Europe: Discovery to Join Sky HD Menu

Discovery HD will skip across the pond to join DBS firm BSkyB's upcoming HD line-up, tapping content from the American broadcaster's relatively extensive HD library. Discovery Networks, headquartered outside Washington, D.C., will also help produce specially commissioned programs in tandem with Sky. Programs so far include such fare as "Sunrise Earth" and "Atlas," while feature-length motion pictures consist of "Leopard Son," "Alien Planet" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Sky HD plans to launch later this year. The DBS firm said in a statement it hopes to use the popularity of the Discovery franchise to broaden the base of HD viewers as quickly as possible, once its HD channels are up and running. Sky HD said it's committed to investing in HD content on both regional and global levels.

Other Sky HD venues will include: Artsworld HD, Sky Sports HD, Sky One HD, Sky Box Office HD, Sky Movies 9 HD, Sky Movies 10 HD, and National Geographic HD.