USA TODAY and National Geographic Channel Partner to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Titanic

MCLEAN, Va., March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, USA TODAY and National Geographic Channel kick off an editorial partnership with a series of jointly-produced reports to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. A cover story in today's USA TODAY looks at why we are still obsessed with Titanic, 100 years later.

A special USA TODAY/National Geographic Channel tabloid edition, Titanic – 100 Years Later, hit newsstands Monday. The special edition can also be ordered online at http://service.usatoday.com/specialeditions. The tabloid edition includes:

• Our Titanic obsession – Little stories from the sinking of the world's largest ship 100 years ago make up the grand legend that continues to hold interest for the public today.
• Remembering April 15, 1912 – From museum exhibits to re-creations of the last meal served onboard to commemorative teddy bears based on one that survived, the Titanic anniversary will be marked in many ways.
• Titanic timeline – A graphic look at Titanic's only voyage, its shortage of lifeboats, and treasures that were recovered from its final resting place.
• How Titanic became an epic – A look at the 1997 movie, being re-released in 3-D on April 4th, including stories on the stars of the movie and its signature song, My Heart Will Go On.
• Plotting the wreck's future – National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Robert Ballard, who found Titanic's resting place, is calling for efforts to preserve not only Titanic but other historic areas.

Additional USA TODAY coverage the week of April 2nd will include:

• A Life section cover story on Titanic in 3-D, featuring an interview with director James Cameron. A trailer of the movie will accompany the story on USATODAY.com.
• A cover story that looks at whether we should raise the Titanic, featuring an interview with Robert Ballard. A video interview will accompany the story on USATODAY.com.
• An interactive graphic on USATODAY.com that will poll readers on whether the Titanic and its contents should remain at the bottom of the ocean or be raised and salvaged for museum collections.

National Geographic Channel marks the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic with a two-night world premiere event April 8-9.  Details below:

• In Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron, premiering Sunday, April 8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, the Oscar-winning filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence leads the ultimate cold-case investigation into the tragedy.  In 1997, Cameron brought the iconic ship to life in his blockbuster feature film "Titanic," which fueled not only the world's fascination with the shipwreck, but also his own:  "I wanted to dive the wreck more than I wanted to make the movie," he explains.  "Diving the wreck was my way into the story."
• Then, the next night, on Monday, April 9, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the man who discovered the ship's final resting place more than 25 years ago is on a new quest: protect Titanic's massive underwater graveyard.  In Save the Titanic with Bob Ballard, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Robert Ballard retraces Titanic's beginnings and examines the ship's original plans — never before filmed— to reveal untold stories of Titanic's heroes and the unwritten story of Titanic's future.

About National Geographic Channels

Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks.  The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission.  Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD.  In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled.  The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in over 83 million U.S. homes.  Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in 435 million homes in 173 countries and 37 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

About USA TODAY

USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Today, through its newspaper, website and mobile platforms, USA TODAY connects readers and engages the national conversation. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of nearly 1.8 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 5.4 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than ten million downloads on mobile devices.  The USA TODAY brand also includes USA TODAY Education and USA TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

SOURCE USA TODAY