Verizon FiOS TV Viewers Tune to BBC World News

Verizon FiOS TV Viewers Tune to BBC World News

International News and Information Channel Joins FiOS TV Lineup

NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Viewers around the world turn to BBC World News for balanced, in-depth international news and information. Now, Verizon FiOS TV subscribers can enjoy this 24-hour news resource as BBC World News joins the Verizon FiOS TV channel lineup on channel 92.

"BBC World News telecasts to more than 200 countries and territories across the globe, yet few U.S. cable companies offer it," said Terry Denson, Verizon vice president - FiOS TV content and programming. "We're delighted to give our customers another distinctive choice that further serves their diverse interests and isn't found on most competing systems."

Verizon provides FiOS TV over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network, straight to customers' homes. Verizon FiOS TV offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, more than two dozen high-definition channels, 8,600 video-on-demand titles and more. At the end of the first quarter, Verizon FiOS TV had 348,000 subscribers and was available to approximately 3.1 million households in parts of California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

BBC World News provides international news, business and sports reports, plus award-winning current affairs series and documentaries, to a weekly global audience of 65 million viewers.

A study by American pollster Frank Luntz, commissioned by BBC World News in September 2006, shows that the channel has "mass potential" and "an eager audience" in the United States. In addition to the programming on the BBC World News channel, U.S. audiences can view BBC World News via 30-minute programs shown daily on 229 PBS stations throughout the United States and on BBC America.

"BBC News already has a strong reputation in the U.S.," said BBC World News' director of distribution and business development, Jeff Hazell. "The BBC World News channel offers audiences a truly international news agenda and a global perspective and is in the enviable position of being able to meet the demands of American viewers for in-depth, balanced international news."

About BBC World News

BBC World News, the BBC's commercially funded international 24-hour news and information channel, is owned and operated by BBC World Ltd, a member of the BBC's commercial group of companies.

BBC World News is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, and reaches 281 million households (147 million 24-hour homes) and more than 1.3 million hotel rooms. It is also available on 48 cruise ships, 36 airlines and 31 mobile phone platforms. In the United States, BBC World News is now available 24/7 in just under 2.5 million homes.

BBC World News launched in its present format in 1995 and is funded by advertising and subscription.

For further information on how to receive BBC World News, download schedules or find out more about the channel, visit www.bbcworld.com.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 60.7 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news.

To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Sharon Cohen-Hagar, +1-908-559-3470,
sharon.cohen-hagar@verizon.com; or BBC World News Press Office,
+44 (0) 208 433 2419, bbcworldpressoffice@bbc.co.uk

Web site:

http://www.verizon.com/
http://www.bbcworld.com/

Company News On-Call:

http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/618232.html

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