By 1997, the company pulled the plug after spending tens of millions of dollars. Had the system worked, Time Warner could have had a pioneering, national interactive network. In 1994, Time Warner launched its Pathfinder Web site to house its branded products under one umbrella. There, surfers could flip through Time and other offerings online. But key executives came and went.
Advertisers weren t enthusiastic.
And consumers showed little appetite to pay for visits. Pathfinder was scrapped last year. I spoke at a Pathfinder off-site meeting a few years ago. The majority of the staff was pierced kids who got it. While others see tire marks on its back, Time Warner sees itself cruising down the information highway.