WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign and Showtime are teaming up to host premiere parties celebrating the new season of THE L WORD, which premieres on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009. The parties will be primarily held on January 18th in cities across the country. The events are free, but suggested donations are encouraged and VIP admission is available in some markets. THE L WORD, a groundbreaking series about the lives, careers and relationships of a group of women in Los Angeles, is in its sixth and final season. For a list of cities with events, please visit www.hrc.org/lword.

"We're sad to see THE L WORD leave the air, but we're so pleased to partner with Showtime to toast the beginning of the sixth installment of the series," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "For five seasons, THE L WORD has brought loving, honest portrayals of LGBT lives into millions of homes. This visibility is crucial to opening hearts and minds. I congratulate Showtime and the entire L WORD team on their remarkable achievements."

"We're incredibly proud of the show, and have consistently been thrilled with the turnout for THE L WORD screening parties," said Showtime Vice President George DeBolt. "It's bittersweet to part with the characters we've loved, but Showtime is honored to partner with HRC and spread a message of equality to so many people."

This is the sixth season that HRC and Showtime have teamed up for these events. Last year, nearly 20,000 supporters attended more than 40 events throughout the nation. For a list of cities with events, visit www.hrc.org/lword.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNELﾻ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME® TOOﾻ, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE® and TMC xtra. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD®, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMANDﾻ. SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, which is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME® PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.