The DIRECTV Group, Inc. provides digital television entertainment in the United States and Latin America. It operates in two segments, DIRECTV U.S. and DIRECTV Latin America. The DIRECTV U.S. segment direct-to-home digital television services, as well as multi-channel video programming distribution services in the United States. As of December 31, 2006, the segment provided approximately 16 million subscribers with access to channels of digital-quality video pictures and CD-quality audio programming that were transmitted directly to its subscribers’ homes or businesses via geosynchronous satellites. It distributes approximately 1,700 digital video and audio channels, including 185 basic...