UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

     Litigation Release No. 15769 \ June 5, 1998

     Securities and Exchange Commission v. Brent Gale, Lucy Gale, Hal Skinner,
     and Margarita Skinner, 98 CV 137 (D. Wy.)

     The Commission today filed an insider trading action against Brent Gale, a
     resident of Cheyenne, Wyoming and a vice president of an EchoStar
     Communications Corp. (EchoStar) subsidiary, EchoStar Satellite Corporation. 
     The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District
     of Wyoming, alleges that on February 21 and February 24, 1997, Gale
     purchased a total of 1250 shares of EchoStar stock at an average price of
     $15.77 after learning of a confidential alliance between News Corporation
     and EchoStar by virtue of his position.  The complaint alleges that after
     the public announcement of the alliance, Gale sold the 1250 shares for
     $22.00 per share for illegal profits of $7,782.50.  The complaint also
     alleges that Gale informed his wife, Lucy Gale, of the alliance and that
     she in turn tipped her sister and brother-in-law, Margarita and Hal
     Skinner, who borrowed funds to purchase EchoStar stock and realized
     unlawful profits of $5,550.00.

     Brent and Lucy Gale and Hal and Margarita Skinner have agreed to consent, without admitting or denying the substantive
         allegations in the complaint, to the entry of an order enjoining each of them from future violations of Section 10(b) of the
         Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder.  Brent Gale agreed to disgorge $7,782.50, plus prejudgment
         interest, and to pay a civil monetary penalty of $7,782.50.  Lucy Gale agreed to pay a civil monetary penalty of $5,550.00. 
         With respect to Hal and Margarita Skinner, disgorgement was waived and imposition of civil penalties was not sought in light
         of their inability to pay.

























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