Celebrating their 60th — HD channel, that is, to join its HD-PRIME delivery platform, SES AMERICOM, an SES company [Euronext Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges: SESG], today announced ION Media Networks has signed a multiyear distribution agreement to launch its full suite of television networks in HD. The HD distribution agreement between ION Media Networks and SES AMERICOM runs through the life of the AMC-1 satellite, which was launched in 1996. The hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft is located at 103° west, where it is home to national television networks broadcasting to thousands of cable headends that reach tens of millions of homes across the country.

ION Television HD debuts this week over HD-PRIME satellite AMC-1, with ION’s qubo, a multilingual kid’s network, and ION Life, a digital network devoted to active lifestyles, set to follow later this year. ION Television HD viewers can enjoy a mix of compelling television series, theatrical and made-for-television movies and specials.

“ION has tapped expanded distribution capacity aboard HD-PRIME to offer our programming in a crisp high-definition picture quality to viewers in more than 94 million homes across the country” said Mark Greenlee, senior vice president of network operations at ION Media Networks, noting ION Television HD will carry both native and up-converted HD programming on all 60 network stations in the U.S. “SES AMERICOM provides the reach and reliability ION Media Networks counts on day in and day out to serve both our cable and broadcast audiences nationwide.”

“ION Media Networks is well positioned with HD-PRIME to meet the needs of its discerning affiliates and HD audiences today and as the innovative network expands its HD offerings in the future,” said Bryan McGuirk, senior vice president of global media services at SES AMERICOM. “ION Television’s HD premiere comes at an exciting time, just ahead of the digital transition and as HD truly hits its stride aboard the HD distribution leader – HD-PRIME.”

For more than 13 years, ION Media Networks has leveraged the expanding reach and expertise of SES AMERICOM to grow its penetration levels across cable, broadcast and DTH markets. “ION Media Networks is making the move to HD with absolute confidence in our distribution platform and partner,” said David Goosey, senior system engineer at ION Media Networks. “HD-PRIME offers the advanced technology, the know-how, and the top-of-the-arc orbital slot we need to serve our affiliates and audiences from Honolulu to Boston.”