Smithsonian Channel has increased its footprint with an upgrade on systems owned by Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
The network, which was previously only available on the No. 2 MSO’s high-definition tier, can now be found on Time Warner Cable’s Preferred TV package, as part of the operator’s recent carriage contract with CBS Corp.
Smithsonian, a joint venture between Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution, is accessible to subscribers to the MSO’s Preferred TV customers in both the standard- and high-definition formats.
Similarly, Smithsonian Channel has been moved off of Bright House Networks' HD tier for broader positioning on the MSO's systems. TWC negotiates programming deals for BHN.
With the improved packaging, Smithsonian Channel is now in over 30 million U.S. homes and is available to nearly 70 million pay TV households.
“Being a part of Time Warner Cable’s Preferred TV package is a major step in the development of Smithsonian Channel,” said Smithsonian Channel president Tom Hayden. “These additional subscribers will allow for our unique brand of non-fiction storytelling to be seen by a whole new audience. I could not think of a better to way to start off 2014.”
Smithsonian went dark as part of the month-long, retransmission-consent disconnect between CBS and TWC last summer.
