APRIL 13 SKYFORUM TO FEATURE TOP-LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ON DBS AND SATELLITE RADIO MARKETPLACES

ALEXANDRIA, VA, March 9, 2004 – The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association’s (SBCA) 21st SkyFORUM, the satellite industry’s premiere financial symposium, will feature top executives in the satellite services and entertainment industries.  SkyFORUM is scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, 2004, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (program begins at 8:30 a.m.) at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. 

The SkyFORUM’s Satellite Services CEO Roundtable will include: Charles Dolan, Chairman, Rainbow DBS; Eddy Hartenstein, vice chairman, Hughes Electronics Corp.; Dean Olmstead, president and CEO, SES AMERICOM; Bob Phillips, president and CEO, NRTC; and David Sprechman, CEO, GlobeCast America.

SkyFORUM is also pleased to announce the participation of Joseph Clayton, president and CEO, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Hugh Panero, president and CEO, XM Satellite Radio on the Talking Heads of Satellite Radio panel.  Harry Thibedeau, Manager of Satellite Industry Relations, NRTC will moderate the discussion. 

 “Once again, we are thrilled to be able to bring the industry’s most important leaders to the SkyFORUM stage,”  said Clay Mowry, president, Arianespace, Inc. and SkyFORUM chairman.  “Such diverse and influential perspectives on the marketplace promises to offer  informative and insightful discussions on the current state and future direction of our industry.” 

SkyFORUM is designed to examine the rapidly developing satellite services industry and how the financial community responds to the competition among multichannel video, radio, and broadband providers.  More panels, keynotes and speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. 

The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association of America (www.sbca.com) 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, audio, data, interactive and broadband services.  The SBCA is composed of DBS, C-band, broadband, satellite radio, and other satellite service providers, content providers, equipment manufacturers, distributors, retailers, encryption vendors, and national and regional distribution companies, that make up the satellite services industry.