QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document


Exhibit 2.1


AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

        THIS AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this "Amendment"), dated as of October 2, 2009, is made by and among LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation ("Liberty"), LIBERTY ENTERTAINMENT, INC., a Delaware corporation and an indirect, wholly-owned Subsidiary of Liberty ("Splitco"), THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation ("DIRECTV"), DIRECTV, a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly-owned Subsidiary of DIRECTV ("Holdings"), DTVG ONE, INC., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly-owned Subsidiary of Holdings ("Merger Sub One"), and DTVG TWO, INC., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly-owned Subsidiary of Holdings ("Merger Sub Two").

RECITALS

        Liberty, Splitco, DIRECTV, Holdings, Merger Sub One and Merger Sub Two entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 3, 2009 and that certain Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 29, 2009 (collectively, the "Merger Agreement").

        Liberty, Splitco, DIRECTV, Holdings, Merger Sub One and Merger Sub Two now intend to amend certain provisions of the Merger Agreement as set forth herein.

        Section 10.1 of the Merger Agreement requires that prior to the Merger Effective Time, the Merger Agreement may be amended by written agreement of each of the parties, by action taken by their respective Boards of Directors.

        NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each of Liberty, Splitco, DIRECTV, Holdings, Merger Sub One and Merger Sub Two hereby agrees as follows:

        SECTION 1.    Defined Terms.    Terms defined in the Merger Agreement are used in this Amendment with the same meaning, unless otherwise indicated.

        SECTION 2.    Amendments to Merger Agreement.    The Merger Agreement is hereby amended as follows:


        SECTION 3.    Amendments to Reorganization Agreement.    The Reorganization Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

2


        SECTION 4.    Amendments to Services Agreement.    The Services Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

3


        SECTION 5.    Transaction Agreement.    The parties agree that for all purposes of the Merger Agreement, this Amendment will be deemed to be a Transaction Agreement.

        SECTION 6.    Effect on Merger Agreement.    Other than as specifically set forth herein, all other terms and provisions of the Merger Agreement shall remain unaffected by the terms of this Amendment, and shall continue in full force and effect.

        SECTION 7.    Severability.    If any term or other provision of this Amendment is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other terms, provisions and conditions of this Amendment shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Amendment so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

        SECTION 8.    Captions.    The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and will be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.

        SECTION 9.    Counterparts.    This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement) and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

        SECTION 10.    Successors and Assigns.    This Amendment shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns as provided in the Merger Agreement.

        SECTION 11.    Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.    

4


[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

5


        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

    LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION

 

 

By:

 

/s/ CHARLES Y. TANABE

        Name:   Charles Y. Tanabe
        Title:   Executive Vice President

 

 

LIBERTY ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ CHARLES Y. TANABE

        Name:   Charles Y. Tanabe
        Title:   Executive Vice President

 

 

DIRECTV

 

 

By:

 

/s/ LARRY D. HUNTER

        Name:   Larry D. Hunter
        Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

DTVG ONE, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ LARRY D. HUNTER

        Name:   Larry D. Hunter
        Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

DTVG TWO, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ LARRY D. HUNTER

        Name:   Larry D. Hunter
        Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ LARRY D. HUNTER

        Name:   Larry D. Hunter
        Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Agreement and Plan of Merger]


List of Omitted Exhibits and Schedules

        The following exhibits and schedules to Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated October 2, 2009, by and among Liberty Media Corporation, Liberty Entertainment, Inc., The DIRECTV Group, Inc., DIRECTV, DTVG One, Inc., and DTVG Two, Inc. have not been provided herein:

        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted exhibit or schedule to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.




QuickLinks

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER