Today's High-Def Headlines

National Geographic Bolsters HD Library - MCN
National Geographic Digital Motion has inked partnership and acquisition deals that will expand its high-definition offerings by more than 170 hours. The digital film archive, which contains images from more than 40 years of National Geographic Television and documentary film production, has acquired partial collections from Pawl Achtel and Bernd Proschold. It has also secured licensing agreements with BlackLight Films, Giorgio Oldani Editore, Glusic and J. Michael Media.

TBS Steps To Plate For MLB Playoffs - MCN
TBS will pitch to baseball fans a comprehensive package of on-air and online coverage of Major League Baseball’s divisional playoff series, beginning Oct. 3. On-air, TBS’s coverage of the four divisional playoff series will be buttressed by extensive pre- and post-game shows and will feature an roster of veteran baseball announcers such as Atlanta Braves play-by-play man Chip Caray, veteran sports announcer Dick Stockton, and MLB Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.

DirecTV Curates Smithsonian - Hollywood Reporter
Smithsonian Networks has inked a carriage agreement with DirecTV that marks the first for its new high-definition channel, which is set to launch this week. Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution, is set to begin broadcasting its original programming on a new linear channel, dubbed Smithsonian Channel, on or around Wednesday.

DisplaySearch Slates HD Conference - TWICE
DisplaySearch’s Fifth Annual HDTV Conference on Oct. 10-11 will bring representatives of some of the high-definition TV industry’s biggest companies together for combined sessions on all sources of HD content and hardware. The event will take place at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City. In addition to presenting insights from leading executives, DisplaySearch, The NPD Group, Wedbush Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Kersey Strategies will present findings from HD-related market intelligence reports valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to educate attendees on segments of HD penetration and future growth opportunities.