DirecTV in the News

DIRECTV Offers Free Programming to Schools

El SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2001-- DIRECTV, Inc., provider of the nation's leading digital television service, today announced the launch of DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL(TM), a public service initiative that will provide up to 50,000 qualifying K-12 educational institutions around the country with free access to the widest array of news, educational and informational programming available.

Teachers and students can utilize the networks available via the DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program as an educational tool in the classroom to supplement and enhance their curriculum.

DIRECTV is kicking off the launch of the DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program with a special event today at La Salle Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles.

With the DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program, participating schools will receive a free programming package called SCHOOL CHOICE(TM), which offers more than 60 channels of educational programming from networks such as C-SPAN, CNN, Discovery Channel, The History Channel, A&E and The Learning Channel. The DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program gives teachers the freedom to record educational programming, edit the content and replay it later to fit into their curriculum.

Participating schools that purchase a DIRECTV Receiver with TiVo service will receive a lifetime TiVo service membership, provided by TiVo, Inc., free-of-charge. TiVo provides the easiest way for educators to digitally record the programming they wish to utilize in their classrooms and watch it when they need it most, without the need for videotapes.

In a recent survey conducted for DIRECTV by CARAVANŽ/Opinion Research, more than 75 percent of students polled stated that television in the classroom makes learning easier. The general consensus from students polled during the research project confirmed that television is seen as the best medium to aid them in remembering new concepts and school subjects, and that in-class educational television programming is a valuable learning tool.

In addition, the survey also confirmed that students see their teachers playing the most valuable role in the education process, despite the emergence of new technological mediums. The CARAVAN telephone survey was conducted Feb. 1-4, 2001 among a random sampling of 500 U.S. males and females, ages 6-11.

DIRECTV conducted a DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL pilot program in 2000, which included more than 2000 schools across the country. As a result of the DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program, Smylie Wilson Junior High in Lubbock, Texas, saw a 37 percent increase in student participation in their community outreach program, which is now widely recognized and acclaimed throughout the state of Texas.

We need to educate each and every student - from the gifted to the challenged,'' said Melissa Wade, assistant principal for instruction, Smylie Wilson Junior High. "The DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program allows me to blend television visuals into my lessons and bring them to life. It helps me show students why things work the way they do, and how it affects the world around them. It allows us to not only teach something - but to go much further.''

"The needs of our nation's schools are a high priority,'' said Odie Donald, president, DIRECTV, Inc. "With all of the educational programming available from programmers today, we believe that the DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program will truly enhance schools' current curriculums and deliver the most robust line up of educational programming available.''

The SCHOOL CHOICE(TM) package enables teachers and educators to directly enhance their lesson plans with continuous in-class news and education-based digital-quality TV programming. The SCHOOL CHOICE package offers access to popular programming such as Nickelodeon's Emmy Award-winning series, "Bill Nye the Science Guy, ''The Weather Channel's popular earth science series, "The Weather Classroom,'' A&E's eight-part series on the history of the solar system, "The Planets,'' and Hallmark Entertainment movies and mini-series seen on Odyssey Network.

In addition, DIRECTV will print special issues of DIRECTV--The Guide(TM), a 350-page companion to the on-screen guide, which will include a four-page cover wrap focusing on the DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program and include feature articles on the educational programming provided in the SCHOOL CHOICE package. DIRECTV--The Guide will be provided free-of-charge to schools participating in the program.

To participate in the new education-focused program from DIRECTV, schools must be accredited public or private educational institutions, teach grades K-12, be a facility zoned as a school building by the local municipality, and install the DIRECTV Multi-Satellite System in an educational arena only. Participating schools are required to purchase a DIRECTV System, have it installed in a classroom or library, and DIRECTV will provide SCHOOL CHOICE programming for free. For more information regarding the DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL program teachers can call (800) 926-2508. DIRECTV is also pursuing opportunities to display DIRECTV GOES TO SCHOOL at educational tradeshows and on educational Web sites.