VISIT THE BIG APPLE, THE EMERALD ISLE AND THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD IN ALL-NEW INSTALLMENTS OF ICONIC SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL(TM) SERIES "AERIAL AMERICA"

Beloved Series Goes Beyond The States For The First Time To Explore Cities And Countries Around The World

New Episodes Featuring New York City, Ireland, And New Zealand Premiere Sunday, June 4 at 8 P.M. ET/PT

New York, May 16, 2017 - The most expansive aerial series in U.S. television history - AERIAL AMERICA - is going global and local on Smithsonian Channel in all-new episodes, shot exclusively in 4k/Ultra High Definition. Having captured the stories of all 50 states in an epic seven-year journey, the landmark series now spends 24 hours in the life of New York City and takes viewers on bird's eye adventures in Ireland and New Zealand, beginning Sunday, June 4 at 8 PM ET/PT.

In AERIAL AMERICA: NEW YORK CITY 24, stunning 4K aerial cinematography tracks surprisingly intimate stories in a day in the life of the nation's largest city, starting at daybreak with a worker scaling the very top of the 1,776-foot World Trade Center. As the day goes on, the episode reveals the hidden forces that make the city tick, including probationary firefighters training on Randall's Island, members of the U.S. Border Patrol monitoring cargo ships in New York Harbor, and ironworkers welding new sections of the Verrazano Bridge. From the air, the life of New York City offers surprising views, such as a sea of red in Bryant Park that turns out to be hundreds of locals engaged in group yoga. After sunset, NEW YORK CITY 24 reveals sides of the metropolis that can only be appreciated from the air, from top-floor penthouses of its latest skyscrapers to the Coney Island Yard, the last stop for dozens of subway trains racing to get ready for the next day's commute. There's simply nothing like a day in the life of New York City when seen from the air.

From the sprawling capital city of Dublin to the beauty of the vertiginous Cliffs of Moher and the great medieval fortresses of Trim Castle, Ireland is full of rich tradition and history. In the northeast, AERIAL IRELAND follows the North Atlantic coastline to the famous Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, one of the natural wonders of the world. AERIAL IRELAND also reveals the locations where some of Ireland's famous citizens got their start; from the golf club where Rory McIlroy became its youngest member at age 7 to the school in North Dublin where four teenagers formed a band that took over the world as U2. A fascinating journey to the land of leprechauns, AERIAL IRELAND explores the unique traditions of the Emerald Isle, including an aerial view of a 600-year-old castle where a man at the edge of a parapet bends over backward and appears to kiss the Blarney Stone - where legend has it that kissing it conveys "the gift the of the gab."

AERIAL NEW ZEALAND reveals a nation of two islands with a staggering variety of rural and urban wonders. Produced by Kiwi native Phil Keoghan, host of "The Amazing Race," AERIAL NEW ZEALAND is an epic journey over the last habitable landmass to be populated on the planet. Today, tourists flock to a former sheep farm that The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson turned into "Hobbiton," one of the 70 New Zealand settings in his iconic trilogy - some sights are so familiar they feel like a journey through Middle Earth. AERIAL NEW ZEALAND explores the astonishing volcanic landmarks that make the country a geothermal wonderland, from Frying Pan Lake and its 140-degree waters to Mount Eden, just one of 50 volcanoes that surround New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland. A thrill seeker's paradise, AERIAL NEW ZEALAND captures stunning shots of adventurers hurling themselves off a 1,000-foot tower, in the country where commercial bungee jumping was invented. AERIAL NEW ZEALAND takes an unforgettable journey across these two islands at the bottom of the world.

AERIAL AMERICA: NEW YORK CITY is a Tusker Television production for Smithsonian Networks. Toby Beach serves as Executive Producer for Tusker.

AERIAL IRELAND is produced by Tile Films Limited for Smithsonian Networks. Executive Producers for Tile are Stephen Rooke and David Ryan.

AERIAL NEW ZEALAND is produced by No Opportunity Wasted for Smithsonian Networks. Executive Producers for No Opportunity Wasted are Phil Keoghan and Louise Keoghan.

Executive Producers on the series for Smithsonian Channel are David Royle and Charles Poe.

Smithsonian Channel(TM), owned by Smithsonian Networks(TM), a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution, is where curiosity lives, inspiration strikes and wonders never cease. This is the place for awe-inspiring stories, powerful documentaries and amazing entertainment across multiple platforms. Smithsonian Channel combines the storytelling prowess of SHOWTIME(R) with the unmatched resources and rich traditions of the Smithsonian, to create award-winning programming that shines new light on popular genres such as air and space, history, science, nature, and pop culture. Among the network's offerings are series including Aerial America, Million Dollar American Princesses, Polar Bear Town, The Weapon Hunter, The Lost Tapes, Mighty Ships, Mighty Planes and Air Disasters, as well as critically-acclaimed specials that include Building Star Trek, The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima, MLK: The Assassination Tapes and The Day Kennedy Died. Smithsonian Networks also operates Smithsonian Earth(TM), through SN Digital LLC., a new subscription video streaming service delivering spectacular original nature and wildlife content. To learn more, go to www.smithsonianchannel.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.