Center Will Bring 1,300 Jobs to Area

Englewood, Colo. - May 31, 2006 - EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) announced today that its DISH NetworkÔ satellite television service will open its fourth satellite equipment refurbishment and repair center in Spartanburg, S.C. EchoStar plans to hire more than 1,300 additional full-time employees, following completion of the build-out of the facility located in the Fairforest Business Center near the intersection of I-85 and I-26.

“Expanding our repair operations to Spartanburg is important in keeping pace with the growth of DISH Network’s customer base, and shows our commitment to providing even better service to our customers on the East Coast,” said Mark Jackson, President of EchoStar Technologies.
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DIRECTV Activates HD Local Channel Service in the Indianapolis DMA; Local Channels in HD Have More Vivid Colors, Wider Images and Clearer, Crisper High-Resolution Digital-Quality Pictures

WHAT: DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE:DTV), the nation’s leading digital television service provider, announced today that it has begun offering local HD channels via satellite to customers in the Indianapolis DMA. The following local TV channels are available: WRTV/ABC and WXIN/FOX.

DIRECTV is in discussions with the owners of the NBC and CBS affiliates and hopes to add these stations to the DIRECTV lineup in the near future.
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DIRECTV Activates HD Local Channel Service In the Seattle DMA; Local Channels in HD Have More Vivid Colors, Wider Images and Clearer, Crisper High-Resolution Digital-Quality Pictures

WHAT: DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE:DTV), the nation’s leading digital television service provider, announced today that it has begun offering local HD channels via satellite to customers in the Seattle DMA. The following local TV channels are available: KING/NBC and KIRO/CBS. DIRECTV is in discussions with the owners of the ABC and FOX affiliates and hopes to add these stations to the DIRECTV lineup in the near future.
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Tewksbury, Mass., Board of Selectmen Grants Verizon Authority to Offer FiOS TV to More Than 27,000 Potential Viewers

Board’s Vote for Cable Competition Will Bring Citizens More Choices, Innovation and Value

TEWKSBURY, Mass. – The long wait will soon be over for Tewksbury residents eager for cable-TV competition, thanks to a unanimous Board of Selectmen vote Tuesday night (May 30) authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV in the town.

With its more than 27,000 potential viewers, Tewksbury joins a growing number of Massachusetts communities granting Verizon cable franchises. The company offers FiOS TV in Woburn, Reading and Lynnfield, Mass., as well as other locations in New York, California, Texas, Florida, Maryland and Virginia. Last week, Verizon also was granted franchises in Wakefield, Hamilton and Wenham, Mass.
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Country’s Largest Regional News Network to Air on FiOS TV’s Channel 82 Starting Today

BOSTON — New England Cable News, the country’s largest regional news network, joins the Verizon FiOS TV lineup today. Verizon and NECN have agreed that NECN will be carried on Verizon FiOS TV in New England markets.

NECN will be available to subscribers of FiOS TV Premier, Verizon’s most popular package, on Channel 82. NECN initially will be available in Woburn, Reading and Lynnfield, Mass., where Verizon offers FiOS TV service. Verizon will also carry the channel in future New England markets as it obtains cable franchises and launches service. Last night (May 30), Verizon was awarded a video franchise in Tewksbury, Mass., and it received franchises in Wakefield, Hamilton and Wenham, Mass., last week.
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Combining performance and value, new OPPO DV-970HD upconverts standard DVDs to HD quality

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF. May 31, 2006 – OPPO Digital, Inc., an innovative consumer electronics manufacturer, today announced its new DV-970HD DVD player with HDMI and high definition up-conversion for HDTVs and projectors. The DV-970HD is available from OPPO Digital (www.oppodigital.com) and OPPO authorized resellers for $149.00.

OPPO Digital’s DV-970HD was developed following the success of the OPDV971H, the award-winning upconverting DVD player which scored the highest against hundreds of brands and models in independent DVD player benchmark tests. With experience garnered from the OPDV971H and insightful input from the A/V enthusiast community, OPPO packs the DV-970HD with high performance and enthusiast grade features, all at an incredible value.
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New Televisions Feature Sleek Aluminum and Glass Designs

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - May 30, 2006 - The Ubiquitous Platform Systems Division of Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), www.hitachi.us/tv, today announced its 2006 plasma television line that combines original technologies and sophisticated designs. The new HDTVs feature 42- and 55-inch screen sizes, and exclusive technologies that produce razor sharp images and deep, rich colors. Hitachi’s 42-inch models introduce 1080 vertical lines of resolution to the 42-inch plasma screen size for the first time. This original Hitachi plasma technology creates a line for vertical line match with the dominant 1080i HDTV format. The 55-inch models use similar proprietary technologies that produce more active picture area and a brighter picture.
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Four New Ultra-Slim Flat Panel Models Deliver Industry’s Best LCD Technology

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - May 30, 2006 - The Ubiquitous Platform Systems Division of Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), www.hitachi.us/tv, today introduced its 2006 line-up of LCD flat panel HDTVs featuring four new UltraVision® models including two advanced Director’s Series displays. Combining market-leading LCD technology with a sleek, sophisticated design, Hitachi’s new LCD displays arrive in 32- and 37-inch sizes and deliver the best picture quality possible as a result of Hitachi’s proprietary black frame insertion technology and 120Hz high speed double refresh drive.

“Hitachi’s investment in proprietary LCD technologies delivers the most realistic picture possible for the absolute best LCD home theater experience,” said Bill Whalen, senior product manager, Hitachi America, Ltd., Ubiquitous Platform Systems, Consumer Group. “Our latest LCD models produce the sharpest images and motion picture clarity using next-generation LCD technology.”
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Appropriations Committee Approves Bill That Would Open Local Cable TV Markets to Competition, Lower Prices for Consumers

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The California Assembly Committee on Appropriations on Thursday approved Assembly Bill 2987, which would overhaul the state’s outdated cable franchising process and pave the way for new competitors such as Verizon to offer consumers a choice in video programming, better technology and lower prices. At the same time, the bill, authored by Speaker Fabian Núñez and Assemblymember Lloyd Levine, guarantees that local communities will continue to receive franchise fees consistent with those paid by incumbent cable companies. The full Assembly is expected to vote on the bill by Friday, June 2. The following statement can be attributed to Verizon West Region President Tim McCallion:
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Worries That Internet Regulations Could Tank It, Costing Consumers Billions

WASHINGTON - Predicting it will lead to “direct, tangible benefits to consumers,” including greater “video choice” and significant reductions in monthly cable television bills, a top Verizon executive today urged the U.S. Senate commerce committee to approve telecommunications reform legislation sponsored by the panel’s chairman and the ranking minority party member.

But the executive - a former member of Congress - expressed concern that efforts to add controversial Internet regulations to the bipartisan proposal could endanger its passage, costing consumers more than $8 billion a year in lost cable savings.
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