<PAGE>
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
                                          
                                     ---------
                                          
                                      FORM 8-K
                                          
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                          
                                          

 Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)          July 8, 1998
                                                  -----------------------------

               United States Satellite Broadcasting Company, Inc.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


         Minnesota                  0-27492                   41-1407863
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (State or Other       (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
      Jurisdiction of                                    Identification No.)
       Incorporation)


     3415 University Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota                55114
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Address of Principal Executive Offices)               (Zip Code)

 Registrant's telephone number, including area code       (612)   645-4500
                                                    ---------------------------

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


<PAGE>


ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

     As the press release included as Exhibit 10.1 hereto indicates, United 
States Satellite Broadcasting Company, Inc. ("USSB") has been informed by 
DIRECTV, Inc. that a spacecraft control processor (SCP) aboard the DBS-1 
satellite manufactured by Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. failed on July 
4, 1998.  As designed, control of the HS 601-model satellite was 
automatically switched to the spare SCP, and the spacecraft is currently 
operating normally.  There was no interruption in service, and DSS customers 
who receive USSB's and DIRECTV's programming have experienced no degradation 
in the quality of the broadcast signal.  DIRECTV is continuing to update 
USSB about the condition of the satellite.

     Management will continue to work with DIRECTV on a plan to maximize
the overall consumer proposition of the DSS system, in the event the backup SCP
on DBS-1 were to fail. At this time, no agreement has been reached with 
DIRECTV as to how USSB's services would be integrated into a reduced offering 
of DSS signals should DBS-1 fail.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

     (c)  EXHIBITS

          10.1      Press Release, dated July 8, 1998, issued by DIRECTV, Inc.
                    and Hughes Space and Communications Company.


                                          
                                     SIGNATURES
     
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
     
                                        UNITED STATES SATELLITE BROADCASTING
                                        COMPANY, INC.
     

Dated:    July 9, 1998                  By:  /s/ Stanley E. Hubbard
                                           ------------------------------
                                             Stanley E. Hubbard
                                             Its Chief Executive Officer


<PAGE>



                                    EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number                               Description
--------------                               -----------
<S>                 <C>
     10.1           Press Release, dated July 8, 1998, issued by DIRECTV, Inc.
                    and Hughes Space and Communications Company.

</TABLE>

<PAGE>



                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.1

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:  Jeff Torkelson
          Vice President, Communications
          (310) 535-5062
          jdtorkelson@directv.com


                                ANOMALY NOTED ON DBS-1

SATELLITE CONTINUES NORMAL OPERATION ON BACK-UP SYSTEMS; DIRECTV-Registered 
      Trademark-AND USSB-Registered Trademark- SERVICES UNAFFECTED


     LOS ANGELES, JULY 8, 1998 -- Engineers at DIRECTV, Inc. and Hughes Space
and Communications Company confirmed today that a spacecraft control processor
(SCP) aboard the DBS-1 satellite failed on July 4, 1998.  As designed, control
of the HS 601-model satellite was automatically switched to the spare SCP and
the spacecraft is currently operating normally.

     At no time did DIRECTV's more than 3.7 million subscribers experience any
loss of service.

     DIRECTV maintains a redundant infrastructure to anticipate and mitigate the
consequences of possible satellite failures.  In the event that the back-up SCP
on-board DBS-1 should also fail, DIRECTV would immediately switch most of the
affected programming services to the DBS-2 and DBS-3 satellites, which are
collocated with DBS-1 at 101-degrees WL.  In addition, DIRECTV continues to
actively pursue other satellite back-up and fleet expansion strategies
consistent with its long-term business plans.
     
     DIRECTV is a registered trademark of DIRECTV, Inc.  USSB is a service mark
of United States Satellite Broadcasting Company, Inc.  DIRECTV, Inc. and Hughes
Space and Communications Company are units of Hughes Electronics Corporation. 
The earnings of Hughes Electronics are used to calculate the earnings per share
attributable to GMH (NYSE symbol) common stock.

                                        ###


         2230 EAST IMPERIAL HWY., EL SEGUNDO, CA  90245  PHONE 310-533-5113
                            A Unit of Hughes Electronics