DirecTV in the News

DirecTV Introduces DirecTV Para Todos in Six New Markets

New York, Chicago, Denver, Albuquerque, San Antonio, McAllen and Brownsville get DirecTV Para Todos

El Segundo, CA, Mar 08, 2000 -- DIRECTV, Inc. announced today that its bilingual programming service, DirecTV Para Todos   ("DIRECTV For Everyone"), is being introduced this week in six additional markets including New York, the nation’s second largest Hispanic market with more than 3.5 million Latino residents.

In addition to the New York City area, the new service is being introduced in Chicago, Denver, Albuquerque, San Antonio and McAllen/Brownsville, Texas. DIRECTV also launched this week its first nationwide advertising campaign for DIRECTV PARA TODOS with commercials on Univision, the country’s leading Spanish-language television broadcast network and other national television and cable networks.

The DIRECTV PARA TODOS service debuted last October and has been introduced in 16 markets including Miami, Houston, San Francisco/San Jose, Dallas, El Paso, San Diego, Fresno, Sacramento, Phoenix and Los Angeles. The DIRECTV PARA TODOS System, which receives DIRECTV PARA TODOS programming, is now available in those markets at select consumer electronics stores and independent retailers.

DIRECTV PARA TODOS offers more than 22 Spanish language national and international channels including sports, news, religion, education and children’s programming, as well as specially selected English-language channels,  all in digital quality picture and sound. DIRECTV PARA TODOS features Spanish-language programming from the United States, Latin America and Spain including Univision, Discovery en Español, FOX Sports World Español, Galavisión, MTV S, TVN Chile and Canal Sur, among others. Customers will also have access to more than 210 English-language DIRECTV® channels, which feature a variety of sports, news, entertainment and family programming.

DIRECTV is the only U.S. broadcaster to carry both PUMA TV and The Weather Channel/El Canal del Tiempo. PUMA TV, which will be available in the coming weeks, is a Venezuela-based network that spotlights the world of music, entertainment and fashion. The Weather Channel/El Canal de Tiempo provides round-the-clock weather reports from Latin America and the U.S.

"We are excited at the opportunity to serve six new markets with an extensive lineup of Spanish- and English-language television programming that is relevant to the lives and cultures of Latinos in these communities," said Yolanda Macias, vice president of DIRECTV PARA TODOS and International Services. "With DIRECTV PARA TODOS we are able to provide Hispanic households with access to more than 22 Spanish-language channels and more sports and pay per view events than any other cable or satellite provider. By comparison, cable operators in many communities offer only a limited slate of two or three Spanish-language channels."

DIRECTV PARA TODOS offers two bilingual packages: OPCIÓN ESPECIALTM (Special Choice) programming provides 15 Spanish-language and 24 English-language channels for $19.99 a month; OPCIÓN EXTRA ESPECIALTM (Extra Special Choice) programming provides up to 23 Spanish-language and 77 English-language channels for $31.99 a month. Both packages include seven Music Choice channels of commercial-free Spanish-language music.

Consumers can subscribe to the service by purchasing the Hughes DirecTV Para Todos System, which features an 18-by-24-inch oval satellite dish, a specially designed set-top receiver and a remote control. The Hughes system includes important features for Hispanic families such as the parental lock-out system that allows parents to control their children’s viewing and spending limits, and on-screen menu options in Spanish. The suggested retail price is $249.