DTV » Topics » ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

These excerpts taken from the DTV 10-K filed Feb 27, 2009.

ITEM 9A.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

        We carried out an evaluation as of the end of the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our principal executive officers and financial officers, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act). Based on the evaluation, our principal executive officers and our financial officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2008.

        There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during our fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2008, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

    Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

        Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Those rules define internal control over financial reporting as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, and includes those policies and procedures that:

    pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;

    provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and

    provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

        Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the

108



THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.


Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on their assessment and those criteria, management believes that, as of December 31, 2008, our internal control over financial reporting is effective.

        Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an audit report on internal control over financial reporting, which appears below.


        REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

        To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
El Segundo, California

        We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

        We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

        A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

        In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—

109



THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.


Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

        We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules as of and for the year ended December 31, 2008 of the Company and our report dated February 26, 2009, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedules and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 and Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statement No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R).

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

   

Los Angeles, California
February 26, 2009

110



THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.

ITEM 9A.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

        We carried out an evaluation as of the end of the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our principal executive officers and financial officers, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act). Based on the evaluation, our principal executive officers and our financial officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2008.

        There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during our fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2008, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

    Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

        Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Those rules define internal control over financial reporting as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, and includes those policies and procedures that:

    pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;

    provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and

    provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

        Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the

108



THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.


Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on their assessment and those criteria, management believes that, as of December 31, 2008, our internal control over financial reporting is effective.

        Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an audit report on internal control over financial reporting, which appears below.


        REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

        To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
El Segundo, California

        We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

        We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

        A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

        In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—

109



THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.


Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

        We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules as of and for the year ended December 31, 2008 of the Company and our report dated February 26, 2009, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedules and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 and Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statement No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R).

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

   

Los Angeles, California
February 26, 2009

110



THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.



ITEM 9A.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES




Disclosure Controls and Procedures



        We carried out an evaluation as of the end of the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the supervision and with the
participation of management, including our principal executive officers and financial officers, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act). Based on the evaluation, our principal executive officers and
our financial officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2008.



        There
has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that
occurred during our fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2008, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.



Internal Control Over Financial Reporting





    Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting





        Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f)
or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Those rules define internal control over financial reporting as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America, or GAAP, and includes those policies and procedures that:





    pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and
    dispositions of the assets of the company;



    provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
    accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and



    provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of
    the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.



        Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods
are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



        Our
management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the



108









THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.






Treadway
Commission (COSO). Based on their assessment and those criteria, management believes that, as of December 31, 2008, our internal control over financial reporting is effective.




        Our
independent registered public accounting firm has issued an audit report on internal control over financial reporting, which appears below.



NAME="ha77301_report_of_independent___ha702282">


        REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM



        To
the Board of Directors and Stockholders of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.

El Segundo, California



        We
have audited the internal control over financial reporting of The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008, based on criteria established in
Internal Control—Integrated
Framework
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's
management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the
accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our
audit.



        We
conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control
over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and
performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.




        A
company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or
persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those
policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;
(2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that
receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.



        Because
of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material
misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to
future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



        In
our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in
Internal Control—



109









THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.






Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.



        We
have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement
schedules as of and for the year ended December 31, 2008 of the Company and our report dated February 26, 2009, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and
financial statement schedules and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48,
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an
interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109
and Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 158,
Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statement No. 87, 88, 106 and
132(R).


















/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP







  




Los
Angeles, California

February 26, 2009



110








NAME="page_hc77301_1_111">






































NAME="hc77301_the_directv_group,_inc.">


THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.





ITEM 9A.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES




Disclosure Controls and Procedures



        We carried out an evaluation as of the end of the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the supervision and with the
participation of management, including our principal executive officers and financial officers, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act). Based on the evaluation, our principal executive officers and
our financial officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2008.



        There
has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that
occurred during our fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2008, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.



Internal Control Over Financial Reporting





    Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting





        Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f)
or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Those rules define internal control over financial reporting as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America, or GAAP, and includes those policies and procedures that:





    pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and
    dispositions of the assets of the company;



    provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
    accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and



    provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of
    the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.



        Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods
are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



        Our
management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the



108









THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.






Treadway
Commission (COSO). Based on their assessment and those criteria, management believes that, as of December 31, 2008, our internal control over financial reporting is effective.




        Our
independent registered public accounting firm has issued an audit report on internal control over financial reporting, which appears below.



NAME="ha77301_report_of_independent___ha702282">


        REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM



        To
the Board of Directors and Stockholders of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.

El Segundo, California



        We
have audited the internal control over financial reporting of The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008, based on criteria established in
Internal Control—Integrated
Framework
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's
management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the
accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our
audit.



        We
conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control
over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and
performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.




        A
company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or
persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those
policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;
(2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that
receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.



        Because
of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material
misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to
future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



        In
our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in
Internal Control—



109









THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.






Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.



        We
have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement
schedules as of and for the year ended December 31, 2008 of the Company and our report dated February 26, 2009, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and
financial statement schedules and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48,
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an
interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109
and Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 158,
Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statement No. 87, 88, 106 and
132(R).


















/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP







  




Los
Angeles, California

February 26, 2009



110








NAME="page_hc77301_1_111">






































NAME="hc77301_the_directv_group,_inc.">


THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.



This excerpt taken from the DTV 10-Q filed Aug 7, 2008.

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

        We carried out an evaluation as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act). Based on the evaluation, our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of June 30, 2008.

        There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during our fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2008, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

* * *

42


THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.

PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

        (a)   Material pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, to which we became or were a party during the quarter ended June 30, 2008 or subsequent thereto, but before the filing of this report, are summarized below:

         Intellectual Property Litigation.    We are a defendant in several unrelated lawsuits claiming infringement of various patents relating to various aspects of our businesses. In certain of these cases other industry participants are also defendants, and also in certain of these cases we expect that any potential liability would be the responsibility of our equipment vendors pursuant to applicable contractual indemnification provisions. To the extent that the allegations in these lawsuits can be analyzed by us at this stage of their proceedings, we believe the claims are without merit and intend to defend the actions vigorously. The final disposition of these claims is not expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, but could possibly be material to our consolidated results of operations of any one period. Further, no assurance can be given that any adverse outcome would not be material to our consolidated financial position.

         Finisar Corporation.    As previously reported, we filed a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on October 5, 2006 from a jury determination that The DIRECTV Group, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries willfully infringed a patent owned by Finisar Corporation and an award by the jury of approximately $79 million in damages. The trial court increased the damages award by $25 million because of the jury finding of willful infringement and awarded pre-judgment interest of $13 million to Finisar. DIRECTV was also ordered to pay into escrow $1.60 per new set-top receiver manufactured for use with the DIRECTV system beginning June 17, 2006 and continuing until the patent expires in 2012 or was otherwise found to be invalid.

        On April 18, 2008, the Court of Appeals vacated (set aside) the verdict of infringement, and sent the case back to the district court for further proceedings and possible retrial on a limited number of claims. The Court of Appeals, ruled that the lower court had used erroneous interpretations of certain important terms in the patent claims. Thus, the district court must now determine whether there is any infringement using the correct interpretations, which are the ones we originally suggested. Regarding our defenses of invalidity, the Court of Appeals found that one of the principal independent claims of the patent is clearly anticipated by the prior art we presented. The Court of Appeals then remanded the question of validity for the remaining claims back to the district court for further consideration in view of this invalidity ruling. The Court of Appeals also reversed the verdict of willful infringement, and affirmed earlier rulings of the district court that held several additional claims to be invalid. Through the date of the vacated verdict, the ongoing royalties amounted to $37 million, which had been paid into escrow. On May 2, 2008, Finisar filed a petition for rehearing by the Court of Appeals, which was denied on May 29, 2008. By agreement of the parties and subject to an Order of the district court, the appeal bond has been terminated, and the escrowed royalties were returned to us (with interest) on June 10, 2008.

         Other.    We are subject to other legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of our business. The amount of ultimate liability with respect to such actions is not expected to materially affect our financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

        (b)   No previous reported legal proceedings were terminated during the second quarter ended June 30, 2008.

43


THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.


ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

        The risk factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 have not materially changed.


ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

    Share Repurchase Program

        During 2008 our Board of Directors approved multiple authorizations for the repurchase of our common stock, the most recent of which was in May 2008 and increased our share repurchase program to $3.0 billion. The authorizations allow us to repurchase our common stock from time to time through open market purchases and negotiated transactions, subject to market conditions. The program may be suspended, discontinued or accelerated at any time. The sources of funds for the purchases are our existing cash on hand, including the $2.5 billion of borrowings at DIRECTV U.S., and cash from operations. Repurchased shares are retired but remain authorized for registration and issuance in the future.

        During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we repurchased and retired 30 million shares for $796 million, at an average price of $26.52. To date, no plans or programs for the purchase of our stock have been terminated prior to expiration.

        A summary of the repurchase activity for the three months ended June 30, 2008 is as follows:

Period
 
Total Number
of Shares
Purchased
 
Average Price
Paid Per Share
 
Total Number of
Shares Purchased
as Part of Publicly
Announced Plans
or Programs
 
Maximum Dollar
Value that May
Yet Be Purchased
Under the Plans
or Programs
 
 
  (Amounts in Millions, Except Per Share Amounts)
 

April 1 – 30, 2008

      $ 25.74       $ 828  

May 1 – 31, 2008

    7     27.45     7     2,797  

June 1 – 30, 2008

    16     27.16     16     2,376  
                       

Total

    23     27.25     23     2,376  
                       


ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

        At our annual meeting of stockholders held on June 3, 2008, the following matters were submitted to a vote of the stockholders of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.:

The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
Final Voting Results

These excerpts taken from the DTV 10-K filed Feb 25, 2008.

ITEM 9A.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

        We carried out an evaluation as of the end of the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our principal executive officers and financial officers, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act). Based on the evaluation, our principal executive officers and our financial officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2007.

        There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during our fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2007, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

    Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

        Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Those rules define internal control over financial reporting as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, and includes those policies and procedures that:

    pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;

    provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and

    provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

        Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the

104


THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.


Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on their assessment and those criteria, management believes that, as of December 31, 2007, our internal control over financial reporting is effective.

        Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an audit report on internal control over financial reporting, which appears below.


        Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

        To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
El Segundo, California

        We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2007, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

        We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

        A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

        In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—

105


THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.


Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

        We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules as of and for the year ended December 31, 2007 of the Company and our report dated February 25, 2008, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedules and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 and Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statement No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R).

/s/  DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP      
   

Los Angeles, California
February 25, 2008

106



THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.



ITEM 9A.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES



Disclosure Controls and Procedures



        We carried out an evaluation as of the end of the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the supervision and with the
participation of management, including our principal executive officers and financial officers, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act). Based on the evaluation, our principal executive officers and
our financial officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2007.



        There
has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that
occurred during our fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2007, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.



Internal Control Over Financial Reporting





    Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting





        Our
management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f)
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Those rules define internal control over financial reporting as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, and includes
those policies and procedures that:





    pertain
    to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;


    provide
    reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and
    expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and


    provide
    reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material
    effect on the financial statements.



        Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods
are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



        Our
management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the



104








THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.






Treadway
Commission (COSO). Based on their assessment and those criteria, management believes that, as of December 31, 2007, our internal control over financial reporting is effective.




        Our
independent registered public accounting firm has issued an audit report on internal control over financial reporting, which appears below.



NAME="ha17001_report_of_independent___ha102273">


        Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm



        To
the Board of Directors and Stockholders of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.

El Segundo, California



        We
have audited the internal control over financial reporting of The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2007, based on criteria established in
Internal Control—Integrated
Framework
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's
management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the
accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our
audit.



        We
conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control
over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and
performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.




        A
company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or
persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those
policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;
(2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that
receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.



        Because
of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material
misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to
future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



        In
our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on the criteria established in
Internal Control—



105








THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.






Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.



        We
have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement
schedules as of and for the year ended December 31, 2007 of the Company and our report dated February 25, 2008, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and
financial statement schedules and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48,
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an
interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109
and Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 158,
Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statement No. 87, 88, 106 and
132(R).










/s/  DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP      
  




Los
Angeles, California

February 25, 2008



106








NAME="page_hc17001_1_107">









NAME="hc17001_the_directv_group,_inc.">


THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.



Wikinvest © 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Use of this site is subject to express Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer. By continuing past this page, you agree to abide by these terms. Any information provided by Wikinvest, including but not limited to company data, competitors, business analysis, market share, sales revenues and other operating metrics, earnings call analysis, conference call transcripts, industry information, or price targets should not be construed as research, trading tips or recommendations, or investment advice and is provided with no warrants as to its accuracy. Stock market data, including US and International equity symbols, stock quotes, share prices, earnings ratios, and other fundamental data is provided by data partners. Stock market quotes delayed at least 15 minutes for NASDAQ, 20 mins for NYSE and AMEX. Market data by Xignite. See data providers for more details. Company names, products, services and branding cited herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The use of trademarks or service marks of another is not a representation that the other is affiliated with, sponsors, is sponsored by, endorses, or is endorsed by Wikinvest.
Powered by MediaWiki