Dan Fawcett Joins DIRECTV Executive Staff.

Business Editors

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2004

Mitchell Stern, president and CEO of DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading digital multichannel television service provider, today announced the appointment of Dan Fawcett to the DIRECTV executive staff. Fawcett, who joins DIRECTV as executive vice president and general counsel, will oversee all legal and business affairs of the domestic DIRECTV business.

"The breadth of Dan's background and expertise in the multichannel industry will be invaluable in managing our legal and business affairs as the DIRECTV business continues to grow," said Stern. "I am excited to welcome Dan to the DIRECTV senior leadership team."

Prior to joining DIRECTV, Fawcett served as executive vice president of Business and Legal Affairs, for Fox Cable Networks (FCN) since 1999. In this position, Fawcett oversaw all legal and business affairs functions and matters for FCN's portfolio of more than 20 managed domestic cable and satellite sports and entertainment networks, including Fox Sports Net and FX.

"I am pleased to be joining such a dynamic enterprise as DIRECTV," said Fawcett. "I look forward to contributing to new DIRECTV successes, as well as helping the company continue to deliver the unmatched entertainment and technological offerings that our customers expect."

As FCN's chief business lawyer, Fawcett was responsible for structuring, negotiating and drafting transactions for programming rights, development, acquisition and production; for channel and content distribution through cable, satellite and other media platforms; and for Fox's sale or purchase of, or investment in, networks and other sports-related assets. Fawcett served as lead counsel in numerous television rights deals with MLB, the NBA and the NHL, and their respective teams, NASCAR and various collegiate conferences and teams.

Fawcett joined Fox in Los Angeles in 1997 as senior vice president of Business and Legal Affairs for Fox Sports Net. Prior to that, he was assistant general manager and general counsel of Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh. Prior to this, Fawcett was a corporate and finance attorney at Reed Smith in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

News Corporation completed its acquisition of 34 percent of Hughes common stock last December.

DIRECTV is the nation's leading digital multichannel television service provider with more than 12.2 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. (NYSE:HS). Hughes is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment, broadband satellite networks and services, and global video and data broadcasting. Hughes is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is approximately 82 percent owned by News Corporation Ltd.