SBCA ANNOUNCES SIX STAFF PROMOTIONS

Andrews and Parone Named Senior Vice President; Convention, Membership and Office Staff Move Up

ALEXANDRIA, VA, February 1, 2000 -- The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA) announced today the promotion of six association staff members. Patricia Andrews, vice president, was promoted to the position of senior vice president. SBCA vice president of communications, Margaret Parone, also was promoted to the position of senior vice president. Four other members of the SBCA staff - Judy Collins, Stephanie Curtis, Amy Miller and Rachel Zink - were promoted following annual reviews by the Association Finance Committee last December. All promotions became effective January 1, 2000. 

Andrews joined the SBCA staff in 1989 as an executive assistant and has held a number of positions during her tenure at the Association. She has over 25 years of business management experience and served as board chairman for a national drug rehabilitation program. In her new position, Andrews will maintain overall responsibility for the Association's SkyTRENDS program, operations and all membership recruitment and retention activity. 

A member of the SBCA staff since 1986, Margaret Parone has worked in the SBCA membership, communications and convention departments. An honors graduate of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Parone conducted graduate studies at the Pennsylvania State University and held several business and academic positions prior to beginning her tenure at SBCA. Parone will continue to oversee all convention, communications and education programs. Judy Collins, finance assistant, was promoted to office coordinator. 

A member of the SBCA staff since 1996, Collins will administer office and financial operations. Stephanie Curtis joined the SBCA in 1998 as membership assistant and was promoted to the position of membership coordinator. A 1997 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Curtis will administer all membership service and support activities. After graduating from James Madison University in Virginia, Amy Miller was hired as the SBCA convention and meeting assistant and exhibits coordinator before her promotion to exhibits manager. She participates actively as a member of the International Association of Exhibit Managers and was recently elected as an officer to the Washington, DC Chapter. She is currently working towards attaining her CEM, Certified Exhibits Manager accreditation. Rachel Zink, a 1998 graduate of Purdue University, joined SBCA last year as an executive assistant and was promoted to the position of SkyTRENDS coordinator. - more - SBCA Staff Promotions February 1, 2000 Page 2

"We are fortunate to have a combination of veterans and newcomers so dedicated to serving the interests of the direct-to-home satellite television industry," said Chuck Hewitt, SBCA President. "The coming years pose a great many challenges and opportunities for our industry, and I believe we have a core group of motivated staff members ready to meet those challenges and capitalize on those opportunities," he added. The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association of America (SBCA) is the national trade organization representing all segments of the home satellite industry. It is committed to expanding the utilization of satellite technology for the broadcast delivery of entertainment, news, information and educational programming. The SBCA is composed of satellite manufacturers, system operators, equipment manufacturers, distributors, retailers, DBS companies, mass merchandisers, encryption vendors and programmers.

The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association of America (SBCA) is the national trade organization representing all segments of the satellite industry. It is committed to expanding the utilization of satellite technology for the broadcast delivery of video, data and voice services. The SBCA is composed of DBS and other satellite service providers, programmers, equipment manufacturers, distributors, retailers, encryption vendors, and national and regional distribution companies.