BOSTON, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE: JHI) declared its quarterly distribution today as follows:

Declaration Date: December 1, 2008

Ex Date: December 11, 2008

Record Date: December 15, 2008

Payment Date: December 31, 2008

Dividend Amount: $0.3777

This dividend equates to an annualized yield of 11.78 percent, based on the fund's closing market price as of November 28, 2008.

John Hancock Investors Trust is a diversified, closed-end fund. The Fund's primary investment objective is to generate income for distribution to its shareholders, with capital appreciation as a secondary objective. The preponderance of the Fund's assets are invested in a diversified portfolio of debt securities issued by U.S. and foreign corporations and governments, some of which may carry equity features.

About John Hancock Funds

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial Services, John Hancock Funds manages more than $47.9 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors at September 30, 2008. John Hancock Funds are distributed by John Hancock Funds, LLC, member FINRA. For more information, please visit www.jhfunds.com.

John Hancock Financial Services is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$385 billion (US$364 billion) at September 30, 2008. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial may be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Investors Trust