DirecTV Group Vice Chairman Eddy W. Hartenstein Retires

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Dec. 3/Satnews Daily/ ¾ DirecTV Group, Inc. (NYSE:DTV) Vice Chairman, Eddy W. Hartenstein, has elected to retire effective Dec. 31, 2004.

Hartenstein's career with the company began in 1972 when it was known as Hughes Aircraft Co. He became the president of DirecTV at its inception in 1990, and remained its chairman and CEO through December 2003 upon the sale of General Motors' interest in the company to News Corp. Since its launch in 1994, DirecTV has grown to become the second-largest pay television service in the United States, with more than 13.5 million customers.

"Eddy has not only been a colleague but a friend for more than 10 years," said Chase Carey, president and CEO of The DirecTV Group. "His expertise and counsel have been critical to our progress during the last year. His leadership of DirecTV from its infancy through the complicated exit of GM has been invaluable.”

Rupert Murdoch, chairman of The DirecTV Group, only had kind words for Hartenstein saying, "Eddy deserves tremendous credit for the creation and growth of DirecTV as a leader in the television world today."

“The highlight of my career has been these past 15 years while we conceived and brought to reality the best experience in television, which today is viewed in one of every eight television homes across America,” said Hartenstein. He added he had been privileged to work with the enormously talented men and women at DirecTV.

Recent Stories:

DirecTV Expands International Programming to Include Star Indian Channels and International Cricket

Cincinnati Bell, DirecTV to Offer Bundled Suite of Services

DirecTV Group Reports Third Quarter Net Loss of 1 Billion Due to Satellite Projects

Boeing Awards Ka-band Antenna Project for DirecTV Satellites to Harris Corp.