POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned 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 resubstitution, for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K
of EchoStar Satellite Broadcasting Corporation, a Colorado corporation, for the
year ended December 31, 1997, and any and all amendments 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 to
said 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, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
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 Exchange Act of 1934, this
Power Attorney has been signed by the following person in the capacity and on
the date indicated.


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

/s/ JAMES DEFRANCO                 Director            March 27, 1998
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James DeFranco