BYUtv and Bright House Networks Announce New Market-wide HD/SD Carriage Agreement

PROVO, Utah, June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BYUtv, the only nationwide university-affiliated television network, announced today that its roster will now be available to all Bright House Networks markets on its Digital Basic tier in both HD and SD across five states – Alabama, California, Florida, Indiana and Michigan. The agreement expands BYUtv's national audience to more than 53 million households, and responds to increasing viewer demand for family-oriented content. In addition to the Bright House Networks subscribers in Bakersfield, CA who have been watching BYUtv since 2008, the network is now available in Birmingham, Elmore and Eufaula, AL; Indianapolis, IN; Livonia, MI; and multiple surrounding counties of and near Orlando and Tampa, FL.

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"Based on significant market research, we know that there's an underserved national audience hungry for intelligent and entertaining content that families can watch together," said Derek Marquis, managing director of BYUtv. "We're committed to producing a wide range of entertaining, nuanced and thought-provoking programs that allow viewers to journey through the complex world in which we live. We are delighted that we can now offer our complete line-up to all of the Bright House Networks service areas."  

BYUtv has created a breadth of original programming that continues to draw viewers in every state of the country via cable, satellite and streaming on demand. The most recent addition to the roster is BYUtv's first scripted series Granite Flats, a Cold War suspense drama that has garnered the attention of media critics ranging from The New York Times to Entertainment Tonight. Written and created by a team of top Hollywood and New York talent who have made some of television and film's most successful and long-running offerings, the series takes viewers on a nostalgic journey back to 1962 in a mystery that begins to unravel a web of secrets that will change the town of Granite Flats and those living in it forever.

Other BYUtv original series include two notable shows that delve into the contemporary music scene: The Song that Changed my Life showcases the career turning moments of successful artists such as Howard Jones, Lea Salonga and Duncan Sheik; AUDIO-FILES features young indie band musicians including Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees and Low. With millions of views on its YouTube channel, BYUtv's sketch comedy series, Studio C, is grabbing audiences with scripted and improvisational comedy that proves that there is still television humor that the entire family can watch together.

BYUtv's original series American Ride enters into its fifth season and tells the story of the nation's founding fathers like it has never been heard or seen before. The show's host Stan Ellsworth – a 6'2", 300-lb, muscle-clad former football player, coach and high school history teacher – tours the country on his Harley Davidson, exploring the nooks and crannies of American history.  Viewers soon enough discover why Stan is prone to say, "This isn't like any high school history class you've ever taken."

Known especially for its unparalleled collegiate sports coverage, BYUtv airs more than 200 live events and sports-related programs per year, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, gymnastics, men's and women's volleyball, and women's soccer, featuring contests against major universities across the country.

As has been noted by several national sports analysts and commentators, BYUtv is setting a new standard for college football through a groundbreaking contract with ESPN. BYUtv hosts televised pre-game shows, hands off game coverage to ESPN, and then re-broadcasts the ESPN games on BYUtv's GameDay Replay the same day. Any game not broadcast by ESPN can be aired live on BYUtv, unless already being aired on another network via opposing team conference agreements. ESPN and BYU have enjoyed the longest running collaboration between a college football program and the sports cable company, which began in 1984 when the brand-new sports network aired its first regular season NCAA football game at Brigham Young University.

BYUtv's entire line up is now available in HD and SD on Bright House Networks, which includes:

About BYUtv
Owned by Brigham Young University and based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is a groundbreaking High Definition television network, which has built its roster of original "see the good in the world" programming to fill a void in the primetime market. Amidst the proliferation of TV content, the network's offerings stand out for their thoughtful examination of redeeming elements in our fast-paced, multifaceted world. The topics are varied, hard-hitting and nuanced. Whether through unrivaled live college sports coverage, documentary and feature films, scripted and improvisational comedy, scripted dramas or unscripted reality programs, BYUtv is a vital presence in the contemporary television landscape. Currently, BYUtv is available in High Definition and is carried to more than 53 million homes on Dish Network, DirecTV and over 800 cable systems in every state of the country via cable and satellite, as well as via Internet streaming at byutv.org. The non-commercial station's reach is unprecedented at any university in the world, and offers approximately 1,000 hours of original programming annually (500 hours of sports and 500 hours of content). 

About Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is the sixth largest owner and operator of cable systems in the U.S. and the second largest in Florida, with technologically advanced systems located in five states including Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Michigan and California. 

Bright House Networks serves approximately 2.5 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data, home security and automation and voice services. The company also offers a portfolio of customizable, cutting-edge business solutions spanning Internet, MEF-certified Metro Ethernet, WiFi, security, telephony, and video. Bright House Media Strategies, the advertising arm of Bright House Networks, offers businesses advanced targeted advertising solutions.  Bright House Networks also owns and operates exclusive local news and sports channels in its Florida markets.

For more information about Bright House Networks or our products and services, visit brighthouse.com.

Media contact:
Erika Bleiberg 
Thatcher+Co.
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Mobile: 973-722-5917

SOURCE BYUtv