By The Associated Press

Q Television Network, which offers programming targeting gay and lesbian viewers, will join Time Warner’s lineup in Maine at month’s end.

Though the exact date of the launch is not known, Q Television will be offered as a premium channel, like HBO, rather than part of a basic cable package.

“It will be offered wherever Time Warner is available in Maine,” said Veronica Welch of CWR & Partners, a public relations firm that represents Q Television.

Despite its target market, company officials say quality programming about the gay and lesbian experience, designed to entertain, educate and inform, will attract viewers regardless of their sexual orientation.

Jason LeBlanc, outreach education coordinator of the Eastern Maine AIDS Network, said Friday he hopes the network will raise awareness.

“I believe the station is not trying to glamorize,” LeBlanc said. “I hope it does well, and I hope it will be educational.”

Q is one of three new TV networks catering to gay and lesbian viewers across the country. Q Television and Here! are both pay services; they were joined on June 30 by MTV Networks’ Logo, which is available on basic cable in some parts of the country.

Q Television features original series, sports, entertainment and news coverage. “On Q Live,” a 3-hour-long broadcast, is aired nightly. In “Q on the Move,” host Nick Oram travels the country to discover how gay culture relates to lifestyle, politics, fashion, art and music.

Religious programming includes Christian worship Sunday mornings from Dallas’ Cathedral of Hope, the largest gay and lesbian church in the United States.