EXPERIENCE HISTORY LIKE NEVER BEFORE - History Television Launches in High
Definition

    
                 90% of Primetime Programming Available in HD

             Solidifies Canwest's Position as Canada's HD Leader

         For Complete Program Information, Photos and Primetime Grids
                     Please Visit: www.canwesttvmedia.com
    

TORONTO , Oct. 7 /CNW/ - Canwest Broadcasting announced today that History Television HD will launch on Thursday, October 8, 2009 . Beginning tomorrow, History Television HD will be available to Shaw Cable subscribers as part of the Shaw HD Plus package (channel 231). Canwest is currently in discussions with additional digital cable and satellite providers to pick up the service across Canada . History Television joins Showcase and National Geographic Channel as Canwest's third Specialty channel to launch in high definition. Canwest is also the leader in over-the-air HD with four Global Television Stations - Toronto , Vancouver , Calgary and Edmonton - currently broadcasting in high definition.

"History Television HD offers viewers an unparalleled viewing experience, combining stunning clarity with industry-leading content", said Barbara Williams , Executive Vice President, Content, Canwest Broadcasting. "With over 90% of our primetime schedule in high definition, we are committed to delivering viewers the very best programming from Canada and around the world."

Broadcast in brilliant 1080i high definition, History Television HD will captivate audiences with its blockbuster movies, award-winning documentaries and cutting-edge living history series. The channel features a diverse range of series including Ice Road Truckers, Battles BC, Life After People, Cities of the Underworld, Ultimate Engineering, Outlaw Bikers and the upcoming Canwest original living history series, Ice Pilots NWT. With over 100 hours a week of HD content, viewers can also enjoy a variety of upcoming hit movies, including Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, The Scorpion King and Braveheart.

History Television HD will be available on channel 231 as part of the Shaw HD Plus package, effective Thursday, October 8, 2009 .

About History Television HD:

As Canada's number one source for entertaining television in an historical context, History Television HD brings to life people and events from the past and history in the making; all in vivid high definition. History Television HD captivates audiences with blockbuster movies, award-winning documentaries and cutting-edge living history series, including Ice Road Truckers, Expedition Africa , and Ice Pilots NWT.

About Canwest Originals:

Canwest is the proud home of the most diverse slate of Canadian Original programs across the Dramatic, Lifestyle and Entertainment genres. As a steadfast supporter of the Canadian production community, Canwest is dedicated to bringing the best of the country to audiences nationwide - including shows such as; Copper, Family Restaurant, Homes Inspection, Ice Pilots NWT, 16:9, Re-Vamped and the nation's number one entertainment newsmagazine Entertainment Tonight Canada .

About Canwest Broadcasting:

Canwest Broadcasting operates Global Television and eighteen of the country's most popular specialty channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, History Television, Food Network and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media Inc.

About Canwest Media Inc.

Canwest Media Inc is a subsidiary of Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com; TSX: CGS and CGS.A). An international media company, Canwest is Canada's largest publisher of paid English language daily newspapers and owns, operates and/or holds substantial interests in conventional television, out-of-home advertising, specialty cable channels and web sites in Canada , New Zealand , Australia , Indonesia , Singapore , the United Kingdom and the United States .

For further information: Jane Collins, Publicist, Factual Channels, [phone], [email protected]