POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints David K. Moskowitz as the true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent of the undersigned, with full power of substitution
and re-substitution, for and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned, in
any and all capacities, to execute a Registration Statement on Form S-8 with
respect to an issuance by EchoStar Communications Corporation, a Nevada
corporation formed in April 1995 (the "Corporation") of up to 80,000 shares of
the Corporation's Class A Common Stock, par value of $0.01 per share, pursuant
to the Corporation's 401(k) Employees' Savings Plan, and any and all amendments
(including without limitation, post-effective amendments) or supplements thereto
and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection therewith, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission,
and hereby grants unto the attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority
to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be
done in connection therewith as fully as to all intents and purposes as the
undersigned might or could do in person, thereby ratifying and confirming all
that the attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Power
Attorney has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
date indicated.

            Signature                Title                     Date
            ---------                -----                     ----

/s/ JAMES DEFRANCO                   Director            March 30, 1998
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James DeFranco


/s/ O. NOLAN DAINES                  Director            March 30, 1998
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O. Nolan Daines


/s/ RAYMOND L. FRIEDLOB              Director            March 30, 1998
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Raymond L. Friedlob