Dish Network in the News

DISH Network Adds Dutch Language Channel, BVN-TV, to International Programming Line-up

LITTLETON, Colo.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Nov. 29, 2000--EchoStar Communications Corporation and Radio Netherlands Radio/TV announced that DISH Network(TM) is the first satellite television service to offer BVN-TV channel, known as the ``Best of Flanders and the Netherlands,'' to U.S. consumers today for only $9.99 per month.

BVN-TV is a premier international television channel - a collaboration of Radio Netherlands, Dutch Domestic Public Television and Flemish Radio and Television - providing popular Dutch-language programming to Dutch and Flemish communities throughout the United States. BVN-TV offers programs which provide an image of Dutch and Flemish society through talk shows, national and regional news and current affairs, sports, documentaries, series, children's programs and family entertainment.

``We are very pleased to announce the presence of BVN-TV on DISH Network in the United States,'' said Jan Hoek, director of Finance and Logistics of Radio Netherlands Radio/Television. ``BVN-TV established a mission to deliver the highest-quality programming to Dutch-speaking viewers in the U.S. via the best possible direct broadcast satellite distribution system, and we believe DISH Network is the solution to achieve Radio Netherlands' mission.''

BVN-TV chooses entertainment programs and series originating from Dutch public broadcasting companies. BVN-TV offers game programs such as ``Lingo'' and popular series such as ``In de Praktijk,'' ``De Stoel'' and ``Spoorloos,'' plus ``Villa Felderhof'' and ``Het Lagerhuis.'' The ``NOS Journaal'' and the ``VRT Journaal'' news and current affairs programs are broadcast every day. The daily magazine ``Studio NL'' offers commentaries, an extensive survey of the daily newspapers and background information, specially produced for Dutch-speakers abroad. The most important sports news is broadcast in ``Studio Sport'' and the ``Sportjournaal.'' For young children there is the daily program ``Tik Tak,'' while older children can enjoy ``Het Klokhuis'' as well as ``Willem Wever,'' ``Honk'' and ``De Daltons'' and popular game programs.

``DISH Network is committed to providing U.S. customers a diverse slate of international programming,'' said Michael Kelly, senior vice president of International Programming at EchoStar. ``We are excited to include BVN-TV to our growing neighborhood of international television services and offer Dutch-speaking DISH Network customers important programming from their native home.''

DISH Network is EchoStar's state-of-the-art direct broadcast satellite system with the capacity to offer customers 500 channels of digital video and CD-quality audio programming as well as fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant hardware and installation. DISH Network, a trademark of EchoStar Communications Corporation, currently serves over 5 million customers nationwide. DISH Network was ranked number one in customer satisfaction among satellite/cable TV subscribers by J.D. Power and Associates in 1999 and 2000. EchoStar is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX).