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| Comedy Central | |
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| Comedy Central logo since 2000 | |
| Launched | November 15, 1989 (As The Comedy Channel) April 1, 1990 (as Ha!: The Comedy Network) April 1, 1991 (current form) October 19, 2006 (Poland) January 15, 2007 (Germany) April 30, 2007 (Netherlands) May 1, 2007 (Italy) October 1, 2008 (Hungary) January 1, 2009 (Sweden) April 1, 2009 (New Zealand) April 6, 2009 (UK / Ireland) |
| Owned by | Viacom[1] |
| Picture format | 480i (SD) 1080i (HD) |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Replaced | Merger of The Comedy Channel And Ha! |
| Website | www.comedycentral.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | 249 (SD/HD) 1249 (VOD) |
| Dish Network | 107 (SD/HD) |
| Cable | |
| Available on most cable systems | Check local listings |
| IPTV | |
| Verizon FiOs | 190(SD) 690(HD) |
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries predominantly comedy programming, both original and syndicated.
Since late 2006, local versions of Comedy Central have launched in the European market including in Poland (Comedy Central Polska), Germany (Comedy Central Deutschland), the Netherlands, Italy (Comedy Central Italia), Hungary, Sweden (Comedy Central Sweden) and in the UK and Republic of Ireland (Comedy Central UK & Ireland). On April 1, 2009, New Zealand received the first localized Comedy Central channel outside of North America and Europe (Comedy Central New Zealand).
Comedy Central is one of 4 Viacom channels to not be part of a brand and is owned by MTV Networks.[citation needed]
Contents |
Programming
History
Creation (1989-1990)
On November 15, 1989, Time Warner, owners of HBO, launched The Comedy Channel as the first cable channel devoted exclusively to comedy-based programming. On April 1, 1990, Viacom (who owned MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon) launched a rival channel called Ha! that featured reruns of situation comedies and some original sketch comedy.
The Comedy Channel's programs were originated from the HBO Downtown Studios on East 23rd Street in Manhattan. The format prior to the merger with Ha! included several original and unconventional programs such as Onion World with Rich Hall and Mystery Science Theater 3000, as well as laid-back variety/talk shows hosted by stand-up comedians, including The Sweet Life with Rachel Sweet, Tommy Sledge, Private Eye, Night After Night with Allan Havey, Sports Monster and The Higgins Boys and Gruber, the latter of whom performed sketches in between showings of vintage television serials like Supercar, Clutch Cargo, and Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp. In the final months before the merger, the channel developed an eight-hour programming block that was shown three times during a 24-hour period, including such things as reruns of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
The standard format for The Comedy Channel's shows usually involved the various hosts introducing clips culled from the acts of stand-up comedians as well as classic comedies of the 1970s and 1980s, such as Young Frankenstein and Kentucky Fried Movie, presented in a style similar to music videos. In the early days, certain hours of the day when clips were shown without "host segments" were dubbed Short Attention Span Theater. In 1990, hosts under this title, Jon Stewart and Patty Rosborough, were introduced. Comedian Marc Maron also hosted the series.
While The Comedy Channel broadcast mostly low-budget original programming, Ha!'s schedule featured sitcom and sketch comedy reruns (many of which had been previously licensed for sister network Nick at Nite) as well as complete 90-minute reruns of Saturday Night Live from the sixth through sixteenth seasons. The first SNL to air was hosted by Susan Saint James from October 1981.
After two years of limited distribution, the two channels merged into one, relaunching on April Fools' Day 1991 as CTV: The Comedy Network, soon changing its name to Comedy Central.[2] Viacom bought out Time Warner's half in April 2003 for $1.23 billion.[3] Despite HBO's exit from the venture, the MTV Networks division in charge of Comedy Central is still called Comedy Partners.
1991–1997
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From the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, much of the programming on Comedy Central, and its predecessors, consisted of comedy films, sitcom reruns, half-hour specials and clip shows featuring stand-up comedians. With the exception of the cult favorite Mystery Science Theater 3000, the channel had a relatively small viewership. A notable early success was Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, which after showing promise on Comedy Central was quickly snapped up by the ABC network. Additionally, The Daily Show had got its start with premiere host Craig Kilborn, although it would take a few more years for the show to reach high popularity (and shift toward a focus on political humor) with the introduction of Jon Stewart (who was former co-host of Short Attention Span Theater from 1991). Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist was also a notable original program from this era, as well as the game show Win Ben Stein's Money. Successful non-original programming included Canadian comedy group The Kids In The Hall and British shows such as the U.K. edition of Whose Line Is It Anyway? (predecessor of the U.S. version, featuring much of the same American cast as would later be seen in the U.S.) and the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. Some later seasons of "AbFab", as it was informally known, were partially financed by Comedy Central.
Comedy Central also aired nationwide reruns of Seattle's Almost Live! between 1992 and 1993.
South Park premieres
The channel made a breakthrough when South Park premiered in 1997. Being the first major cable show to carry the TV-MA rating for mature audiences, the show was too controversial to be picked up by a mainstream network.[4] As word-of-mouth spread, the number of people who requested that Comedy Central be added to their cable systems increased, and the channel became available in over 50% of American homes by 1998.
2002–2003
In 2002, Comedy Central Records was formed as a means of releasing albums by comedians that have appeared on the network. This unit would ultimately be sold to Fox.
Since 2003, Comedy Central has created a tradition of roasting comedians in tradition of the New York Friars' Club roasts. During these roasts friends of the roastee, along with comedians, take turns making fun of the roastee, the other roasters and occasionally audience members. So far, the roastees have included Denis Leary,[5] Jeff Foxworthy,[6] Pamela Anderson,[7] William Shatner,[8] Flavor Flav,[9] Bob Saget,[10] Larry the Cable Guy.[11] and Joan Rivers.
The Secret Stash
The success of South Park, despite its mature content, encouraged the network to continue to push the limits on adult language. Every Saturday and Sunday morning at 1 A.M., a movie, comedy special or animated program is shown unedited for language. This is called the Secret Stash. It premiered on July 4, 2003 (with the unedited cable television debut of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut). Though no language is censored on the Secret Stash, most nudity in the programs is still edited out, with the exception of limited nudity allowed in animated programs (such as Drawn Together) and the occasional topless scene.
2004–2006
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In late 2004, it was reported that the top four rated shows on Comedy Central, in order, were South Park, Chappelle's Show, The Daily Show, and Reno 911!. Shortly thereafter, Dave Chappelle backed out of the much-anticipated third season of Chappelle's Show.[12] Meanwhile, The Daily Show continued to climb in ratings. In October 2005, on the occasion of a new three-year contract for South Park and the launch of The Colbert Report, it was reported that South Park and The Daily Show were the two highest rated shows on Comedy Central. Comedy Central chief Doug Herzog was reported as saying that he hoped to continue to air new seasons of South Park forever, and that The Colbert Report fulfilled a long-held plan to extend the Daily Show brand.
On April 5, 2006, in a controversial two part episode arc titled "Cartoon Wars Part I" and "Cartoon Wars Part II", South Park touched the issue of the recent Muslim protest over the Danish cartoon drawings depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The image of Muhammad did not appear in the episode. On April 13, 2006, Comedy Central issued a statement[13] which appears to confirm that the network prohibited the show's creators from airing an image of Muhammad. The statement reads, "In light of recent world events, we feel we made the right decision." An anonymous source close to the show indicated that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were informed of the policy several weeks earlier, and wrote this story arc in protest. This is a significant change of policy for Comedy Central, having allowed South Park to portray an image of Muhammad in an earlier episode, "Super Best Friends." Oddly enough, an image of Muhammad was still briefly visible in the Cartoon Wars episodes' opening credits (the image had been there as a call-back to the Super Best Friends episode). It should be noted that Muhammad was seen in a much more positive light in the "Super Best Friends" episode of South Park as the plot skewered magician David Blaine and cults.
2007–2009
On Monday January 15, 2007, MTV Networks International launched Comedy Central in Germany which is available for free throughout Europe. The channel airs 33 shows either dubbed in German or subtitled while also airing locally produced shows.[14] As of April 30, Dutch channel The Box has been transformed into the Dutch version of Comedy Central during the primetime and overnight hours timesharing with Nickelodeon.[15] And on May 1, 2007 the channel has launched in Italy replacing Paramount Comedy.[16]
As of June 27, 2007, CTVglobemedia-owned networks CTV and The Comedy Network have exclusive Canadian rights to the entire Comedy Central library of past and current programs on all electronic platforms, under a multi-year agreement with Viacom, expanding on past programming agreements between the two channels. Canadian users attempting to visit Comedy Central websites will also be redirected to The Comedy Network's website (Although as of November 1st, 2009, access to Comedy Central became able to Canadians again, but when attempting to watch videos, Canadians will be told to go to the Comedy Network). The Canadian channel will keep its own brand name, but the agreement is otherwise very similar to the earlier CTV/Viacom deal for MTV in Canada.[17]
In December 2007, Comedy Central picked up a show hosted by Lewis Black called Lewis Black's Root of All Evil. The show didn't start playing on Comedy Central until March 2008.
On January 9, 2008, it was announced the Comedy Central and MTV would put programs online for free starting in February.[18] On January 24, Scott Landsman became the Vice President of Original Programming and Development at the network.[19]
On March 27, 2008, the Swedish Radio and TV Authority approved an application from Comedy Central regarding being allowed to air television programs in Sweden. The grant allows Comedy Central to broadcast on the terrestrial television network between January 1, 2009, and March 31, 2014, after which a new request must be submitted in order to continue broadcasting.[20] The main Comedy Central network in the United States picked up a remake of The Gong Show hosted by Dave Attell, star of his former self-titled Comedy Central series Insomniac for premiere in July 2008. Another new show called Reality Bites Back premiered after The Gong Show with Dave Attell.
In June 2008, Comedy Central picked up sketch comedy show Important Things with Demetri Martin which began airing in February 2009.[21]
On April 1, 2009, Comedy Central began airing in New Zealand as Channel 010 on SKY Digital. On April 6, Paramount Comedy in the UK and Ireland rebranded as Comedy Central.
On April 7, 2009, it was announced Comedy Central will air new stand-up comedy specials starring Christopher Titus, Gabriel Iglesias, Pablo Francisco, Jim Breuer, Mitch Fatel and Pete Correale, and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham.[22] An animated show entitled Ugly Americans has also been picked up by the network.[23]
Comedy Central HD
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