LOST finale to be broadcast simultaneously around the world

According to The Guardian, stations in seven countries are going to broadcast the finale at the same time it is being aired in the United States, in order to cut down on illegal web piracy from fans eager to see the finale as soon as it is out.

In the United States, the finale will be broadcast from 9 to 11:30 PM. Sky1 and Sky1 HD will air it in the United Kingdom simultaneously with the U.S. West Coast (Pacific Time) which means it will be starting at 5 AM in the UK. Get that coffeepot ready!

Sky1 will air the Finale again on Tuesday, May 25, at 9 PM and on Friday in the regular LOST time slot.

Here’s the complete list of stations that will be broadcasting the finale at the same time as the U.S. West Coast: Sky1 in the UK, Fox Italia and Telecom Italia in Italy, Cuatro in Spain, Fox in Spain and Portugal, Digiturk in Turkey, and HOT in Israel.

CTV Canada will broadcast the finale at the same time as the U.S. East Coast.

The simultaneous broadcasts will not be subtitled.

Also, there will be 59 countries that will broadcast the finale 24 to 48 hours after it’s aired in the U.S., and those broadcasts will be subtitled in non-English-speaking countries. Those broadcasts include stations in Belgium, Poland, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Israel, the Middle East, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, Spain, and France.

(Updated 5/21 with info from the ABC Press Release.)