Verizon announced a long-term affiliation agreement with Showtime Networks Inc. for its premium movie services. Under the agreement, Verizon will carry 11 Showtime Networks channels on Verizon FiOS TV when it launches later this year. The programming includes Showtime, The Movie Channel and Flix brands plus high definition and video-on-demand programming.

Showtime Networks Executive Vice President Mark Greenberg said, “We are thrilled to sign this agreement with Verizon, which we believe will soon become a significant distributor of television programming. Verizon is poised to enhance its already sterling reputation with consumers by providing them with television services on its all-fiber network. Through this deal, not only will Showtime Networks services enjoy greater exposure, but Verizon will also be able to offer its customers the programming that they want at a reasonable price -- making it a winning proposition for both companies, and most importantly, for the consumer."

Showtime Networks offers consumers a variety of programming including feature films and original programming. Greenberg said the Verizon agreement dovetails with Showtime Networks’ Big Digital plan, which encourages the network’s distribution partners to offer a variety of Showtime Network services at a consumer-friendly price.

The agreement includes the channels Showtime, Showtime Too, Showtime Showcase, Showtime Beyond, Showtime Extreme, Showtime Women, Showtime Next, Showtime Family Zone, The Movie Channel, TMC xtra, and Flix. Also included are Showtime HD and The Movie Channel HD, which will be available free to Showtime and The Movie Channel subscribers as part of Verizon’s extensive line-up of HD programming. Showtime subscribers will also receive Showtime On Demand and The Movie Channel On Demand, together televising 150 hours of Hollywood movies and Showtime original programming a month, up to 25 percent of which will change weekly.

Verizon FiOS TV will offer customers a competitive alternative to cable or satellite. In addition to the Showtime channels, FiOS TV will also deliver hundreds of other digital video channels, high-definition programming, video-on-demand content, music channels, an interactive programming guide and other customer-friendly features via the company's fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband network. Verizon is already constructing FTTP networks in half the states where it offers landline communications service.

Customers will be able to buy FiOS TV as a stand-alone service or packaged with voice and FiOS high-speed data services, which are already available in some areas

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.