We've felt an odd void for nature programming on our HDTV, so National Geographic's Earth: The Biography series comes at an excellent time. As usual, high definition makes the seven continent journey pop, starting off tonight with an episode on volcanoes, followed immediately by a second focusing on ice. We don't have to tell you how great an experience Planet Earth was (and the real sequel isn't due til 2012), so we don't recommend missing any part of this three night event.

[Via HeraldNet]

National Geographic has been spreading its wings in foreign nations for some time, but now the outfit is broadening its reach in India by announcing that four new channels will soon be available in the ever-growing country. Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Adventure, Nat Geo Music and Nat Geo HD have all been approved for airing in India, though we aren't told what carriers will be picking 'em up. Suffice it to say, this is all the encouragement you need to start bugging your own operator to pick up the new foursome -- particularly that high-def iteration.

[Via PTI News]

TV Week had the opportunity to talk shop with National Geographic's executive VP of programming John Ford. Mr. Ford was the one responsible for all the high-def programming on Discover HD Theater and now he is trying to do the same for National Geographic HD. Currently the majority of their viewers come via Dish Network and only reach in the mid hundreds of thousands, but that hasn't stopped the station from their commitment to 100% HD footage. The whole interview is mainly standard stock with the exception of some large distribution partner that has yet to be announced but is set to launch at the end of September. Large you say, hmm, couldn't be DIRECTV as they can't handle the HD stations they already have and Dish Network already has the channel, so would it be safe to say Comcast, being the other large provider, might start broadcasting National Geographic HD within the coming weeks? Only time, and insiders, will tell but we will take all the new HDTV stations we can get.

[via Home Theater Blog]