or


[02/13/15 - 06:47 AM]
LAFF Licenses Rights to the Popular Sitcoms "The Drew Carey Show," "Night Court," "Ellen," "Empty Nest" and "Grace Under Fire" In Initial Programming Agreements
"These are iconic series featuring some of the funniest comedic talents and memorable characters of our time," commented Jonathan Katz, President and CEO of Katz Broadcasting.

[via press release from LAFF]

LAFF -- The Nation's First Comedy-Driven Broadcast Television Network -- Licenses Rights to the Popular Sitcoms "The Drew Carey Show," "Night Court," "Ellen," "Empty Nest" and "Grace Under Fire" In Initial Programming Agreements

ATLANTA (February 13, 2015) - LAFF, the country's first-ever, over-the-air broadcast television network devoted to comedy around-the-clock set to launch on April 15, 2015, made the first in what-will-be a series of programming acquisition announcements today, landing the broadcast television rights to more than 800 episodes of some of the most popular sitcoms in contemporary television.

In the three individual, multi-year licensing agreements, LAFF licenses:

· All nine seasons of both The Drew Carey Show (233 episodes) and Night Court (193 episodes) from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

· Two series from The Disney/ABC Television Group: Ellen DeGeneres' first sitcom Ellen (109 episodes) and all seven seasons of Empty Nest (170 episodes).

· Grace Under Fire (112 episodes) starring Brett Butler from Carsey-Werner Productions.

"These are iconic series featuring some of the funniest comedic talents and memorable characters of our time," commented Jonathan Katz, President and CEO of Katz Broadcasting. "We're assembling an all-star comedy line-up and will be announcing more acquisitions shortly."

LAFF will feature a mix of contemporary off-network sitcoms and popular theatrical motion pictures, with a target audience of adults 18-49. The LAFF brand will cross multiple platforms, with the linear network carried on the signals of local broadcast television stations and corresponding cable carriage while a selection of companion digital content will be available at LAFF.com and via the LAFF app.

The newly-announced LAFF already has two major distribution agreements in place. The ABC Owned Television Stations will carry LAFF in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh and Fresno. The E.W. Scripps Company will also launch LAFF on its stations in Detroit, Phoenix, Tampa, Denver, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Baltimore, San Diego, Kansas City, Cincinnati, West Palm Beach, Buffalo and Tulsa.

These initial agreements will make LAFF available to more than 35% of the country, with more distribution additions expected to be announced shortly.

LAFF is owned and operated by Katz Broadcasting, established in 2014 by Bounce TV founder/COO and former Turner Broadcasting executive Jonathan Katz. LAFF joins GRIT, the first broadcast network targeting men, and ESCAPE, the first over-the-air network designed for women, in the Katz Broadcasting portfolio. Katz is President and CEO of the company while also still serving as COO of Bounce TV, the nation's first and only over-the-air television network for African Americans.





  [february 2015]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· DREW CAREY SHOW, THE (ABC)





[05/12/26 - 02:29 PM]
CFP Contenders and Non-Conference Clashes Headline ESPN's Industry-Leading, Early-Season College Football Schedule Reveal at Disney Upfront
Nine of ESPN.com's Way-Too-Early Top 25 are featured in the schedule release, including No. 1 Ohio State, No. 5 Texas, No. 7 Miami, No. 8 Texas Tech, No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 11 LSU.

[05/12/26 - 02:29 PM]
The Grammy Awards Set to Take Place Sunday, Feb. 7, 2027, and Will Air Live on ABC and Stream on Disney+ and Hulu
The upcoming ceremony marks a historic shift for the organization as the 2027 Grammy Awards will be the first ceremony to air on ABC since 1972, ushering in a new era for the most celebrated night in music.

[05/12/26 - 02:29 PM]
Disney and the Country Music Association Extend Relationship Through 2032
As part of the new agreement, the CMA Awards will stream live on Disney+ for the first time ever, alongside its traditional broadcast on ABC, kicking off with "The 60th Annual CMA Awards" on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

[05/12/26 - 02:24 PM]
ESPN's "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Kicks Off 40th Season in Baton Rouge with 500th Show on the Road
Following Baton Rouge, College GameDay will travel to Austin, Texas on September 12 for a battle of powerhouse programs in Week 2 as the Texas Longhorns host Ohio State in a rematch of last season's 14-7 Buckeyes' win in Columbus.

[05/12/26 - 02:06 PM]
Paul Anthony Kelly Joins Cast of FX's "American Horror Story" Installment 13 Coming This Fall to FX and Hulu
FX's "American Horror Story," the global phenomenon that has garnered more than 100 Emmy nominations since its launch in 2011, returns for an unrivaled 13th installment that will do justice to everyone's most feared number.

[05/12/26 - 01:55 PM]
Disney+ Becomes the Exclusive Home of the Banana Bowl This October
Known for blending athleticism with entertainment, the game will include one of the biggest performances the league has ever seen, bringing together all six teams, along with its signature on-field showmanship from first pitch to final out.

[05/12/26 - 01:42 PM]
The 99th Oscars Reunites Host Conan O'Brien and Executive Producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan
The 99th Oscars will air live on ABC and Hulu on Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT.

[05/12/26 - 01:38 PM]
Savannah Bananas' Jackson Olson Slides Into the Ballroom for "Dancing with the Stars" Season 35
The full cast of celebrities and professional dancers will be announced Wednesday, September 2, exclusively on "Good Morning America."

[05/12/26 - 01:32 PM]
ESPN Sets the Stage for Super Bowl LXI With Week Long Expansive Broadcast and Fan Experience on Santa Monica Beach
These efforts are all building toward Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, which will air on ESPN and ABC and mark ESPN's first production of the Super Bowl.

[05/12/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of May 4 - The Critters of "Swapped" Soar to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
The pursuit of justice is action-packed in "Man on Fire," which set the English TV list ablaze at No. 1 with 12.6 million views.

[05/12/26 - 11:31 AM]
CNN FlashDoc "The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert" to Stream on Friday, May 15 on the CNN App
The special will also air Sunday, May 17 at 8pm ET on CNN, just days before the highly anticipated finale of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

[05/12/26 - 11:13 AM]
BET Greenlights Manny Halley Productions' "Lot Patrol," A Star-Studded Mockumentary Comedy Series
A mismatched squad of eccentric security guards patrols the chaotic backlot of a major Hollywood studio, where they wrangle unhinged actors, rogue crew members, and their own wildly dysfunctional personal lives.

[05/12/26 - 11:01 AM]
"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Will Air a Repeat on Thursday, May 21, The Night of the Final Telecast of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"
"The Tonight Show" will air an all-new episode on Friday, May 22, featuring Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, and musical guest Maluma.

[05/12/26 - 11:00 AM]
AspireTV to Premiere "City Eats: Charleston" This June
The series is a culinary journey through one of America's most historic and flavor-rich cities, hosted by celebrity chef and TV personality G Garvin.

[05/12/26 - 10:36 AM]
Fan-Favorite Crime Drama, "The Madame Blanc Mysteries," Renewed for a Fifth Season on AMC Global Media's Acorn TV
Filming is currently underway in Gozo and Malta.