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DirecTV Adds Interactive Channels

Friday, January 7th, 2005


Reprinted from a DirecTV press release:

At the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, DIRECTV, Inc., the nation’s leading and fastest-growing digital television service provider, introduced two new advanced programming services now available to DIRECTV customers with interactive-enabled receivers. Launched on Jan. 4, the three new DIRECTV Mix channels offer enhanced features that enable customers to view up to six live channels all on one screen. Launching in February, the new DIRECTV Active channel will offer interactive, local weather information, financial market summaries and a wide range of additional interactive services.

“With all of the programming available on DIRECTV, the DIRECTV Mix and DIRECTV Active give customers yet another way to customize their television viewing experience and enhance different aspects of their lives,” said Eric Shanks, senior vice president, Advanced Services and Content, DIRECTV, Inc. “DIRECTV is focused on delivering the best TV experience to its customers. We understand the importance of creating features that make DIRECTV’s programming even better and this is just the beginning of what DIRECTV has to offer in the interactive category.”

DIRECTV Mix Channels
DIRECTV Mix channels offer customers the ability to view up to six live channels, all on one screen. Customers with interactive-enabled DIRECTV receivers can use their remote control to listen and direct tune to any of the channels on the screen.

The DIRECTV Mix channels include:

  • DIRECTV News Mix - DIRECTV Channel 102 - Offers an instant glimpse of the most current news stories from the most widely viewed news networks, such as CNN, Headline News, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox News Channel and The Weather Channel.
  • DIRECTV Sports Mix - DIRECTV Channel 104 - Delivers the best in televised sports - customers are able to see popular game match-ups and get a current look at what’s on in televised sporting events from networks, such as ESPN, ESPN2, The NFL Network, The Golf Channel, The SPEED Channel and Outdoor Life Network.
  • DIRECTV Kids Mix - DIRECTV Channel 111 - Offers families a snapshot in to the most popular children’s television networks available, such as Animal Planet, The Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Cartoon Network, Noggin and Nickelodeon.
  • DIRECTV Sports and News Mix channels are hosted by DIRECTV anchors -based at DIRECTV’s Los Angeles Broadcast Center (LABC) - who give customers top headlines and highlights, and help them plan their TV viewing.

    • DIRECTV Active
    In February, DIRECTV customers will have access to a wide range of interactive services, which can be both personalized and localized. These new services will include daily and extended weather forecasts, financial market summaries, daily horoscopes, lottery results, pay per view and broadcast TV recommendations, as well as special DIRECTV network promotions. Using the new remote control, viewers simply push the button labeled “Active,” then use their remote to navigate through the interactive features.

    In addition, DIRECTV Active’s video and audio components provide additional information from DIRECTV and its diverse advertising partners. Some of the features available with DIRECTV Active include:

  • Weather - Provides current and five-day local weather forecasts for thousands of U.S. cities, as well as regional weather maps updated throughout the day.
  • DIRECTV Mix Channels - Lets customers direct tune to the DIRECTV Mix Channels.
  • What’s Hot - Keeps customers up-to-date on the week’s best movies, series and special programming offered by DIRECTV.
  • Horoscope - Allows customers to check their daily horoscope by clicking on their individual star sign.
  • Lottery - Offers up-to-the-minute results from the 38 state lotteries in the United States.

    • Customers with non-interactive-enabled receivers will be able to view the DIRECTV Mix channels, but will not be able to listen and direct tune to the channels featured on the screen. In addition, the DIRECTV Active functionality will not be available on non-interactive-enabled receivers.

    DIRECTV has been deploying interactive-capable receivers since April 2004. In February, these set-top boxes will receive a software download that will enable these interactive capabilities. The model number of this new box is the D10 basic receiver from DIRECTV.

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