- - - Senate Vote on DTH Expected Soon - - -

The Senate wrapped up its work on new crime legislation Thursday, clearing the way for a possible vote on DTH legislation.

If that happens, the bill will probably skip committee action and come up for consideration by the full Senate.

Unders scenarios presented earlier this month, Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) will act as floor manager for DTH legislation, attaching a bill presented by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) as an amendment to his separate bill. If passed, legislation would be reconciled in a conference committee with a similar bill passed by the House last month.

- - - Liberty Media And Its Satellite Side - - -

NEW YORK CITY - At a standing-room only crowd of analysts and media types filling Manhattan's Hudson Theater, Liberty Media executives outlined a plan of "rationalize, consolidate and restructure" the company's portfolio of investments in public and private media properties.

CEO and "brain trust" Dr. John Malone noted the company was in its "third shot at designing" itself ... "this time," the Dr. said, "I think we got it right."

On the satellite side of its business, executives touted TV Guide's KaSTAR involvement, Encore Media Group's success on DirecTV (John Sie: "We're going to own the movie category, period!") and the "TV Portals" under development at Lee Masters' Liberty Digital.

Of note: Dob Bennett's mentioning the $1.4 billion value per employee.

- - - Hughes Completes USSB Acquisition - - -

Hughes Electronics completed the acquisition of U.S. Satellite Broadcasting following the approval of the transaction by USSB shareholders Thursday morning.

As was previously announced, Hughes will combine its DirecTV business with USSB's assets and business at the 101 degrees orbital slot. DirecTV got the go-ahead for the transaction from the Federal Communications Commission last month.

DirecTV will use the three 110 degree frequencies acquired from USSB to launch a line-up of Spanish lanuage services later this year.

- - - Canada Launches Nimiq-1 - - -

Telesat Canada launched Nimiq-1 Thursday, the country's first high-power DBS satellite that will deliver services for at least one customer - Bell Expressvu.

As of late Friday night, things appeared normal after the launch.

According to Telesat Vice President of Business Development Dennis Billard, plans for an additional DBS satellite serving Canada could be announced within the next six months. "It's certainly something under consideration, but nothing is definite yet," he said.

A second satellite would give Expressvu some back-up capacity and expand channel offerings.

The Nimiq satellite footprint covers the contigious 48 states south of Canada. But due to regulatory hurdles between the two countries, and with at least one serious customer in place, it's unlikely the DBS bird will serve the United States.

Expressvu has secured 17 transponders on the satellite. Another unnamed company has options to exercise on remaining transponders. Billard said he is confident that capacity on the satellite will be sold out.

Lift-off, which took place in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, was aboard a Proton rocket. The launch was conducted through launch services provider International Launch Services, while the satellite was built by Lockheed Martin.

Nimiq, an Inuit word for "any force that unites things or binds them together," was chosen from almost 40,000 entries in a contest held by Telesat. When deployed, the satellite will be located at 91 degrees.

- - - DISH Team Summit Draws 1,200 - - -

EchoStar's second-annual Team Summit attracted more than 1,200 retailers to the company's headquarters in suburban Denver, and EchoStar's DISHPlayer/WebTV offering became a main attraction during the first day of the event.

Retailers also attended workshops on Dolby Digital, HDTV and DISH Network's Business Television. Dealers also attended forums on how to increase revenues, market DISH Network products and how to create their own website.

Today, EchoStar Chairman Charlie Ergen and Senior Vice President David Moskowitz will talk about local-into-local plans. WebTV Networks' Steve Perlman will provide retailers a personal demonstration of DISHPlayer, which will be available on store shelves at the end of the month.

On Saturday, EchoStar will offer tours of Lockheed Martin Astronautics facilities, where retailers will see the rockets that will launch EchoStar V and VI satellites. Tours will also be given at the company's broadcast center in Cheyenne, Wyo.

- - - ON TV: - - -

• MBTI, EchoStar Announce Web Deal -
  MBT International, a provider of agricultural products and services over the Internet, will supply EchoStar with multimedia content for its high-speed interactive broadcast service. MBTI's interactive channel will deliver programming and online purchasing covering a variety of agricultural issues. EchoStar also announced Thursday that it will add four other interactive channels to its convergent service: Intellicast.com, SailingNews.com, SimplyTV and Women.com.

• Broadcasters Bring Wall That Heals To Gettysburg -
  Turner Network Television (TNT) and GS Communications will bring The Wall That Heals traveling veterans memorial to Gettysburg, PA next week. The Wall will be the scene of a televised Memorial Day program on Monday, May 31.

• Showtime Unveils Digital Nets -
  Showtime Networks announced this week that it will unveil two new digital multiplex channels. "Showtime Beyond" will carry sci-fi, horror and fantasy movies and is slated to launch in September. The second channel, which hasn't been named yet, will target "Generation Y" and is scheduled to launch in June 2000.