Smithsonian Gets RCN Deal

Pact Pushes Channel’s reach Into 22.5 Million Homes

By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 3/11/2008 2:37:00 PM

RCN Corp. Tuesday agreed to distribute the Smithsonian Channel high-definition channel as part of an agreement between the cable overbuilder and the service.

With the addition of RCN, the Smithsonian Channel – co-owned by Showtime and the Smithsonian Institute --now reaches 22.5 million multi-platform households. The service reached distribution deals with Charter Communications and Verizon's FiOS TV last month.

“The demand today for more content in HD continues to grow and we’re very excited for our customers to experience the great programming that Smithsonian Channel will be airing,” said RCN president and CEO Peter Aquino in a statement.  “As the broadband, fiber optic cable television competitor in the Smithsonian Institution’s home town, we’re pleased to broaden the reach of its programming.”

Tom Hayden, executive vice president and general manager of Smithsonian Channel, said the RCN deal provides “great momentum for us and we look forward to more announcements in the future.”