Canadian-Licensed Star Choice Offers Trade-In Incentives For Illegal --Grey Market-- Satellite Dish Customers Across Canada.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 1998--

RCMP Raid In Rigaud, Quebec And Ottawa, Ontario Spurs

Confusion Among Satellite Television Customers

Star Choice Communications Inc. (VSE:STC), Canada's leading authorized provider of satellite television services, today announced a special offer to grey market satellite dish owners who may be concerned about the future of their unauthorized services. Last week an RCMP task force raided a home in Ottawa, Ontario seizing over $50,000 worth of illegal digital satellite dish systems. A similar raid took place in Rigaud, Quebec a few weeks ago where a dozen people were allegedly selling counterfeit equipment to people in the U.S., Canada and the Cayman Islands.

"The RCMP raids are causing concern and confusion among many existing and prospective satellite television customers who are unsure which brands are authorized in Canada and afraid that they may not be complying with Canadian laws," said Bruce Barr, vice president, Sales and Marketing, Star Choice Communications. "To alleviate these fears, Star Choice is committed to educating the public about the differences between legal white market (Canadian-licensed) equipment and grey market satellite television services. Special incentives will be offered to customers who trade-in illegal systems for legitimate Star Choice services."

Effective immediately, Canadian residents who are in possession of grey market satellite equipment now have the opportunity to return their illegal dishes to any authorized Star Choice Dealer in return for up to six months of free English programming and up to eight months worth of French-language (Francophone) programming credits. With the purchase of a new Star Choice 421B satellite system, and subscription to the Platinum service package, customers will receive 148 channels in the east and 130 channels in the west, including sports, movie and family programming. The Platinum package includes over 60 audio channels and movie specialty channels including four channels of multiplexed TMN (The Movie Network) in the east, Superchannel in the west and Super Ecran for French service subscribers. This limited offer expires on December 31, 1998.

Unlike grey market services, Star Choice offers the highest levels of availability and service to Canadian customers. Available through a network of over 4,000 authorized dealers across Canada, Star Choice's satellite television services are easily accessible for prospective customers. Customer service and support is provided by a customer support line available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Star Choice received its DTH (Direct-to-Home) license and launched in 1997 and operates in full accordance with CRTC regulations ensuring it delivers the highest levels of Canadian and CRTC approved U.S. programming services to its Canadian customers.

Star Choice Communications Inc. is Canada's leading provider of DTH services to residences and businesses with over 150,000 current subscribers. Star Choice carries 130 video and audio channels in the west and 148 in the east, with new channels added regularly. Canadians can purchase Star Choice equipment at more than 4,000 locations across the country, including RadioShack stores, Canadian Tire, Sears, Leon's and The Brick. Star Choice also uplinks Canadian and U.S. broadcast and specialty services and offers wholesale signals to a variety of distributors. Shaw Communications Inc. is the largest shareholder of Star Choice. Star Choice trades on the Vancouver Stock Exchange (VSE trading symbol STC).