Noncommercial Maryland Public Television has launched NHK World TV, the Japanese broadcaster's only English-language channel, on stations serving Maryland and Washington, D.C.

NHK World TV had been carried in D.C. by MHZ, but the Maryland stations expand its coverage.

"While MHZ was our first 24-hour partner in a major market," said an NHK spokesperson, "and a very good partner, MPT also reaches that market as well as Baltimore and virtually all of Maryland. MPT is also a PBS member station."

NHK World TV is a 24/7 offering of news (NHK has a D.C. bureau) and lifestyle programming.

In addition to carriage on six MPT station digital broadcast subchannels, the channel will be available on Comcast and Verizon Fios.

"We are thrilled about this partnership with MPT and are very excited to be a part of the Maryland community,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, CEO of NHK subsidiary JIB (Japan International Broadcasting).