Comcast and Discovery Education Help Kids Beat Summer Brain Drain with On-Demand Educational Scavenger Hunt Contest

FISHERS, Ind. and SILVER SPRING, Md., June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast and Discovery Education are giving Indiana kids an opportunity to combat the inevitable summer slide — the summertime loss of knowledge from the previous school year — with a fun new educational on-demand scavenger hunt contest. The "Avoid the Brain Drain" promotion is part of Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast, a first-in-the-nation service delivering Indiana families instant and convenient at-home access to digital educational media, homework help tools and more.

Studies show that students need to be actively engaged in learning throughout the summer vacation months to retain the knowledge gained during the prior school year. In addition, according to the National Summer Learning Association, parents consistently cite summer as the most difficult time to ensure that their children have productive things to do. Now Comcast and Discovery Education are giving families a fun, interactive way to keep young minds sharp when school's out.

The Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast scavenger hunt challenges Indiana kids to view educational videos through Comcast On Demand, then go online to www.learningondemand.com/comcast to answer questions about the videos.  Students will also be asked how they plan to "avoid the brain drain" this summer, and one winning respondent will receive a 47'' HD television.

"This campaign highlights the great educational content available through Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast and it's a terrific way to introduce Indiana families to the breadth of our VOD and broadband offerings, while making a positive impact on their children's education," said Scott Tenney, Senior Vice President of Comcast's Indianapolis Region.

"This fun, interactive promotion is a prime example of the valuable content available through VOD and broadband," added Lori McFarling, Chief Marketing Officer, Discovery Education and Discovery Communications, Domestic Distribution. "Through our partnership with Comcast Indiana, we combine Discovery's best-in-class digital content and Comcast's dynamic services to provide families with an effective resource to combat the summertime learning slump."

Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast, which debuted in September 2009, is an at-home, on-demand resource with more than 1,700 videos from Discovery Education's award-winning digital media library available at no additional cost exclusively to local Comcast Digital Cable customers. The companion website, available to all Indiana parents and students, features additional streaming video content, educational family activity ideas, interactive homework help tools, puzzles and more. Parents and caregivers can use the Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast resources at home to supplement the digital content used by educators in schools across the state, extending classroom learning, reinforcing concepts taught in class and further channeling children's energy into various educational topics.

Discovery Education content available to subscribers through Comcast On Demand is one of the top ten most viewed local programs in Indiana, and the online component of Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast adds approximately 250 new registered users each month.

Comcast Digital Cable customers in Comcast's Indianapolis Region, which includes Central and Northeast Indiana, can access Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast content through Comcast's extensive On Demand library anytime by selecting "Get Local," and then "Education."  Like the vast majority of Comcast's more than 10,000 On Demand programs, Discovery Education On Demand By Comcast content is available to Comcast Digital Cable customers at no extra cost, with the ability to pause, fast forward and rewind selections.  Additional free content and other family-friendly resources are available online at www.learningondemand.com/comcast.

Discovery Education's scientifically proven, standards-based digital media services and customized professional development opportunities are designed to empower educators to engage today's tech-savvy students in learning. Serving more than half of all U.S. schools with curriculum solutions that are scientifically shown to improve student achievement, Discovery Education is the nation's leading provider of digital educational media. Discovery Education is a division of Discovery Communications, whose networks include Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.5 million cable customers, 16.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.9 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, 11 regional sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, which owns two professional sports teams, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, and a large, multipurpose arena in Philadelphia, the Wachovia Center, and manages other facilities for sporting events, concerts and other events.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) revolutionized television with Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education.  Powered by the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Discovery Education combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community in order to empower teachers to improve student achievement.  Already, more than half of all U.S. schools access Discovery Education digital services.  Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

SOURCE Comcast Cable