UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
DeFranco, James
5701 South Santa Fe Drive
Littleton, CO 80120
U.S.A.
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Echostar Communications Corporation
DISH
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
4. Statement for Month/Year
5/31/01
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
(X) Director ( ) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
(specify below)
Executive Vice President
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
(X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
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Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
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1. Title of Security |2. |3. |4.Securities Acquired (A) |5.Amount of |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect |
| Transaction | or Disposed of (D) | Securities |ect | Beneficial Ownership |
| | | | Beneficially |(D)or | |
| | | | | A/| | Owned at |Indir | |
| Date |Code|V| Amount | D | Price | End of Month |ect(I)| |
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Class A Common Stock |5/1/01|A |V|10 |A |(1) |5,310,862 |D | |
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| | | | | | |50,000 |I |(2) |
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| | | | | | |2,200,000 |I |(3) |
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| | | | | | |17,825 |I |(4) |
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| | | | | | |6,008 |I |(5) |
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Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con- |3. |4. |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount |8.Price|9.Number |10.|11.Nature of|
Security |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and| of Underlying |of Deri|of Deriva |Dir|Indirect |
|or Exer | | | rities Acqui |Expiration | Securities |vative |tive |ect|Beneficial |
|cise | | | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/| |Secu |Securities |(D)|Ownership |
|Price of| | | posed of(D) |Day/Year) | |rity |Benefi |or | |
|Deriva- | | | |Date |Expir| | |ficially |Ind| |
|tive | | | | A/|Exer-|ation| Title and Number | |Owned at |ire| |
|Secu- | | | | | D |cisa-|Date | of Shares | |End of |ct | |
|rity |Date |Code|V| Amount | |ble | | | |Month |(I)| |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Explanation of Responses:
(1) The shares were awarded without cost to the reporting person, pursuant to
the 2000 Launch Bonus Plan of the Company for past services to the Company.
For tax purposes, the shares
were priced as of April 30, 2001, but were not distributed until the beginning
of May.
(2) The shares were contributed by the reporting person to irrevocable trust
for the benefit of reporting person's children and grandchildren. The reporting
person disclaims beneficial ownership
of the
shares.
(3) The shares are held by DeFranco Investment Co., Ltd., a general
partnership, of which the reporting person is the sole general partner.
(4) During March 2000, the Company issued additional shares of Class A Common
Stock to EchoStar Communications Corporation's 401(k) Employees' Savings Plan
("The Plan"). The number of
shares reported in column 5 represents the total number of shares allocated to
the reporting person's account through the Plan to date. The reporting person
has dispositive, but no voting power
with respect to the
shares.
(5) The shares are held by the reporting person as custodian for his minor
children. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ James DeFranco
DATE
6/1/01