FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                News Media contact:
  November 24, 1999                  Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500 
       
  
  
    COMMISSION MANDATES DBS PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAMMING
                  BE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE
                              
  The Commission today released an Order addressing the American Distance
  Education Consortium's ("ADEC") Request for an Expedited Declaratory Ruling and
  Informal Complaint regarding implementation of the Commission's direct broadcast
  satellite ("DBS") public interest programming rules.  Today's ruling is beneficial for
  consumers of multichannel video programming, particularly those located in the Western
  portion of the United States, who will now be able to receive public interest programming,
  including educational programming via satellite.  In addition, the decision benefits a
  variety of public interest programmers seeking to take advantage of the mandate of
  Congress that public interest programming be available to DBS subscribers.
  
  In its petition, ADEC asserted that EchoStar Satellite Corporation's ("EchoStar")
  proposal to place all of its public interest programming on a satellite that does not serve
  the entire U.S. violates the Commission's rules.  In its decision, the Commission found
  that EchoStar's proposal does not, in fact, comply with applicable statutory requirements
  or regulatory obligations.  Instead, the Commission ruled that EchoStar must, at a
  minimum, reserve four percent of its channels at each of its full-CONUS (continental
  U.S.) orbit locations exclusively for public interest programming.  EchoStar may place the
  remaining number of its requisite public interest channels on satellites at either full-
  CONUS or non full-CONUS locations.  The Order also directs EchoStar to provide space
  for qualified public interest programmers on the satellite of their choice provided space is
  available. 
  
  Action by the CommissionNovember 23, 1999, by Declaratory Ruling and Order
  (FCC 99-367).  Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell and
  Tristani.
  
                          - FCC -
  
  International Bureau contacts:  Rosalee Chiara at (202) 418-0754 or Alyssa Roberts at
  (202) 418-7276.