ENGLEWOOD, Colo. & BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 21, 2006--EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service today announced that the series premiere of NBC's new fall series "Friday Night Lights" will be featured on its Video On Demand platform, DISH On Demand, before its network debut on NBC on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.

The "Friday Night Lights" series centers on the small rural town of Dillon, Texas, where the coveted state football championship rings are held in the highest regard. Dillon's promising high school team, its star quarterback, and newly appointed head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler, "King Kong," "Grey's Anatomy") feel the mounting pressure of the town's pride and honor riding on their shoulders as a new football season kicks off.

"Friday Night Lights" will be available on DISH On Demand on Saturday, Sept. 23 through Monday, Oct. 2 for DISH Network customers with a 622 or 625 receiver. Customers simply need to press the "DVR" button on their remote and select "TV Entertainment" from the menu screen, select "Friday Night Lights" from the menu, and select "Start" to begin viewing. DISH Network's DISH On Demand service gives customers immediate access to the latest movies and television programs, allowing them to enjoy movies and other programs whenever they want. Additionally, DISH Network's state-of-the-art DVRs enable subscribers to further customize their viewing experience by taking advantage of popular features such as pause, fast forward, and rewind.

"We're delighted that we have this opportunity to showcase a drama of this caliber to the DISH Network audience," said John Miller, chief marketing officer, NBC Universal Television Group. "We're proud of the quality of 'Friday Night Lights' and we look forward to having viewers see the show in advance and encourage others to watch this exciting new series."

"We are very excited that DISH On Demand customers will get a sneak preview of 'Friday Night Lights' before it premieres on NBC," said Susan Arnold, vice president of Programming for DISH Network. "By combining the latest and most popular programming on DISH On Demand with the functionality and technology of our industry-leading DVRs, DISH Network customers will find multiple ways to enhance their viewing experience."

For more information or to subscribe to DISH Network, visit www.dishnetwork.com, call 1-800-333-DISH (3474), or contact your local DISH Network retailer.

About "Friday Night Lights"

Executive-produced by Peter Berg (the film "Friday Night Lights," "The Rundown"), who also wrote and directed the pilot, Jason Katims ("Roswell"), Brian Grazer ("The Da Vinci Code," "Cinderella Man," "A Beautiful Mind"), David Nevins ("Arrested Development") and Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "The Kingdom"). "Friday Night Lights" is a production of Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio.

About EchoStar

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) serves more than 12.46 million satellite TV customers through its DISH Network(TM), the fastest growing U.S. provider of advanced digital television services in the last five years. DISH Network offers hundreds of video and audio channels, Interactive TV, HDTV, sports and international programming, together with professional installation and 24-hour customer service. Visit EchoStar's DISH Network at www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).

CONTACT: EchoStar Communications Corporation
Heather Black, 720-514-5351
press@echostar.com


SOURCE: EchoStar Communications Corporation