SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL(TM) TAKES FLIGHT WITH NEW SEASON OF "AERIAL AMERICA"

NEW Season Kicks off on Sunday, July 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT With Themed Specials that Soar to "Amazing Destinations" and "Beyond Hollywood" and Episodes that Fly Above New States

NEW YORK, July 9, 2013 - The most expansive series of U.S. aerial adventures in television history continues this summer as Smithsonian Channel's AERIAL AMERICA takes flight with an all-new season of new episodes beginning Sunday, July 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. This season, the series soars high above new states such as Montana, Ohio, Minnesota and West Virginia. Viewers can also find a brand-new twist: themed specials that present an array of our nation's most intriguing and iconic places across several states, including "Amazing Destinations," "Made in the USA," and "Beyond Hollywood."

First launched in 2008, AERIAL AMERICA is now 37 states into its epic quest to capture all 50 states from the air, from their historical treasures and cultural landmarks to places far off the beaten path. AERIAL AMERICA offers the ultimate "bird's eye view" of our country and its wonders.

Shot from a helicopter equipped with a state-of-the-art Cineflex V-14 HD camera system, each episode gives rare glimpses from breathtaking heights of the unmatched beauty, rich history and astonishing sights each of the states has to offer.

AERIAL AMERICA: AMAZING DESTINATIONS (Premieres July 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

A journey to some of the country's most awe-inspiring sights, from natural wonders and man-made marvels to places that have inspired artists, thinkers, and even revolutionaries. Viewers will fly over towering chalk formations in Kansas, sweep down over Colorado's sea-like sand dunes, explore Washington's diverse ecosystems, and more.

AERIAL AMERICA: MONTANA (Premieres July 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

AERIAL AMERICA soars across Montana's Big Sky country, with its spectacular Rockies, magnificent rivers and windswept golden plains, revealing a state rich with epic tales of the Gold Rush, the Battle of Little Bighorn, and the Continental Divide. In Montana, Lewis and Clark faced some of their greatest challenges... and the discovery of fossilized clues has changed our understanding of dinosaurs forever.

AERIAL AMERICA: OHIO (Premieres July 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

AERIAL AMERICA takes a spectacular journey over the Buckeye State in the fall, when blazing autumnal trees line its parade-filled streets, picturesque canals, and Amish farmsteads. Home to the Wright Brothers, Neil Armstrong and Jesse Owens, Ohio celebrates its hometown heroes.

AERIAL AMERICA: MINNESOTA (Premieres August 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

The fabled land of 10,000 lakes and source of the mighty Mississippi, the "North Star State" boasts a rich well of stories, from two flour kings whose rivalry helped create the Twin Cities to the town that inspired Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon. Fictional legends like Paul Bunyon and real ones like Bob Dylan and Prince have all left indelible marks on the state.

AERIAL AMERICA: MADE IN THE USA (Premieres August 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

From the Model T to Motown to Tabasco Sauce, America has a rich history of invention and innovation -- often against the odds. AERIAL AMERICA takes viewers on a sweeping journey of invention and innovation. After a tornado leveled a mile-wide town in Kansas in 2007, residents didn't just rebuild, they turned Greenburg into the greenest town in America. In Norman, Oklahoma, researchers used World War II technology to invent the first Doppler radar. And in Washington State, inventor Eddie Bauer's near-death experience in the wilderness leads to a jacket that revolutionized outerwear.

AERIAL AMERICA: WEST VIRGINIA (Premieres August 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

Singer John Denver wanted West Virginia's country roads to take him home. AERIAL AMERICA obliges with a tour of the only state created by seceding from another by popular vote. It's home to Camp Cupcake, the prison where Martha Stewart served her time, a telescope as wide as a football field, and Harper's Ferry, where John Brown died for the abolitionist cause. But watch out for a winged monster they call Mothman, the curse of a great Shawnee chief.

AERIAL AMERICA: BEYOND HOLLYWOOD (Premieres August 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

From superhero hangouts to mobster hideaways, AERIAL AMERICA takes viewers on a tour of the places made famous by the movies. Stories reveal daring firsts, foolish stunts, romantic rendezvous, and spectacular special effects. Highlights include the Big Apple's many cameos as pivotal points in love stories; Philadelphia's inspiring museum steps; a West Coast home featured in what many call the best film of all time; the many prisons that have made their way into movies; Fredo Corleone's final resting place; and some of America's most unique landscapes found in science fiction.

AERIAL AMERICA is produced by Tusker Television for Smithsonian Channel. Tusker Television's Executive Producer is Toby Beach. Executive Producers for Smithsonian Channel are David Royle and Charles Poe.

ABOUT SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL

Smithsonian Channel is a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution, formed to create a network featuring programs largely inspired by the assets of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex. Smithsonian Channel features award-winning original documentaries, series, and groundbreaking programs highlighting America's historical, cultural and scientific heritage. Smithsonian Channel brings the American experience home in high definition and Dolby Digital 5.1 and is available to customers of DirecTV, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cablevision, Verizon, AT&T, and more. Learn more at http://www.smithsonianchannel.com.