Boyd to Host 'Free Preview Weekend'
Xoanon @ 12:58 pm EST

'The Lord of the Rings'(TM) Star Billy Boyd to Host Starz Free Preview Weekend on DIRECTV September 17-19

Sweepstakes Awards Grand Prize Winner an RCA Home Entertainment System, DIRECTV Customers Receive a $15.00 Visa(R) Gift Card with STARZ! Subscription

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz) and DIRECTV, Inc. are offering an exclusive free movie weekend to all DIRECTV customers from 9:00 p.m. ET on September 17 to midnight ET September 19. Actor Billy Boyd, who starred as Pippin in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, will be hosting the event. Starz is the exclusive pay television home of all three "The Lord of the Rings" movies.

Additionally, one grand-prize winner will receive an RCA Home Entertainment System that includes a 61" DLP HDTV with integrated tuner, a 600-watt surround sound Home Theatre Package with DVD player and a 40GB digital video recorder. DIRECTV customers who sign up for STARZ! during the free preview weekend will receive a $15 Visa gift card, powered by Ecount(TM), and good at millions of Visa locations worldwide with proof of the first month's billing statement.

The free preview will consist of 12 channels of the Starz Super Pak. The free preview weekend presents DIRECTV customers with Hollywood's biggest blockbusters on the Starz Super Pak including Julia Roberts in "Mona Lisa Smile," Johnny Depp in "The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," Ang Lee's "Hulk" and "Cold Creek Manor."

In honor of host Billy Boyd, who was filmed in his hometo wn in Scotland for the free preview event, STARZ! will be airing "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" on Saturday, September 18. The 2004 Academy Award(R) winner for Best Picture, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," will premiere on STARZ! in November.

"The Starz Super Pak offers our customers quality movie choice and convenience," said Neal Tiles, executive vice president, marketing for DIRECTV. "Starz consistently delivers first-rate programming, and we are happy to give our customers this opportunity to enjoy their hit movies with the added incentive of a $15 Visa gift card and the chance to win the RCA HD Home Theater."

DIRECTV customers who sign up for STARZ! during the free preview will be awarded a $15 Visa gift card and the opportunity to win an RCA Entertainment System grand prize (service and installation not included).

"The free weekend preview is consistent with our ultimate goal of adding value to DIRECTV households," added Bill Giorgio, senior vice president, affiliate sales with Starz. "Starz provides an unparalleled library of movies, and each channel delivers something new and unique to movie lovers." Starz provides a steady supply of blockbuster titles including "Lost In Translation," "Under the Tuscan Sun," "Mona Lisa Smile," "Spy Kids 3: Game Over," "Kill Bill Vol. 1," "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," "Hulk," "Chicago," "Anger Management," "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," "Finding Nemo" and "Freaky Friday." Coming to STARZ! later in 2004: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and "Miracle." Hollywood studios supplying films to Starz include Disney, Universal, Sony, MGM, Paramount, New Line, Revolution Studios and Miramax.

About DIRECTV, Inc.

DIRECTV is the nation's leading digital mu ltichannel television service provider with more than 13 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of The DIRECTV Group Inc. (NYSE: DTV). The DIRECTV Group is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment and broadband satellite networks and services. The DIRECTV Group is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is approximately 82 percent owned by News Corporation Ltd. For more information visit www.directv.com.

About Starz

Starz is the largest provider of premium movie services in the United States with approximately 164 million pay units. Starz offerings include the Starz Super Pak(R), with up to 13 digital movie channels and more than 750 movies per month, Starz On Demand(R), the only on-demand pay TV subscription service available on the cable and satellite platforms, and its broadband equivalent, STARZ! Ticket(SM). Starz also offers a suite of advanced video offerings, including STARZ! HD(SM), Encore HD(SM), and Starz On Demand HD(SM). Starz is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: L, LMCb), www.starz.com.