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´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Channels Asia today announced a new distribution deal with Hong Kong Cable, one of Hong Kong's largest pay-TV operators, that will see the launch of four ´óÏó´«Ã½-branded thematic channels on the platform by the end of 2009.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge will lead the way, launching on the platform's basic tier on October 29th, followed by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Lifestyle and CBeebies, which will launch at year-end. They will join ´óÏó´«Ã½ World News which is already available on the platform.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge will be available on channel 49 on Hong Kong Cable's basic tier. Details of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Lifestyle, CBeebies and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment's tiers will be announced closer to their launch dates.

Mark Whitehead, Senior Vice President and General Manager, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Channels Asia commented on the launch: "We are focused on expanding the reach of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge and all our channel brands to as many viewers as possible throughout Asia. This new deal confirms our commitment to Hong Kong, delivering our wide range of high-quality, award-winning programming - from factual, lifestyle and children's, to comedy and drama– to new viewers."

Showcasing the best of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s award-winning factual and non-fiction entertainment programming, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge provides five key programming strands. The World delves into and explores new cultures and places around the world. Science & Technology explores new frontiers, from space to motoring. People explores aspects of the human body and mind. The Past brings historical events, places and people back to life. Business offers invaluable advice to help stay on top of today's challenging business world.

Viewers of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge will be able to enjoy high-quality factual entertainment with captivating insights into places and cultures, history, business, the human mind and body, and science and technology; including the latest series of Top Gear, the BAFTA and multi-NTA and Emmy award-winning ´óÏó´«Ã½ motoring entertainment programme, watched by over 150 million households in more than 100 countries.

The channel will also premiere first and exclusively the new season of the award-winning and highly acclaimed Secret Millionaire (series 3), with a new batch of wealthy benefactors seeking to change the lives of others for the better, and American Future – A History by Simon Schama, in which historian Simon Schama explores how the US presidential election of 2008 represented American society at a point of great change in its history.

In November, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge celebrates the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's On The Origin of Species. In Jimmy Doherty in Darwin's Garden, the farmer and scientist recreates some of Darwin's groundbreaking experiments to reveal the untold story of Darwin, the ingenious experimentalist. Filmed in Darwin's gardens at Down House in Kent, Jimmy carries out the 'hands-on' experiments that Darwin himself undertook. Darwin's Struggle – The Evolution of the Origin of Species is a documentary that tells the little-known story of how Darwin came to write On The Origin of Species. The story is told with help from Darwin's secret notes and correspondence, enhanced by natural history filming, powerful imagery from the time and contributions from leading contemporary biographers and scientists.

Said Vincent Cheung, Vice President, Subscription Services of Hong Kong Cable, "We are excited to have a partnership with ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Channels to provide high quality programming across a range of genres on our platform. With its expertise as an international broadcaster, we are confident that ´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge, as well as ´óÏó´«Ã½ Lifestyle, CBeebies and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment when they launch, will help to make Hong Kong Cable’s channel line-up even stronger and more competitive."

Since its launch in Asia in July 2007, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Knowledge has expanded rapidly around the world. It is now carried by cable and satellite operators in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, South Korea as well as Poland, South Africa, Australia and Scandinavia. In Hong Kong, the channel is subtitled in Chinese.

´óÏó´«Ã½ World News is available on Channel 75 on Hong Kong Cable.

NOTES TO EDITORS
About Hong Kong Cable
Launched in 1993, Hong Kong Cable Television Ltd. set the trend of multi-channel pay-television service for Hong Kong. It currently produces over 10,000 hours of programming a year and is one of the largest pay television operators and content providers in Hong Kong.
Throughout the years, it has successfully established a leading position in News, Movies and Sports television programming, providing top rate programmes to individual consumers, mobile operators as well as commercial places and public transportation system.

Jeanne Leong