Discovery Communications is going high-def with its "Discovery Atlas" series. In what the company said is a first for a television series, "Atlas" episodes will be released on HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats, as well as standard DVD.

The first title to get the multiplatform treatment, "Discovery Atlas: China Revealed," will have its worldwide television premiere Sunday on the Discovery Channel and Discovery HD Theater.

Discs will be available in Discovery's 100-plus retail stores late next month.

To promote the program, Discovery is holding a sweepstakes, distributing scratch-off game pieces at its stores. The grand prize is a trip to China. The winning code will be revealed during the premiere of "China Revealed."

In addition to putting its shows on disc, Discovery also is offering such companion content as interactive trivia games and exclusive shortform videos focusing on different aspects of the featured country's culture, at www.discoveryatlas.com, through Discovery Mobile, Google Earth and the iTunes Music Store, and through Discovery Education products, united streaming and Cosmeo.

"Through rich content extensions of Discovery's global new-media, educational and commerce assets, we hope this project will bring greater understanding and learning about the world by reaching people through all of the many ways that they consume content today," said John S. Hendricks, Discovery Communications founder and chairman.