U.S. Satellite Broadcasting this month will air an
exclusive interview with legendary Hollywood directors Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford
Coppola. The interview will run on the direct-broadcast satellite company's channel
999, which promotes USSB's pay-per-view events and premium-movie services.
As part of an ongoing series titled USSB Hollywood
Insiders, Scorsese and Coppola will discuss the influences of corporate America on
filmmaking with the show's host, Geoff Gilmore.
The half-hour interview will debut April 12, with multiple
viewings on USSB's channel 999 throughout April.
Rick Abbott, director of on-air programming for USSB, said
channel 999 is free to all Digital Satellite System owners, whether or not they subscribe
to USSB's premium-movie services. In addition to movie previews and special-events
promotions, the channel gives viewers tips on hooking up a second receiver or installing
an off-air antenna. Channel 999 is commercial-free.
According to Abbott, about 59 percent of DSS owners view
channel 999 at one time or another, most typically on a weekly basis, rather than on a
daily basis. Usage is also heavier for new subscribers.
The USSB Hollywood Insiders series is both a reward
to DSS subscribers and an enticement to get them to view USSB's promotional messages
more regularly.
