PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lori Sitler or Janice Fitzsimons

Phone: (302) 577-8314

Pager: (302) 247-1132
Date: December 12, 2005



DANBERG ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH DIRECTV



(Wilmington, DE): Delaware Attorney General Carl C. Danberg announced today that Delaware and 21 other states had entered into a $5 million settlement with DIRECTV addressing various marketing and advertising practices about which consumers in each of the 22 states complained. Consumers complained about small unreadable print in advertisements which purported to modify DIRECTVs offers and about not learning exactly what their monetary commitments to DIRECTV were until after they were locked into a contract. DIRECTV has agreed to pay restitution to consumers who complained because they were charged a fee for not activating DIRECTV in a timely way, who complained because they paid for but did not receive all local channels they expected to receive, or who complained about being assessed a fee for terminating service before the free programming offer period expired. The $5 million settlement will be payable to the 22 states for their investigation costs and fees. Delawares share will be $260,000.



DIRECTV has agreed to clearly inform consumers of the total scope of the consumers obligation if he or she accepts a DIRECTV service and/or equipment offered in its advertisements. Consumers with complaints about the terms contained in their contracts, problems with installation, difficulties activating or receiving programming, or termination fees that were charged when they canceled their service, may be eligible to receive restitution under the settlement. To receive restitution consumers must file their claim for restitution with the Delaware Attorney Generals Office Consumer Protection Division at (302) 577-8600 or 1-800-220-5424 or they can contact DIRECTV directly at DIRECTV, State Complaint Program, P.O. Box 29079, Glendale, CA 91209-9079. All complaints must be received no later than May 11, 2006.



Neighboring states included in the settlement are Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.



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