For more information, contact DirecTV, El Segundo, Bob Marsocci, 310 726 4656.
DirecTV Applauds Signing Of Satellite TV Bill Into Law By President Clinton
DirecTV Inc. applauded President Clinton for signing the ""Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999"" into law Monday. ""The signing of this bill into law by President Clinton represents a victory for consumers and a landmark milestone for the satellite TV industry,"" said Eddy W. Hartenstein, President of DirecTV. ""It allows us to implement our plan to offer local channels to approximately 50 million homes throughout the country. With the stroke of the president's pen, we will turn on local channels in New York and Los Angeles - the two largest TV markets in the country. Shortly thereafter, we will roll out local channels in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Denver, Detroit and Miami."" DirecTV customers in up to 20 of the nation's key television markets will be able to receive their local-channel package as well as DirecTV's current lineup of digital entertainment and information programming through their existing digital set-top receiver and 18-inch antenna. ""By expanding our capacity at our primary orbital slot and investing in technology upgrades, DirecTV will be the only satellite TV service in the nation to offer local channels in up to 20 markets without requiring current customers to obtain additional equipment,"" said Hartenstein. ""This way, the majority of our 7.8 million existing customers who reside in markets where we will offer local channels will find it much easier to receive those channels - all they will have to do to begin receiving local programming from DirecTV is follow on-air instructions, which will guide them to a special toll-free phone number that enables simple, automated ordering."" DirecTV will announce additional local-channel markets in the coming weeks as its local-channel rollout continues. As previously announced, DirecTV initially will offer local channels in up to 24 major metropolitan markets. ""This holiday season, satellite TV customers in major metropolitan markets across the country for the first time will have access to their local channels via satellite and receive entertainment and information that's most relevant to their lives,"" said Hartenstein. DirecTV has more than 7.8 million customers, including customers subscribing to PrimeStar By DirecTV. DirecTV is a registered trademark of DirecTV Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. Hughes Electronics is the world's leading provider of digital television entertainment, and satellite and wireless systems and services.