Discovery HD Theater Premieres More Than 30 New Hours In February

7-Feb-03

Although a winter chill has settled over most of the country, high-definition (HD) lovers will feel thrills--not chills--with more than 30 new hours of programming scheduled in February alone on Discovery HD Theaterô. The 15 specials, paired with other new-to-the-network programming, take Discovery HD Theater's inventory to more than 175 total hours.""We are keeping our promise to our viewers and providing more varied and compelling programming each month,"" said John Ford, President, New Media, Discovery Networks, U.S. ""We're committed to more than tripling our programming library by December 2003, and with next month's exciting premieres, we're well on our way.""  The 15 Discovery HD Theater specials include five world premieres and the first HD episodes of the hit TLC series ""Trading Spaces."" The world premiere of ""Secrets Of The Southwest"" on February 16 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT) will reveal hidden southwestern treasures. From the badlands to the dramatic highlands, Monument Valley to the Painted Desert, the Grand Canyon to Lake Powell, viewers will explore this spectacular landscape as never before--in high-definition television.Two days later, Discovery HD Theater treats viewers to the very different allure of the bayou city of New Orleans. ""The Best Of The Big Easy"" makes its world debut on February 18 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT) and viewers will experience this city's best including a club hop where the party never ends, the famous French Quarter, the mysteries of voodoo, the irresistible cuisines of New Orleans, and more. The Travel Channel will air ""The Best Of The Big Easy"" on Fat Tuesday, March 4, at 10pm/7pm (ET/PT).Later in the month, high-definition viewers can explore another world premiere, highlighting natural beauty when ""Secrets Of Glacier National Park"" premieres on February 25 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT). This show explores Montana's land of icebergs and dense forests where dangerous weather patterns fluctuate at a moment's notice. This special includes an encounter with a grizzly at a glacier's icy edge and a moonlit bike ride on America's most scenic mountain pass--adventures which take on a whole new meaning in HD.Two other world premieres on Discovery HD Theater take viewers for thrill rides like never before on the small screen. First, ""Inside Warner Brothers Movie World: Gold Coast"" on February 23 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT) goes to theme park central in Australia for a heart-racing ride on the Lethal Weapon, an inverted coaster with the world's first horizontal curve. Other attractions at this unique theme park include Looney Tunes characters and even the best polar bear exhibit in the world, with Russian cubs Lia and Lutik frolicking in icy cold conditions under the Aussie tropical sun. ""Rides"" premieres on February 24 at 9pm/6pm (ET/PT) and takes a high-speed look into the world of extraordinary, custom-built cars. These are hot rods--vehicles that zoom through our dreams--and ""Rides"" will feature those who build, buy, and drive these extreme machines.Ten other specials previously shown on Discovery Networks but premiering for the first time in HD on Discovery HD Theater include: - ""Techno Cops"" on February 3 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT);- ""Night Of The Wolf"" on February 4 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT); - ""Science Of Beauty,"" three episodes on February 5 at 10pm/7pm (ET/PT), on February 12 at 10pm/7pm (ET/PT), and on February 26 at 10pm/7pm (ET/PT);- ""Elvis Presley's Graceland"" on February 10 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT);- ""Trading Spaces: San Clemente"" on February 10 at 9pm/6pm (ET/PT);- ""City Slickers"" on February 11 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT); - ""Jesus In The Himalayas"" on February 12 at 9pm/6pm (ET/PT);- ""Elvis Presley's Memphis"" on February 17 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT); - ""Trading Spaces: Dusty Trail"" on February 17 at 9pm/6pm (ET/PT); and- ""Skeletons Of Roman Ashkelon"" on February 27 at 8pm/5pm (ET/PT).In addition to these premieres, Discovery HD Theater will feature over 15 hours of new 30-minute episodes of ""Weird Wheels"" and ""Weird Homes.""Discovery HD Theater features fiction and non-fiction HDTV programming in all categories of entertainment, including nature, history, world cultures, geographic exploration, science, education, travel and vacation planning, world news and events, children's education and entertainment, health and medicine, and how-to programming in the areas of home, hobbies and cooking. Discovery HD Theater is currently available to consumers via satellite on EchoStar's DISH Networkô or via cable in numerous markets nationwide from Los Angeles to Miami, Phoenix to Dallas.