (to the extent clearly  identifiable  as such) from Grantee as
Grantee shall designate at the Option Share Repurchase Price.

(c)  Repurchase  Procedures.   Grantee  may  (i)  accept  the  Company's  Option
Repurchase  Offer or Option Share  Repurchase  Offer under Section 10(a) or (ii)
exercise its right to require the Company to repurchase the Option or any Option
Shares,  as the case may be,  pursuant to Section  10(b) by a written  notice or
notices  stating  that  Grantee  elects to accept  such offer or to require  the
Company to repurchase  the Option or the Option  Shares in  accordance  with the
provisions  of this  Section 10. As promptly  as  practicable,  and in any event
within  five (5)  Business  Days,  after the  surrender  to the  Company of this
Agreement or Certificates for Option Shares, as applicable, following receipt of
a notice  under this Section  10(c),  the Company  shall  deliver or cause to be
delivered to Grantee the Option  Repurchase Price or the Option Share Repurchase
Price, as the case may be.

(d) Regulatory  Approvals.  The Company hereby  undertakes to use its reasonable
efforts to obtain all required  regulatory  and legal  approvals and to file any
required  notices  as  promptly  as  practicable  in  order  to  accomplish  any
repurchase contemplated by this Section 10. Nonetheless,  to the extent that the
Company is prohibited under  applicable Law from  repurchasing the Option or any
Option  Shares in full,  the Company  shall  immediately  so notify  Grantee and
thereafter deliver or cause to be delivered,  from time to time, to Grantee, the
portion of the Option  Repurchase Price and the Option Share  Repurchase  Price,
respectively,  that it is required to deliver  pursuant hereto and that it is no
longer prohibited from delivering,  within five (5) Business Days after the date
on which the Company is no longer so prohibited;  provided, however, that if the
Company at any time after delivery of a notice of repurchase pursuant to Section
10(b) hereof is prohibited  under applicable Law, from delivering to Grantee the
Option Repurchase Price or the Option Share Repurchase Price,  respectively,  in
full,  Grantee may revoke its notice of  repurchase  of the Option or the Option
Shares,  respectively,  either in whole or in part  whereupon,  in the case of a
revocation  in part,  the Company  shall  promptly  (i) deliver to Grantee  that
portion of the Option Repurchase Price or the Option Share Repurchase Price that
the Company is not prohibited from delivering after taking into account any such
revocation  and (ii)  deliver,  as  appropriate,  to  Grantee  either  (A) a new
agreement  evidencing  the right of Grantee to purchase that number of shares of
Class A Company  Common  Stock  equal to the number of shares of Class A Company
Common  Stock  purchasable  immediately  prior to the  delivery of the notice of
repurchase  less the number of shares of Class A Company Common Stock covered by
the portion of the Option  repurchased  or (B) a  certificate  for the number of
Option Shares covered by the revocation.  If an Option  Termination  Event shall
have  occurred  prior to the date of the notice by the Company  described in the
second  sentence of this  Section  10(d),  or shall be scheduled to occur at any
time  after  an  Option  Repurchase  Request  Date or  valid  acceptance  of the
Company's  Option  Repurchase Offer but before the expiration of a period ending
on the thirtieth day after such notice date,  Grantee shall nonetheless have the
right to  exercise  the Option  until the  expiration  of such  thirty  (30) day
period.

(e)  Definition.  The term  "Repurchase  Event" shall mean the occurrence of any
Triggering Event followed by the consummation of a Competing Transaction.

(f)  Representations.  In connection with any purchase and sale of the Option or
the Option  Shares  pursuant  to this  Section 10,  Grantee  will be required to
represent and warrant to the Company that such Person is the owner of the Option
and/or Option Shares being  purchased,  free and clear of all adverse claims and
that such Person will deliver good title to such Option  and/or Option Shares to
the Company,  free and clear of all adverse  claims,  upon  consummation  of any
purchase and sale pursuant to this Section 10.

11. Extension of Time for Regulatory Approvals.  The periods related to exercise
of the Option and the other rights of Grantee hereunder shall be extended (i) to
the extent necessary to obtain all regulatory approvals for the exercise of such
rights,  and for the expiration of all statutory waiting periods and (ii) to the
extent  necessary to avoid  liability under Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act by
reason of such exercise.

12. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby represents
and warrants to Grantee as follows:

(a)  Authority,  etc.  The Company has full  corporate  power and  authority to
execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement  and  to  consummate   the   transactions
contemplated  hereby.  The  execution  and  delivery of this  Agreement  and the
consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby have been duly and validly
authorized  by the Board of  Directors  of the  Company  and no other  corporate
proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement
or to consummate the transactions so contemplated.  This Agreement has been duly
and validly  executed  and  delivered by the Company and  constitutes  the legal
valid and binding obligation of the Company,  enforceable against the Company in
accordance with the terms hereof.

(b) Corporate  Action.  The Company has taken all necessary  corporate action to
authorize and reserve and to permit it to issue,  and at all times from the date
hereof through the  termination  of this Agreement in accordance  with its terms
will have reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Option,  that number of
shares of Class A Company  Common Stock equal to the maximum number of shares of
Class A Company  Common  Stock at any such  time and from time to time  issuable
hereunder,  and all such shares of Class A Company  Common Stock,  upon issuance
pursuant  hereto,  will  be  duly  authorized,   validly  issued,   fully  paid,
nonassessable,  and will be delivered free and clear of all Liens created by the
Company and not subject to any preemptive rights.

(c) No Conflict.  The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement do
not,  and the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  and the
performance by the Company of its obligations  hereunder will not, conflict with
or result in any  violation  pursuant to any  provisions of the  certificate  of
incorporation  or bylaws of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company,  or of
any loan or credit agreement,  note, mortgage,  indenture,  lease, plan or other
agreement, contractual obligation,  instrument, permit, concession, franchise or
license  applicable  to the  Company or any  Subsidiary  of the Company or their
respective  properties or assets, except for any such conflict or violation that
would  not,  either  individually  or in the  aggregate,  have or be a  Material
Adverse Effect.

(d)  Anti-takeover  Statutes.  The  provisions  of  Section  203 of the  General
Corporation  Law of the State of Delaware will not, prior to the  termination of
this Agreement,  apply to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby
and  thereby.  The Company  has taken,  and will in the future  take,  all steps
necessary to irrevocably exempt the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement
from any other  applicable  state takeover law and from any  applicable  charter
provision containing change of control or anti-takeover provisions.

13.  Assignment.  The  Company  may not assign any of its rights or  obligations
under this Agreement to any other Person, without the express written consent of
Grantee.  Grantee  may not assign any of its  rights or  obligations  under this
Agreement  to any other  Person,  except  that  Grantee  may  assign  its rights
hereunder to any Affiliate of Grantee and may assign its rights hereunder to any
Person after the occurrence of a Triggering Event.

14.  Listing.  If Class A Company  Common  Stock or any other  securities  to be
acquired  upon  exercise  of the Option are then  listed on The Nasdaq  National
Market  (or any  other  national  securities  exchange  or  national  securities
quotation system),  Issuer,  upon the request of Grantee,  will promptly file an
application  to list the shares of Class A Company  Common Stock or Other Option
Securities  to be acquired  upon  exercise of the Option on The Nasdaq  National
Market (and any such other national  securities  exchange or national securities
quotation  system) and will use  reasonable  efforts to obtain  approval of such
listing as promptly as practicable.

15.  Application for Regulatory  Approval.  Each of Grantee and the Company will
use its reasonable  efforts to make all filings with, and to obtain consents of,
all third parties and Governmental  Authorities necessary to the consummation of
the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,  including without  limitation
making  application  to list the shares of Class A Company Common Stock issuable
hereunder on the Nasdaq  National  Market of The Nasdaq Stock Market,  Inc. upon
official  notice of issuance;  provided that neither the Company nor Grantee nor
any subsidiary or affiliate thereof will be required to agree to any divestiture
by  itself  or any of its  affiliates  of  shares  of  capital  stock  or of any
business,  assets or property,  or the imposition of any material  limitation on
the  ability of any of them to conduct  their  businesses  or to own or exercise
control of such assets, properties and stock.

16. Specific  Performance.  The parties hereto acknowledge that damages would be
an inadequate  remedy for a breach of this  Agreement by either party hereto and
that the  obligations of the parties hereto shall be enforceable by either party
hereto through injunctive or other equitable relief.

17.  Severability.  If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all
other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall  nevertheless  remain in
full force and effect.  Upon such determination that any term or other provision
is invalid,  illegal or incapable of being  enforced,  the parties  hereto shall
negotiate  in good faith to modify this  Agreement  so as to effect the original
intent of the parties as closely as possible to the fullest extent  permitted by
applicable law in a mutually  acceptable  manner in order that the terms of this
Agreement remain as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

18. Notices. All notices,  claims,  demands and other  communications  hereunder
shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when  delivered  in  person,  by
registered or certified mail (postage  prepaid,  return receipt  requested),  by
overnight courier or by facsimile at the respective addresses of the parties set
forth in the Merger Agreement.

19.  Governing  Law.  This  Agreement  shall be  governed  by and  construed  in
accordance  with the Laws of the State of Delaware,  regardless of the laws that
might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws thereof.

20.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more  counterparts,
each  of  which  will be  deemed  to be an  original,  but  all of  which  shall
constitute one and the same agreement.

21.  Expenses.  Except as otherwise  expressly  provided herein or in the Merger
Agreement,  each of the parties hereto shall bear and pay all costs and expenses
incurred by it or on its behalf in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereunder,  including  fees  and  expenses  of its  own  financial  consultants,
investment bankers, accountants and counsel.

22. Entire Agreement.  Except as otherwise  expressly  provided herein or in the
Merger  Agreement,  this  Agreement  contains the entire  agreement  between the
parties with respect to the transactions  contemplated  hereunder and supersedes
all prior arrangements or understandings with respect thereto,  written or oral.
The terms and conditions of this Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties  hereto and their  respective  successors and permitted
assigns.  Nothing in this Agreement,  express or implied,  is intended to confer
upon any party, other than the parties hereto,  and their respective  successors
and permitted assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or
by reason of this Agreement,  except as expressly provided herein. Any provision
of this Agreement may be waived only in writing at any time by the party that is
entitled to the benefits of such provision.  This Agreement may not be modified,
amended,  altered or  supplemented  except upon the  execution and delivery of a
written agreement executed by the parties hereto.

23. Further  Assurances.  In the event of any exercise of the Option by Grantee,
the Company  and Grantee  shall  execute  and  deliver all other  documents  and
instruments  and take all other action that may be  reasonably  necessary to the
fullest extent permitted by Law in order to consummate the transactions provided
for by such exercise.  Nothing  contained in this  Agreement  shall be deemed to
authorize  the  Company  or  Grantee  to  breach  any  provision  of the  Merger
Agreement.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this
Stock  Option  Agreement  to be executed as of the date first  written  above by
their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.


                                                    MOVIEFONE, INC.


                                                    By:/s/Andrew R. Jarecki
                                                    Name:Andrew R. Jarecki
                                                    Title:C.E.O.


                                                    AMERICA ONLINE, INC.


                                                    By:/s/Donn Davis 
                                                    Name:Donn Davis
                                                    Title:Senior Vice President,
                                                          Business Development



                                                                   Exhibit 99.1


                   AMERICA ONLINE TO ACQUIRE MOVIEFONE, INC.,
                 NATION'S #1 MOVIE LISTING AND TICKETING COMPANY

              Strengthens AOL's Entertainment Services and Adds to
     Digital City's Leadership as Movie Information and Ticketing Emerges as
                           Popular Local Application

                 Provides Significant Branding, Advertising and
                E-Commerce Opportunities with Nation's Moviegoers

DULLES, VA, February 1, 1999 -- America Online, Inc. (NYSE: AOL) today announced
that it will  acquire  MovieFone,  Inc.  (NASDAQ:  MOFN),  the nation's #1 movie
listing  and  ticketing  service,  which  serves  over  100  million  moviegoers
annually, in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $388 million.

This  acquisition  will strongly  position America Online in the rapidly growing
market for online entertainment  information and ticketing by making MovieFone a
key anchor tenant on the AOL service,  enhancing the leadership of AOL's Digital
City   in   local   interactive   services,    and   providing   extensive   new
cross-promotional and branding opportunities.

MovieFone will be rebranded as AOL MovieFone, and will expand its ability to let
consumers  review  movie  listings and purchase  tickets  online.  Known for its
familiar  local phone numbers such as 777-FILM,  MovieFone  provides  moviegoers
with a complete, free directory of movies,  showtimes and theater locations, and
the ability to purchase  tickets over the  telephone  and on the Web. Its online
service,  MovieFone.com,  will benefit from AOL's  expertise and resources,  and
will receive  preferred  distribution and promotion on the AOL service,  Digital
City and the Company's other brands.

Bob Pittman,  President and Chief  Operating  Officer of America  Online,  Inc.,
said:  "MovieFone  will add an exciting new area of local  e-commerce to AOL and
our  other  brands  -- one we are  uniquely  positioned  to  build.  MovieFone's
frequently used service is a perfect fit with Digital City, the #1 local content
network and  community  guide,  and will provide an important new benefit to AOL
members and Internet users of our other brands."

Mr. Pittman  continued:  "By putting AOL's resources behind  MovieFone,  we will
substantially enhance its already impressive  performance and revenue potential.
As consumers increasingly seek more convenience in entertainment information and
ticketing,  AOL brands, with MovieFone as a core product,  will become even more
valuable to our members and other Internet users. And with more than 100 million
moviegoers  turning to MovieFone last year and many more seeing its advertising,
we will gain valuable and repeated exposure for the AOL brand."

Mr. Pittman  concluded:  "We look forward to welcoming  MovieFone to the America
Online family of brands and to working with its first-rate  management  team. We
are especially delighted that Andrew Jarecki and his three co-founders, talented
brand-builders who have built MovieFone into the brand name in movie information
and transactions, will continue to lead the company."

Andrew R.  Jarecki,  Chief  Executive  Officer of MovieFone,  said:  "We believe
MovieFone  has  found the  perfect  home with  America  Online,  and now has the
opportunity  to  reach  a  vast  new  audience  of  moviegoers  online.  Today's
moviegoers  demand instant  access to movie  listings and tickets,  and with the
unparalleled distribution of AOL we can make going to the movies more convenient
than ever. Simultaneously, this combination creates a powerful marketing tool to
allow our studio and theater chain partners to reach AOL's  tremendous  audience
of the  nation's  moviegoers.  We're  sure that our  millions  of users  will be
pleased to hear a new variation on our familiar phrase,  'Hello,  and welcome to
AOL MovieFone.'"

MovieFone  covers more than 17,000 movie screens in 42 cities around the country
with more than 70% of the national audience for movies.  In addition,  MovieFone
has advertising  relationships  with all of the major movie studios,  as well as
exclusive  ticketing and onscreen  advertising  agreements  with leading theater
chains.

Under terms of the  acquisition,  which the Company  expects to account for as a
pooling of interests,  America Online will acquire all the outstanding shares of
MovieFone  in a  transaction  valued  at  approximately  $388  million  based on
Friday's  closing  price for AOL.  The exact  fraction  of a share of AOL common
stock to be exchanged  for each  MovieFone  share will be determined by dividing
$29.25 by AOL's  average  price during a specified  period prior to the merger's
effective  date,  but will not be less than  0.1670  shares or more than  0.2259
shares.

MovieFone's  Board of Directors is recommending  that shareholders vote in favor
of the acquisition,  and the Jarecki family and its affiliates, who control more
than 90 percent of the voting interest of MovieFone, have agreed to vote for the
acquisition.  The acquisition  remains subject to various  conditions  including
customary regulatory approvals as well as approval by MovieFone's  shareholders.
MovieFone's operations will continue to be based in New York and Los Angeles.

About America Online

America  Online,  Inc.,  based in Dulles,  Virginia,  is the  world's  leader in
branded  interactive  services and content.  America Online,  Inc.  operates two
worldwide Internet services:  America Online, with more than 15 million members;
and CompuServe,  with approximately 2 million members. America Online, Inc. also
operates  AOL  Studios,  a leading  builder  of  Internet  brands for new market
segments.  Other branded  Internet  services  operated by America  Online,  Inc.
include  AOL.COM,  the world's most  accessed Web site from home;  Digital City,
Inc., the No. 1 branded local content network and community guide on AOL and the
Internet;  AOL NetFind,  AOL's comprehensive guide to the Internet;  AOL Instant
Messenger, an instant messaging tool available on both AOL and the Internet; and
ICQ, an instant communication and chat technology on the Internet.

About MovieFone

MovieFone,  Inc.  through its  MovieFone  interactive  telephone  service  (e.g.
777-FILM)  and its online  service  moviefone.com,  is the largest movie listing
guide and  ticketing  service in the country,  providing  millions of moviegoers
each  week  with a  complete,  free  directory  of  movies,  showtimes,  theater
locations,   and  the  ability  to  purchase  tickets.  The  company,  which  is
celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, had more than 100 million moviegoers
use its service in the past year alone.  The company's  services cover more than
17,000 movie screens in 42 cities around the country,  which account for over 70
percent of national movie  attendance.  MovieFone,  Inc.  (NASDAQ NM: MOFN) is a
public company with offices in New York and Los Angeles.

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