DirecTV in the News

DIRECTV to Offer Local Channels in Portland, Nashville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Memphis, San Antonio and Kansas City

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 15, 2000--DIRECTV, Inc., which currently offers local broadcast network channels in 30 major metropolitan markets via its high-power DIRECTV® digital satellite television service, announced today that it will roll out local channels in seven additional markets beginning in mid-August.

Four of the new markets -- Portland, Ore., Nashville, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio -- will receive local channels from DIRECTV satellites at 101 degrees West Longitude (WL), DIRECTV's primary orbital slot. Memphis, San Antonio and Kansas City will receive local channels from DIRECTV satellites at 119 degrees WL and will require the use of a multi-satellite capable DIRECTV System.

Including local channel rollouts recently in Indianapolis, Charlotte and Milwaukee, DIRECTV will offer local channels in 37 markets across the country by late October -- representing nearly 60 million homes, or approximately 60 percent of the nation's television households. In the majority of those markets, DIRECTV customers will receive local channels from 101 degrees WL, and will be able to use their existing set-top box and 18-inch antenna.

"With more than 57 percent of our new customers subscribing to local channels, it's clear that more and more consumers are seeing DIRECTV programming as an alternative to their cable service,'' said Stephanie A. Campbell, senior vice president, Programming for DIRECTV, Inc. "We're also pleased that we're able to expand our local channel service beyond the major metropolitan areas and begin serving more mid-sized markets.''

DIRECTV will continue to assess additional local channel markets as it expands its satellite capacity with the launch of the DIRECTV 5 satellite later this year and DIRECTV 4S -- its first spot beam satellite -- next year.