* Skins, Shameless and Desperate Housewives in HD
    * 4HD joins Virgin Media's HD line-up from BBC, ESPN,
      LIVING, FX, MTV and National Geographic
    * Three HD channels launch on Virgin Media tomorrow

LONDON, July 29, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virgin Media (Nasdaq:VMED) today announced that Channel 4's High Definition (HD) channel, 4HD, will join its HD line-up. 4HD was the first full-schedule HD channel to be launched by a UK terrestrial broadcaster and offers ground-breaking programmes including Skins, Shameless and Desperate Housewives in glorious High Definition.

4HD will be available to Virgin Media's 3.5 million digital TV customers and joins the BBC HD channel, ESPN HD, LIVING HD, FX HD, MTV Networks International's HD channel, MTVNHD, and National Geographic HD in Virgin Media's linear HD line-up.

FX HD, MTVNHD and National Geographic HD are launching on Virgin Media's TV platform tomorrow. ESPN HD will launch on 3rd August, with 4HD and LIVING HD coming soon.

Mark Schweitzer, chief commercial officer at Virgin Media, said: "Channel 4 is home to some of the UK's most talked about and innovative TV programmes with a great mix of fantastic home grown shows and top imports, and we're delighted to be bringing them in HD to our customers. We continue to evolve our TV service, across linear TV channels and on demand content, and our growing HD line-up offers a great choice from some of the best UK and US TV series, documentaries, comedy, sport and music."

Sarah Rose, Head of Channel Development at Channel 4, said: "We want our viewers to be able to watch their favourite Channel 4 programmes in the format they want and across multiple platforms so we're delighted to be launching 4HD on Virgin Media. Our catch-up service, 4oD, has been a great success on Virgin Media's TV platform and, as we continue to invest in HD production, we're bringing more Channel 4 programmes to more viewers in HD."

4HD is a simulcast of the core Channel 4 schedule with a proportion of programmes produced and transmitted in the HD format. Programmes currently broadcast in HD include Ugly Betty, Come Dine With Me and Shameless as well as the best documentaries, current affairs, music and film. Channel 4 is committed to increasing its investment in HD production and the proportion of its schedule transmitted in high definition over time.

4HD will be available to all of Virgin Media's TV customers at no extra cost, alongside the BBC HD channel. Virgin Media will make its full range of HD channels available at no extra cost to its XL TV customers.

Virgin Media customers will be able to watch FX HD on Channel 158, MTVNHD on Channel 310 and National Geographic HD on Channel 232.

Virgin Media is also currently in active talks with UKTV about Good Food HD.