The History Channel(R) Developing Six Major Specials To Air in 2007 & 2008

A GLOBAL WARNING, STALKING JIHAD, LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS, MANHUNT, EGYPT PROJECT(wt) and CHINA'S FIRST EMPEROR

NEW YORK, April 30 -- The History Channel(R) will examine two hot-button issues and two iconic historical figures in four major specials to air in the 4th quarter of 2007. A GLOBAL WARNING looks at the history of climate change; STALKING JIHAD investigates the story of a CIA mission to track down Islamic terrorists in the Philippines; LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS attempts to deconstruct a manuscript found in Italy's National Library that is thought to contain hundreds of prophecies from the famed seer; and MANHUNT explores what many historians consider the first terrorist plot against the American government, John Wilkes Booth's assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

Two major television events will air in 2008, CHINA'S FIRST EMPEROR, tells the story of one man who changed the face of China forever and the EGYPT PROJECT (tentative title), could add a new chapter to the story of Ancient Egypt. The announcement was made today by Nancy Dubuc, Executive Vice President and General Manager of The History Channel.

"Each one of these new specials will offer something that is sure to blow the lid off the conventional wisdom on subjects that are universally fascinating," said Dubuc. "The History Channel is really about what's happening in our lives now-about connecting with the viewer and creating a completely unforgettable experience."

A GLOBAL WARNING - Premieres 4th Quarter 2007

This special, on one of the most hotly debated and discussed issues of the day, will shed light on an important question: is the specter of the predicted global warming the result of industrialization and human activity, part of a long and natural cycle, or a combination of the two? In the planet's 4.5 billion year history, its climate has been affected by many events: the sun's activities; volcanoes which have enveloped the Earth with ash, gases and CO2; the interplay of moving continents and ocean currents; cosmic impacts; ice ages; and now the human race and its industrial output. This special will see which of these effects are operating right now and try to separate out manmade warming from natural causes.

STALKING JIHAD - Premieres 4th Quarter 2007

Based on the upcoming book Stalking Jihad in Paradise from best-selling author Mark Bowden (Black Hawk Down), the special goes on the trail with Bowden to the Philippine Islands where he uncovers the story of a covert intelligence operation to bring back Americans caught in the crossfire of the "War on Terror." The documentary is an astonishing glimpse into how U.S. intelligence tracks terrorists, based on information that was only recently declassified by the CIA, including thermal video imagery of a wild shootout on the high seas.

LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS - Premieres 4th Quarter 2007

An exclusive investigation into how a manuscript believed to have been written by Nostradamus, ended up in Italy's National Library in Rome. The book, which was stumbled upon by an Italian journalist, contains a series of never before deciphered prophecies. The special will also reveal new insights into the life of Nostradamus, his relationship with his son, Cesar, and his connection to the Vatican.

MANHUNT - Premieres 4th Quarter 2007

For 12 days, John Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln and engineered a handful of attacks on other government officials, evaded the greatest manhunt in history. Ten thousand federal troops were assembled to track down Booth and his co-conspirator, David Herold. This follows the hunt for Booth - across the 11th Street Bridge, through the Maryland countryside, across the Potomac River, and finally to where Booth was gunned down inside a burning tobacco barn in northern Virginia. The story is one that strongly resonates today as most historians consider the Lincoln conspiracy and the hunt for Booth to be the unraveling of the first terrorist plot against the American government.

EGYPT PROJECT (tentative title) - Premieres 1st Quarter 2008

While the exploits of the great pharaoh Khufu -- who built the Great Pyramids of Giza -- are well known to Egyptologists everywhere, much less well-known are the accomplishments of his son, the pharaoh Radjedef, who spent much of his life living in his father's shadow. This special exclusively follows what could be the biggest discovery in Ancient Egypt since the King Tut's tomb was found in 1923 by the British archaeologist Howard Carter.

CHINA'S FIRST EMPEROR - Premieres 3rd Quarter 2008

In its first major co-production with an American television network, CHINA Central Television (CCTV) joins forces with The History Channel to take viewers on a spectacular once-in-a-lifetime adventure to ancient China to tell the epic saga of Chin Shihuang, who commanded an army larger than Napoleon's, conquered more territory than Alexander the Great; created a realm that outlasted the Roman Empire; and built the Great Wall that still stands today. This is the definitive story of The First Emperor of China (259-210 B.C.) and his warrior army that led an entire population through war and strife and conceived of what is now considered the last empire-modern day China.

The History Channel(R) is a leading cable television network featuring compelling original, non-fiction specials and series that bring history to life in a powerful and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. The network provides an inviting place where people experience history in new and exciting ways enabling them to connect their lives today to the great lives and events of the past that provide a blueprint for the future. The History Channel has earned four Peabody Awards, three Primetime Emmy(R) Awards, ten News & Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History(R) campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. The History Channel reaches more than 91 million Nielsen subscribers. The website is located at http://www.History.com.

SOURCE The History Channel
http://www.History.com