DirecTV opposes SES Americom

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DirecTV Inc. is opposing SES Americom's petition at the Federal
Communications Commission to offer satellite-TV services in the U.S.

"SES Americom is trying to sneak in the back door by using a license
allegedly granted by the government of Gibraltar to place a satellite at an
orbital location that would not be permitted if the satellite were licensed by
the FCC," said Roxanne Austin, president and COO of DirecTV.

DirecTV says it is opposing SES Americom's petition because offering
satellite services to customers from the 105.5 degrees west longitude slot will
potentially interfere with existing customers. The company also says placing a
satellite between DirecTV's existing birds at 101 and 110 degrees violates
principles established by the International Telecommunications Union.

EchoStar Communications Corp. Chairman Charlie Ergen, who is trying to buy
Hughes Electronics and DirecTV, said in April that he supported SES Americom's
petition.

Paige Albiniak
Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.