GemsTV Set to Premiere Exclusively on DIRECTV November 29

GemsTV Set to Premiere Exclusively on DIRECTV November 29

'12 Days of Christmas' Contest Will Award Valuable GemsTV Gift Certificates to DIRECTV Viewers Nationwide

RENO, Nev., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GemsTV, the pre-eminent gemstone jewelry shopping channel in the UK, announced today that it will launch for the first time in the United States, premiering exclusively on DIRECTV beginning November 29. GemsTV will be available to all DIRECTV customers nationwide on channel 233.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061115/LAW105)

GemsTV airs 24 hours a day and specializes in offering genuine colored gemstone jewelry in exclusive handcrafted designs direct from the manufacturer. The shopping channel will offer more than 170 different types of precious and semi-precious gemstones that originate from over 45 countries around the world. The gemstones range from precious varieties such as Rubies and Sapphires to many hard to find varieties such as Alexandrite and Paraiba Tourmaline, and are set in thousands of original classic and contemporary designs. Only real gemstones -- no fakes or synthetic copies -- will be sold and all jewelry will be handcrafted out of 14 Karat gold or better, or sterling silver.

"We're delighted to be launching nationally on DIRECTV, the country's foremost satellite television service provider. With the recent explosion in demand for colored gemstones in the UK, Europe and now the United States, GemsTV is well positioned as one of the largest producers of gemstone jewelry in the world to offer a wide array of product at factory prices to satisfy the American marketplace. By cutting out retailers and middlemen and passing the savings on to the customer, we are able to provide incredible value for precious and semi-precious gemstone jewelry, making it affordable and available to a broad audience," said Diane Schneiderjohn, president and general manager, GemsTV.

"GemsTV transcends traditional television shopping," said Dan Fawcett, executive vice president, Programming Acquisitions, DIRECTV, Inc. "Its innovative reverse auction format is unprecedented in the history of American television and offers viewers a fun and easy way to shop for high-quality gemstone jewelry from the comfort of their own homes. We are excited to provide the exclusive platform for GemsTV's debut in the U.S."

GemsTV ensures low prices by using the only reverse auction method on TV in the United States called "The Game." Presided over by American hosts, as well as British presenters from GemsTV's sister channel in the UK, as each game proceeds the price of the product continues to drop until all pieces have been bid on. No matter what price each buyer bids throughout the game, all buyers only pay the final lowest price. With limited quantities of each design, games last several minutes with approximately eight games per hour. GemsTV and its website www.GemsTV.com will be fully integrated.

GemsTV will air live reverse auctions 20 hours a day, seven days a week from 5AM-1AM PT/8AM-4AM ET. For the balance of the schedule, GemsTV-produced documentaries will air to empower viewers to make informed buying decisions. The documentaries cover all steps in the jewelry making process, from sourcing gems in the field and at major gem markets around the world, to creating designs and crafting jewelry in GemsTV's workshops at the company's world headquarters near the Chanthaburi, Thailand gem market.

"Our goal is complete customer satisfaction. We have a loyal and satisfied customer base in the UK, with an 85 percent repeat rate among our buyers. With the largest and most affordable offering, certificates of authenticity with each purchase, user-friendly customer service and generous return policy, we want to be America's most trusted source for precious and semi-precious gemstone jewelry," said Schneiderjohn.

"GemsTV 12 Days of Christmas" Contest

GemsTV will celebrate the launch of the channel and the holiday gift- giving season by awarding valuable gift certificates daily starting December 5. For 12 days, GemsTV will announce a winner live on-air each evening at 7PM PT/10PM ET, and will award a certificate good toward the purchase of jewelry on the channel or website. Starting at $100, each day the prize will increase until the final day of the contest, December 16, a $1,000 gift certificate will be awarded. Viewers can enter the contest by logging on to www.Gemstv12days.com.

GemsTV US is based in Reno, Nevada and is a subsidiary of Gems TV Holdings, a public company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange which employs nearly 2,000 staff worldwide.

DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 15.5 million customers through exclusive content, industry-leading customer service (which has surpassed cable for six years running) and superior technologies. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy over 250 channels of 100% digital picture and sound; exclusive programming and the most comprehensive collection of sports programming available anywhere including NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM), and MLB EXTRA INNINGS(TM). DIRECTV also leads the digital television technology revolution with exclusives such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan(TM), US Open Interactive and YES Network Interactive and will soon have the capacity to offer over 150 channels in HD. DIRECTV is approximately 39 percent owned by News Corporation. For the most up-to-date information on the Company, please visit directv.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: pnparry@aol.com

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061115/LAW105
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN16
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: GemsTV

CONTACT: Piper Parry of GemsTV, +1-858-245-8087, piperp@gemstv.com; or
Jade Ekstedt of DIRECTV, +1-310-964-3429, JLEkstedt@directv.com

Web site: http://www.gemstv.com/
http://www.directv.com/

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