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)





[05/11/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Little House on the Prairie" - Official Teaser #2 - Netflix
Independence isn't just a way of life, it's a place to come together.

[05/11/26 - 11:00 AM]
Prime Video Renews Global Hit Series "Reacher" for Fifth Season Ahead of Season Four Premiere
The third season reached 54.6 million viewers globally on Prime Video in its first 19 days and stands as the most-watched season on the service since "Fallout" season one over the same timeframe.

[05/11/26 - 10:53 AM]
Viaplay Announces June Slate - Greek Noir Thriller, Acclaimed Nordic Series & Films
New U.S. debuts include "Save Me" and "Black Sands."

[05/11/26 - 10:31 AM]
Wellness Gets Wild in Amazon MGM Studios' New Reality Series "Reality Retreat," Bringing Together Some of TV's Most Iconic Women
The series will premiere in 2027, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[05/11/26 - 10:11 AM]
OWN Greenlights Season 12 of Its Hit NAACP Image Award-Nominated Series "Love & Marriage: Huntsville," Expanding Its Saturday Night Powerhouse with a 30-Episode Order
The new season will roll out across 2026 and 2027 as part of OWN's signature Saturday night lineup of must-watch unscripted programming.

[05/11/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Calabasas Confidential" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Fresh out of college, a tight-knit group of friends, exes and rivals returns to hillside SoCal luxury and unfinished drama in this opulent reality series.

[05/11/26 - 10:01 AM]
Investigation Discovery Sets June Return for a New Season of "People Magazine Investigates: Surviving a Serial Killer"
The new season will feature six gripping episodes unpacking the real-life, harrowing accounts of survivors who crossed paths with serial killers and lived to share their story.

[05/11/26 - 10:00 AM]
Keiana Martin Joins ESPN as "SportsCenter" Anchor
Most recently, she served as an on-air host and reporter for CBS Sports, appearing across CBS Sports HQ, "Inside College Basketball" and "Inside College Football" on CBS Sports Network, while also contributing to college football, college basketball and WNBA coverage as a sideline reporter.

[05/11/26 - 09:31 AM]
Video: "Sweet Magnolias" Season 5 - Official Trailer - Netflix
With wedding bells on the horizon, the Magnolias chase a shared dream, explore the world beyond Serenity, and lift each other up amid a summer of change.

[05/11/26 - 09:30 AM]
NBC Sports Acquires Extra NFL Week 17 Regular-Season Game, to Be Played Saturday, Jan. 2, 2027, at 4:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock
With the two Saturday games and "Sunday Night Football" on January 3, NBCUniversal will be home to three Week 17 games as playoff races and positioning become more heated.

[05/11/26 - 09:00 AM]
Versant Expands Programming Slate with New and Returning Scripted, Unscripted, and Live Sports and Events for 2026-27 Season
Newly announced premieres include the return of "The Ark" on July 29 and the debut of "Anna Pigeon" on August 7.

[05/11/26 - 08:32 AM]
Bravo Unveils New Series, "Vanderpump Rules: Lisa Las Vegas" and "Secrets, Lies, Texas Wives," Alongside Several Fan-Favorite Renewals
Plus: the network releases first looks at the new seasons of "Below Deck Mediterranean," "The McBee Dynasty" and "Next Gen NYC."

[05/11/26 - 08:31 AM]
Ba-Ba-Doo! Bravo Heads to Charleston for Immersive One-Day Fan Fest and Four "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" Tapings
North Charleston Performing Arts Center will serve as home to all of the Bravo festivities.

[05/11/26 - 08:01 AM]
USA Network's New Original Drama Series "Anna Pigeon" to Premiere on August 7
The series follows Anna Pigeon (Tracy Spiridakos), a former city slicker who became a park ranger after a devastating loss changed the trajectory of her life forever.

[05/11/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "72 Hours" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A 40-year-old executive (Kevin Hart) hopes to save his flailing career by joining a group of twenty-somethings (Marcello Hernández, Mason Gooding, Kam Patterson, Ben Marshall) on a wild three-day bachelor party, after he's inadvertently added to their group text.