DIRECTV 2006 Annual Report Download - page 30

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 30 of the 2006 DIRECTV annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 145

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120
  • 121
  • 122
  • 123
  • 124
  • 125
  • 126
  • 127
  • 128
  • 129
  • 130
  • 131
  • 132
  • 133
  • 134
  • 135
  • 136
  • 137
  • 138
  • 139
  • 140
  • 141
  • 142
  • 143
  • 144
  • 145

THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
All DIRECTV Group companies maintain active programs for identifying and protecting our
important intellectual property. With the exception of certain U.S. trademark registrations held by
DIRECTV U.S., Sky Mexico and Sky Brazil pursuant to trademark license agreements, The DIRECTV
Group owns all of our intellectual property for the benefit of our company and our subsidiaries.
We believe that our growing portfolio of pending and issued patents are important assets. We
presently hold over 1,600 issued patents worldwide relating to our past and present businesses,
including over 200 patents developed by, or otherwise relating to, the businesses of DIRECTV U.S. We
hold a worldwide portfolio of over 665 registered trademarks, including over 450 foreign registrations
related to the DIRECTV name and the Cyclone Design. In addition, DIRECTV U.S. holds over 95
U.S. trademark registrations relating to its business, including registrations of the primary ‘‘DIRECTV’’
and Cyclone Design trademarks. These trademarks are licensed royalty-free to third parties for use in
support of DIRECTV U.S.’ business. We actively protect our important patents and trademarks against
unauthorized or improper use by third parties.
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION
We are subject to the requirements of federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and
regulations. These include laws regulating air emissions, water discharge and waste management. We
have an environmental management structure designed to facilitate and support our compliance with
these requirements and attempt to maintain compliance with all such requirements. We have made and
will continue to make, as necessary, capital and other expenditures to comply with environmental
requirements. We do not, however, expect capital or other expenditures for environmental compliance
to be material in 2007. Environmental requirements are complex, change frequently and have become
more stringent over time. Accordingly, we cannot provide assurance that these requirements will not
change or become more stringent in the future in a manner that could have a material adverse effect
on our business.
We are also subject to environmental laws requiring the investigation and cleanup of
environmental contamination at facilities we formerly owned or operated or currently own or operate
or to which we sent hazardous wastes for treatment or disposal. We are aware of contamination at one
of our former sites. We believe that we have adequately provided for the expected cost of
environmental investigation and cleanup.
SEGMENT REPORTING DATA
Operating segment and principal geographic area data for 2006, 2005 and 2004 are summarized in
Note 19 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8, Part II of this Annual
Report, which we incorporate herein by reference.
EMPLOYEES
As of December 31, 2006, we had approximately 9,900 full-time and 1,300 part-time employees.
We believe that our employee relations are good. None of our employees is represented by labor
unions in the United States. In some countries in Latin America there are labor unions with which we
have a good working relationship.
19