Thursday, December 15, 2005

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. Dec. 15, 2005 DIRECTV's success in providing first-rate, culturally-relevant programming continues with the addition of Hype TV, the first and only 24-hour Caribbean music and entertainment channel. Hype TV is available on an a-la-carte basis for $9.99 per month with the purchase of any DIRECTV base programming package.

Based in Kingston Jamaica, Hype TV is fueled by the pulsating rhythms and vibrant traditions of the Caribbean and is designed for viewers who have cultural ties or simply desire to learn more about the regions rich heritage.

The number of people of Caribbean descent living in the U.S. continues to grow, along with a corresponding demand for programming pertinent to their culture, said Aaron McNally, vice president, DIRECTV International. Hype TVs top-notch programming, in addition to our exclusive CricketTicket offering, provides these viewers the best in Caribbean music, entertainment and sports.

Hype TV shares the Caribbean experience with an exclusive look at music, fashion and culture. Dancehall, Soca and Reggae music is prominently featured with programming directly from Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, St. Vincent and St. Lucia. Viewers may tune into Video Friday for its Friday night club setting and VTX The Caribbean Video Countdown, which showcases the regions top artists. For fashion, viewers may tune into Style 360 for information
relating to the fashion industry in the Caribbean and around the globe. Also, HYPE News offers an edgy look into the entertainment industry as a whole, with the latest news on the Caribbeans premier players in music, fashion and entertainment.

In addition, for the latest news and updates, viewers may tune to Caribbean Nightly News and The Best of HYPE. Caribbean Nightly provides up-to-the-minute news, while The Best of HYPE offers a weekly wrap of everything under the Caribbean sun.

Customers who want to subscribe to Hype TV Jamaica must first subscribe to the DIRECTV BASIC ($9.99/mo) or DIRECTV PREFERRED CHOICE ($29.99/mo) international base packages, or to any TOTAL CHOICE ($41.99/mo. or above) or DIRECTV PARA TODOS ($29.99/mo. or above) base package.

The DIRECTV WorldDirect platform has launched 32 channels that deliver a wide variety of new programming in multiple foreign-languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Russian, Korean and Italian, to underserved ethnic markets throughout the United States. DIRECTV will continue to expand its international programming platform to reach more ethnic audiences.

Current and new Hype TV Jamaica customers who wish to subscribe to Hype TV Jamaica on DIRECTV should call 800-378-7290 for more information on free DIRECTV equipment and installation offers.

About DIRECTV, Inc.
DIRECTV, Inc. is the nation's leading digital television service with more than 15 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV (NYSE: DTV) is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment. DIRECTV is approximately 34 percent owned by News Corporation.