TODAY'S MATT LAUER AND NATALIE MORALES TO HOST NEW 'SCI FI DECLASSIFIED' SPECIALS

Lauer to Host 'Countdown to Doomsday' airing June 14

Morales Embarks on 'Quest For Atlantis: Startling New Secrets' on July 9

Rob 'Boston Rob' Mariano Joins 'SCI FI Investigates' Team

NEW YORK--April 26, 2006--SCI FI Channel's two-hour 'Declassified' specials 'Countdown to Doomsday' and 'Quest For Atlantis: Startling New Secrets,' produced in a partnership with NBC News Productions, have recruited top NBC News broadcasters Matt Lauer and Natalie Morales to host, it was announced today by SCI FI's Executive Vice President and General Manager Dave Howe. SCI FI's 'Declassified' specials examine some of the most controversial topics of our time in an effort to separate science fact from science fiction.

Hosted by 'Today's Matt Lauer, 'Countdown to Doomsday' provides a chilling look at the scenarios threatening to induce our planet's next mass extinction, and also how these catastrophes can be averted. Using top of the line special effects to illustrate the knowledge and imagination of the world's leading scientists, viewers will experience the magnitude of each catastrophe as SCI FI brings the 10 shocking scenarios to life. In addition to the heart pounding "what ifs," potential solutions will be also be explored. Shot around the globe, 'Countdown' will reveal the potential consequences of ominous terrestrial threats like global warming, asteroid collisions and pandemic outbreaks. 'Countdown to Doomsday' will premiere on SCI FI Channel Wednesday, June 14 from 9-11pm ET/PT.

As the legend goes, the city of Atlantis was plagued by a terrible day of floods and earthquakes before it was consumed by the sea. Recent findings have given this lost world some newfound notoriety and uncovered a conspiracy that looms larger than the 'Da Vinci Code.' Hosted by Natalie Morales, 'Quest For Atlantis: Startling New Secrets' lifts the veil of secrecy and undertakes an unprecedented exploration through the murky mists of time in search of the lost city and evidence of its ancient inhabitants. Premiering on Sunday, July 9 from 9-11pm ET/PT, 'Quest For Atlantis: Startling New Secrets' will join myth and legend with the findings of respected archeologists and explorers in an effort to find the truth behind this most celebrated of lost civilizations.

'SCI FI Investigates' is a special series, a real-life 'X-Files' that will aggressively explore the mysterious, wondrous and unexplained of our world. A six-part, one-hour, weekly series 'SCI FI Investigates' will initiate sweeping, eclectic explorations of the stubborn mysteries and classic legends that pervade our world. 'Survivor' and 'Amazing Race' alumnus Rob Mariano is joining the 'SCI FI Investigates' team, which also includes an array of subject- specific authorities including forensic expert Lisa Van Camp, tech wiz John Greenwald, scientist Dr. Bill Doleman and journalist Len Cannon. Mariano will be the resident "jack of all trades," offering pragmatic, resourceful input on a variety of investigations.

Capitalizing on the experience and resources of NBC News Productions, the series and its team of investigators will seek to uncover new evidence by using the latest forensic technology to reveal new perspectives on world-renowned mysteries. SCI FI Investigates will premiere later this year.

NBC News Productions is an in-house production unit serving NBC News, NBC's Entertainment Division and all of NBC-owned cable channels. Recent productions include 'Biography of the Year,' a 'People Magazine' 'People of the Year' special, the seven-hour 'Greatest American with Matt Lauer' special and a two-hour documentary for SCI FI Channel 'Bermuda Triangle: Startling New Secrets.' In addition, the in-house production group oversees a DVD division that works closely with Universal to produce bonus material included in new DVD releases.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site www.scifi.com and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 85 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.