PALM TO PROMOTE NEW PDA ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Discovery Channel has made an unusual product placement and advertising deal with Palm Inc. to promote the launch of the new Palm m505 handheld organizer.

The Discovery Channel has planned a 17-hour marathon around its show Nigel's Wild, Wild World Nov. 23. The series travels around the globe exploring the world's wildlife.

The show's

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host, Nigel Marven, will showcase the Palm m505 during the event in vignettes that will allow viewers to be able to send him questions regarding the show.

Mr. Marven will answer six of the questions using the Palm device, and each of the viewers selected will win a Palm m505. He will also discuss using e-mail and other applications for the device. Each of the six vignettes will be repeated 16 times during the event.

Palm, a new advertiser to the Discovery Channel, is also making a substantial TV advertising buy on the network that will include billboards and exposure on the network's Web sites, said Bill McGowan, executive vice president of advertising sales, Discovery Networks U.S.

Prior to the programming marathon, Palm will be featured in Discovery "tune-in" promos that will include requests for viewers to e-mail questions.

"This represents our vision for the future of the type of enhanced customized partnerships that we want to continue to execute and expand," Mr. McGowan said.