Filipinos in the U.S. Tune to DIRECTV For Exclusive Filipino Programming Packages

“ DIRECTV Launches No. 1 Rated TV Station in the Philippines  GMA Pinoy TV TFCDirect and FilipinoDirect Packages Deliver Widest Variety of Filipino-language Programming Available in the U.S. ”
1/6/2009 6:09:19 PM

8/04/2005

El Segundo , CA   Aug 4, 2005    Continuing its ongoing strategy to become the leading international programming provider in the United States by offering a robust programming lineup to a variety of diverse ethnic markets, DIRECTV is now offering two new programming choices for Filipinos living in the United States - TFCDirect and FilipinoDirect. In addition, as part of the DIRECTV FilipinoDirect programming package, viewers will receive the No. 1 rated TV station in the Philippines , GMA Pinoy TV.

Now available exclusively as part of the DIRECTV WorldDirect ™ programming service, the TFCDirect package will offer a six-channel bundle that includes The Filipino Channel (TFC), Cinema One, ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), Pinoy Central TV, and two audio channels, DZMM and DWRR for $22.99 per month. The FilipinoDirect package, which includes everything available in TFCDirect, will also include GMA Pinoy TV for $32.99 per month.

"The launch of TFCDirect and FilipinoDirect on DIRECTV is a double bonus for the more than two million Filipino-Americans living in the U.S.," said Aaron McNally, vice president, International, DIRECTV, Inc. "For the first time ever, TFCDirect, the No. 1 Filipino TV package in the U.S., will be offered on an all-digital, nationwide distribution platform via DIRECTV. And we will bundle this programming together with the debut of the long-awaited GMA Pinoy TV, to form the premier Filipino package in the U.S. , FilipinoDirect. The launch of these exclusive packages on DIRECTV's WorldDirect service underscores our commitment to serve ethnic populations across America with the absolute best programming from their home countries and to achieve our goal of becoming the leading provider of international programming in the U.S. "

GMA Pinoy TV, the most awarded TV station in the Philippines , offers a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week network that delivers family-oriented Filipino/English-language programming composed of news and general entertainment.

The channels available in TFCDirect offer dramas, sitcoms, game shows, movies, 24-hour news, music, sports and talk radio entertainment in English, Tagalog, Ilocano, Cebuano and Illonggo.

The DIRECTV WorldDirect ™ international programming platform delivers a wide variety of new programming in multiple foreign-languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Filipino and Italian, to underserved ethnic markets throughout the United States . DIRECTV will continue to expand its international programming platform to reach more ethnic audiences.

Customers who want to subscribe to either the TFCDirect or FilipinoDirect programming package must first subscribe to the DIRECTV ® BASIC ($9.99/mo) or DIRECTV ® PREFERRED CHOICE ™ ($29.99/mo) international base packages, or to any TOTAL CHOICE ® ($41.99/mo. or above) or DIRECTV PARA TODOS ® ($29.99/mo. or above) base package. The DIRECTV BASIC package offers up to 50 channels, including local channels (where available), public interest, music and shopping channels. In addition to those channels offered in the BASIC package, the PREFERRED CHOICE package includes a variety of the most popular English-language channels such as ESPN, CNN, The History Channel, Food Network, TNT, MTV and the Fox Movie Channel.

DIRECTV customers will need to use a WorldDirect services satellite dish that is capable of receiving both international and English-language programming. In some markets, customers who subscribe to a local channels package will require a second smaller dish.


About DIRECTV, Inc.
DIRECTV, Inc. is the nation's leading digital multichannel television service provider with more than 14.6 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV (NYSE: DTV) is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment. DIRECTV is approximately 34 percent owned by News Corporation.