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{{Infobox TV channel
|name= Comedy Central
|logofile= Comedy Central 2011 Logo.svg
|logosize=180px
|picture format=[[480i]] ([[Standard-definition television|SDTV]])<br/>[[576i]] [[PAL]] (SDTV)<br/>[[1080i]] ([[High-definition television|HDtv]])
|tv shows= [[The Mr. Men Show]](2008) UK (French)
|launch= November 15, 1989 <small>(As ''The Comedy Channel'')</small><br>April 1, 1990 <small>(as ''Ha!: TV Comedy Network'')</small><br>April 1, 1991 <small>(current form)</small><br>October 19, 2006 <small>(Poland)</small><br /> January 15, 2007 <small>(Germany)</small><br />April 30, 2007 <small>(Netherlands)</small><br />May 1, 2007 <small>(Italy)</small><br />October 1, 2008 <small>(Hungary)</small><br />January 1, 2009 <small>(Sweden)</small><br />April 1, 2009 <small>(New Zealand)</small><br />April 6, 2009 <small>(UK / Ireland)</small><br />January 1, 2011 <small>(Israel)</small><ref name=Israel1>{{cite news | title = Comedy Central heads to Israel | url = http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=4&article=56709 | author = Adam Benzine | publisher = [[C21 Media]] |date = 2010-07-29}}</ref>
|headquarters=New York City
|owner= Comedy Partners <br>([[MTV Networks]], a subsidiary of [[Viacom]])<ref name=FAQ>{{cite web|title=FAQ|url=http://www.comedycentral.com/help/faq.jhtml|publisher=Comedy Central|archiveurl=http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080314010825/http://www.comedycentral.com/help/faq.jhtml|archivedate=March 14, 2008|quote=COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of MTV Networks.}}</ref>
|former names= CTV: The Comedy Network (April 1-May 31, 1991)
|replaced names= Merger of [[The Comedy Channel (United States)|The Comedy Channel]] And [[Ha! (TV channel)|Ha!]]|
|web=[http://www.comedycentral.com/ comedycentral.com]
|terr avail=Not Available
|sat serv 1=[[DirecTV]]
|sat chan 1=249 (SD/HD)<br> 1249 ([[Video on demand|VOD]])
|sat serv 2=[[Dish Network]]
|sat chan 2=107 (SD/HD)|
|cable serv 1= Available on most cable systems
|cable chan 1=Check local listings
|adsl serv 1=[[Verizon Fios|Verizon FiOS]]
|adsl chan 1=190 (SD) <br> 690 (HD)
|adsl serv 2=[[AT&T U-Verse]]
|adsl chan 2=140 (SD) <br> 1140 (HD)
|}}
'''Comedy Central''' is an American [[cable television]] and [[satellite television]] channel that carries [[comedy]] programming, both original and [[broadcast syndication|syndicated]].

Since late [[2006 in television|2006]], Comedy Central has expanded globally with localized channels in [[Comedy Central Polska|Poland]], [[Comedy Central Germany|Germany]],[[Comedy_Central_Netherlands|Netherlands]], [[Comedy Central Italia|Italy]], [[Hungary]],[[Comedy Central Sweden|Sweden]], [[Comedy Central (UK and Ireland)| Ireland]], [[Comedy Central (UK and Ireland)| United Kingdom]],[[Comedy_Central_New_Zealand|New Zealand]], [[Comedy Central Israel|Israel]] and [[Paramount Comedy|Spain]].

In [[Latin America]], a Spanish speaking channel will launch on Thursday, November 10, 2011 branded as Comedy Central Latin America<ref>www.comedycentral.la</ref>. A channel which serves [[Asia]] will launch in 2012<ref>http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=5&article=63697</ref>.

==History==
===Creation (1989&ndash;1991)===
On November 15, 1989, [[Time Warner]], owners of [[HBO]], launched [[The Comedy Channel (United States)|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 (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]]) launched a rival channel called [[Ha! (TV channel)|Ha!]] <ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/1989-11-15/entertainment/ca-1886_1_comedy-channel latimes.com] Cable Comedy--Will HBO Have the Last Laugh? Television: The 24-hour Comedy Channel premieres tonight, but Viacom has plans to launch its own comedy channel, HA!, in the spring.</ref> that featured reruns of situation comedies and some original sketch comedy.

The Comedy Channel's programs were originated from the HBO Downtown Studios at 120 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 comedian]]s, including ''The Sweet Life'' with [[Rachel Sweet]], ''[[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 (TV series)|Supercar]]'', ''[[Clutch Cargo]]'', and ''[[Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp]]''.

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.

After two years of limited distribution, the two channels merged into one, relaunching on [[April Fools' Day]] 1991 as CTV: The Comedy Network, changing its name to ''Comedy Central'' on June 1, 1991.<ref>(Name change to Comedy Central within a month of launch due to a lawsuit with CTV in Canada)[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb4895/is_199103/ai_n17999383]</ref> Viacom bought out Time Warner's half in April 2003 for $1.23 billion.<ref name="cnn03">{{cite web| title = Viacom buys Comedy Central | work = CNN.com| publisher = [[Reuters]]| date = 2003-04-22| url = http://money.cnn.com/2003/04/22/news/companies/viacom/index.htm| accessdate = 2007-08-03 }}</ref> Despite HBO's exit from the venture, the MTV Networks division in charge of Comedy Central is still called Comedy Partners, currently being a partnership of [[Viacom International]], the subsidiary [[MTV Networks]] [[Doing business as|does business as]], and Viacom Hearty Ha! Ha!, the subsidiary that owned Ha! and Viacom's original half of the network.<ref>http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4002:b66558.2.1</ref>

===1991&ndash;1997===
[[Image:Comedy Central logo (1990s).svg|right|145px|thumb|The original Comedy Central logo used from June 1, 1991 to October 29, 2000. An earlier variant of this logo has the "Comedy Central" text bigger, almost taking up the marquee sign. That variant lasted until 1995.]]
From the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, much of the [[programming]] on Comedy Central, and its predecessors, consisted of [[comedy film]]s, [[situation comedy|sitcom]] reruns, half-hour specials and clip shows featuring [[stand-up comedy|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 [[American Broadcasting Company|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''====
[[Image:SouthParkBoys.jpg|thumb|right|180px|''South Park'''s main characters: (L-R) [[Eric Cartman]], [[Kyle Broflovski]], [[Stan Marsh]] and [[Kenny McCormick]]]]
The channel made a breakthrough when ''[[South Park]]'' premiered in 1997. Being the first major cable show to carry the [[TV Parental Guidelines#TV-MA|TV-MA]] rating for mature audiences, the show was too controversial to be picked up by a mainstream network.<ref>Carter, Bill. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE5D61239F933A25752C1A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 MEDIA: BROADCASTING; Comedy Central makes the most of an irreverent, and profitable, new cartoon hit] (Part 2 of 2). ''[[The New York Times]]'': Nov. 10, 1997.</ref> 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&ndash;2003===
[[File:Comedy Central logo.svg|thumb|left|140px|The network's second logo used from October 30, 2000 until December 31, 2010.]]
In 2002, [[Comedy Central Records]] was formed as a means of releasing albums by comedians that have appeared on the network.<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/press/series/comedycentralrecords.jhtml comedycentral.com] Press Central - Comedy Central Records</ref> 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 [[Hugh Hefner]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Hugh Hefner|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300261/|accessdate=4 May 2010}}</ref> [[Denis Leary]],<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/leary_roast/index.jhtml Official site]</ref> [[Jeff Foxworthy]],<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast_foxworthy/index.jhtml Comedy Central Roast of Jeff Foxworthy]</ref> [[Pamela Anderson]],<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast_anderson/index.jhtml Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson]</ref> [[William Shatner]],<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast_shatner/index.jhtml Roast of Shatner]</ref> [[Flavor Flav]],<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast_flavor_flav/index.jhtml Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav official site]</ref> [[Bob Saget]],<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast_saget/index.jhtml Official site]</ref> [[Larry the Cable Guy]],<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast_larry/index.jhtml Official site]</ref>[[Joan Rivers]], [[David Hasselhoff]].<ref>[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast-david-hasselhoff/index.jhtml Official site]</ref> and [[Donald Trump]].

====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 [[toplessness|topless]] scene.

===2004&ndash;2006===
[[Image:The Colbert Report - Stewart & Colbert (Aug 2006).png|thumb|right|200px|Stewart (left) and Colbert during a [[Comic timing|comedic pause]] on ''The Colbert Report''.]]
In late 2004, it was reported that the top four rated shows on Comedy Central were, in ascending order, ''[[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''.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10337064/ Comedy Central to air Chappelle remainders] - [[MSNBC]] - Dec. 12, 2005</ref> 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 ''Daily Show'' spin-off ''[[The Colbert Report]]'', it was reported that ''South Park'' and ''The Daily Show'' were the two highest [[Nielsen ratings|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 [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|recent 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<ref>[http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2006/04/13/165631-south-park-creators-skewer-own-network Newsvine - 'South Park' Creators Skewer Own Network<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> 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{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} 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 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 opening credits of the "Cartoon Wars" episodes (the image had been there as a call-back to "Super Best Friends").

===2007&ndash;2010===
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.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Tzortzis
| first = Andreas
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Comedy Central plays to a German sense of humor
| work = iht.com
| publisher = [[International Herald Tribune]]
| date = 2007-02-18
| url = http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/18/business/comedy.php
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-08-03 }}</ref> As of April 30, Dutch channel [[The Box Comedy|The Box]] has been transformed into the Dutch version of Comedy Central during the [[prime time|primetime]] and overnight hours timesharing with [[Nickelodeon (Netherlands)|Nickelodeon]].<ref>[http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/today/?p=573 Dutch launch for Comedy Central]</ref> And on May 1, 2007 the channel has launched in Italy replacing [[Paramount Comedy]].<ref>http://www.broadcastclub.co.uk/sateuropa_forum/upload/viewtopic.php?pid=318</ref>

As of June 27, 2007, [[CTVglobemedia]]-owned networks [[CTV Television Network|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. The Canadian channel will keep its own brand name, but the agreement is otherwise very similar to the earlier CTV/Viacom deal for [[MTV (Canada)|MTV in Canada]].<ref>[http://www.cnw.ca/en/releases/archive/June2007/27/c9701.html CTV Strikes Multi-Platform Content Deal With Comedy Central], CTV press release, June 27, 2007</ref> As of 2011 this Geocaching no longer applies and both the Comedy Central and The Comedy Network website can be access worldwide with the exception of videos which remain only accessible within eaches native country.

In December 2007, Comedy Central picked up a show hosted by [[Lewis Black]] called ''[[Lewis Black's Root of All Evil]]''.<ref>[http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/10/05/comedy-central-picks-up-lewis-blacks-show/ tvsquad.com] Comedy Central picks up Lewis Black's show</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jones|first=K.C.|url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205601394|title=Free MTV And Comedy Central Online|publisher=Information Week|date=2008-01-09|accessdate=2008-01-09}}</ref> On January 24, Scott Landsman became the Vice President of Original Programming and Development at the network.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Eggerton
| first = John
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Landsman Gets VP Stripes at Comedy Central
| work = [[Broadcasting & Cable]]
| publisher =
| date = 2007-01-24
| url = http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6525373.html?rssid=193
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-01-27}}</ref>

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 [[DVB-T|terrestrial]] television network between January 1, 2009, and March 31, 2014, after which a new request must be submitted in order to continue broadcasting.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.rtvv.se/se/Press/Nyheter/080327/ | title = Announcement regarding new DVB-T channels going live in Sweden on April 1, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-03-27}}</ref> The main Comedy Central network in the United States picked up a remake of ''[[The Gong Show]]'' hosted by [[Dave Attell]],<ref>[http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-comedycentralgongshowdaveattell,0,4414601.story zap2it.com] Comedy Central Resurrects 'The Gong Show'</ref> star of his former self-titled Comedy Central series ''[[Insomniac with Dave Attell|Insomniac]]'' for premiere in July 2008. Another new show called ''[[Reality Bites Back]]'' <ref>[http://www.multichannel.com/article/84272-Comedians_Square_Off_In_Reality_Bites_Back_Series.php multichannel.com] Comedians Square Off In ‘Reality Bites Back’ Series - Comedy Central’s First Unscripted Competition Series Mocks Reality Genre</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3iff0ec139962d42d4152b670707cce783 |title=Stewart stamp on 'Martin' |publisher=Hollywoodreporter.com |date=2007-10-03 |accessdate=2009-02-16}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> On April 1, 2009, Comedy Central began airing in New Zealand as Channel 010 on [[SKY Network Television|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 would air new stand-up comedy specials starring [[Christopher Titus]], [[Gabriel Iglesias]], [[Pablo Francisco]], [[Jim Breuer]], [[Mitch Fatel]] and Pete Correale, and ventriloquist [[Jeff Dunham]].<ref>[http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/04/comedy_central_commits_to_stan.php TV Week April 7, 2009 Comedy Central Commits to Stand-Up Specials]</ref> An animated show entitled ''[[Ugly Americans (TV series)|Ugly Americans]]'' has also been picked up by the network.<ref name="The Live Feed">{{cite web |url= http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/05/comedy-central-ugly-americans-.html#more|title = Comedy Central Orders Animated Show, Gets Righteous| publisher = The Live Feed
|date=May 14, 2009}}</ref> In 2009, ''[[The Goode Family]]'' premiered.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/04/entertainment/la-et-goode-family4-2010jan04 latimes.com] New life for 'Goode Family' - Canceled last season by ABC, the series is getting another chance to catch on, this time via Comedy Central.</ref> Also in 2009, [[Thomas Lennon (actor)|Thomas Lennon]] announced via [[Twitter]] that ''[[Reno 911!]]'' had been cancelled <ref>[http://gawker.com/5337237/reno-911-cancelled-by-comedy-central gawker.com] Reno 911! Cancelled By Comedy Central</ref> after six successful seasons, much to outraged fan disapproval. The network has also played a role in the revival of the animated series ''[[Futurama]]'', which [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] had cancelled in 2003. New episodes began airing on Comedy Central in 2010.<ref>[http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEqF9susTJPtut\ movieweb.com] Futurama Finally Returns with Brand New Episodes in June!</ref>

''[[South Park]]'' episodes "[[200 (South Park)|200]]" and "[[201 (South Park)|201]]" aired in April 2010, revisiting the issue of the Islamic religious figure [[Muhammad]]'s perceived immunity to parody, for fear of violent retaliation. The Super Best Friends return, but Muhammad is entirely covered by a black bar reading "CENSORED" through all of his screen time. By the second episode of the two-parter, Comedy Central decided to censor every instance of his name, as well as three entire monologues, from the end of the show. The monologues dealt with the subjects of censorship and intimidation, but did not actually use Muhammad's name. Parker and Stone have since issued a statement to the press, confirming that the "bleeps" were added weeks after the show was finished, and that Comedy Central has refused to let them post the original version to [[South Park Studios]], in addition to retroactively removing the original "Super Best Friends" episode.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/201_(South_Park)#cite_note-NYT_Arts_Blog-2</ref>

===2011&ndash;present===
On December 10, 2010, Comedy Central introduced a new logo for the network that launched on January 1, 2011, which left behind the previous theme of a world-sized "tower" broadcasting the network/skyscrapers, in favor of an image of two "C"'s, with one of them and the word "Central" turned upside-down within the new logomark. The new logo was designed to represent the network's unique brand of comedy (with some drawing comparisons to the [[copyright symbol]] as inspiration for its design and use), and to provide the network with a logo that could be easily used across different platforms, such as social media.<ref>http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/12/comedy_central_unveils_serious.html</ref><ref>http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/460888-Comedy_Central_Flips_With_New_Logo.php</ref> This new logo has won several awards.<ref>http://www.thelabnyc.com/blog/article/thelab-wins-awards</ref> Poland was the first who started the international rebrand in Europe on February 20, 2011. The next two countries were the Netherlands and Germany on October 1, 2011.

In 2010, the network announced that [[Norm Macdonald]] was developing a new series that he described as a sports version of ''[[The Daily Show]]''.<ref name="BCCC">{{cite web |title=Comedy Central Developing Weekly Sports Pilot with Norm Macdonald |date=September 21, 2010|publisher= [[Broadcasting & Cable]] |accessdate=2011-02-22 |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/457427-Comedy_Central_Developing_Weekly_Sports_Pilot_with_Norm_Macdonald.php }}</ref> As of April 2011, the show was titled ''[[Sports Show with Norm Macdonald]]'' and premiered on April 12.<ref name="CCSS">[http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/sports-show-with-norm-macdonald/index.jhtml "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald Official Site"]. Comedy Central. Retrieved April 4, 2011.</ref> It was cancelled on June 7, 2011.

==Comedy Central HD==
'''Comedy Central HD''' is a [[1080i]] [[High-definition television|high definition]] [[simulcast]] of Comedy Central that launched on January 13, 2009.<ref name=launch>[http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6629076.html?nid=2226&rid=reg_visitor_id&source=link Multichannel News January 13, 2009 Comedy Central Launches HDTV Network - New Service Available on Cablevision Systems with Cox, DirecTV to Come]</ref> [[Cablevision]] was the first carrier to add it. [[DirecTV]] added the HD version on January 21, 2009. [[Dish Network]] added the HD version on April 9. 2009.<ref>[http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/04/dish_adds_bet_mtv_channels_in.php TV Week April 10, 2009 Dish Network Adds BET, MTV Channels in HD]</ref> It was also reported that some [[Cox Cable]] systems would get it by the end of January 2009.<ref name=launch/> Comedy Central anticipated that several more providers would add it later in that year.<ref name=launch/>

Currently, original shows that air in HD include ''[[The Sarah Silverman Program]]'', and newer episodes of ''[[South Park]]'', ''[[Comedy Central Presents]]'', ''[[Reno 911!]]'', as well as the new series ''[[Michael & Michael Have Issues]]'' and ''[[The Jeff Dunham Show]]''. The new season of ''[[Live at Gotham]]'' and other stand up specials, as well as movies, air in HD as well.<ref name=launch/>

''[[The Daily Show]]'' and ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' began airing in HD on January 4, 2010.<ref>[http://www.multichannel.com/article/440934-_Daily_Show_Colbert_Report_To_Ring_In_2010_In_HD.php Multichannel News December 17, 2009 'Daily Show,' 'Colbert Report' To Ring In 2010 In HD - Comedy Central Series Will Be Delivered In HD, Beginning Jan. 4]</ref> Many episodes of ''South Park'' that were originally made in [[4:3]] [[Standard-definition television|standard definition]] are [[Cropping (image)#Cropping in cinematography & broadcasting|cropped]] to be made [[16:9]] on Comedy Central HD. Comedy Central HD currently only airs in Eastern Standards Time.

==Programming==
{{Main|List of programs broadcast by Comedy Central}}

==International==
Local versions of ''Comedy Central'' include:
*[[Comedy Central Polska|Poland]]
*[[Comedy Central Germany|Germany]]
*[[Comedy Central Italy|Italy]]
*[[Comedy Central Sweden|Sweden]]
*[[Comedy Central New Zealand|New Zealand]]
*[[Comedy Central (UK and Ireland)|United Kingdom / Ireland]]
*[[Comedy Central Netherlands|The Netherlands]]
*[[Comedy Central Israel|Israel]]

And ''Comedy Central Family'':
*[[Comedy Central Family|The Netherlands]]
*[[VH1 & Comedy Central Family Poland|Poland]]

==Criticism==
{{POV-section|date=July 2009}}
Comedy Central has been a frequent target of criticism from the conservative group [[Parents Television Council]], which accuses them of [[bigotry]] and [[blasphemy]],<ref>{{cite web
| last = Bozell
| first = L. Brent III
| authorlink = L. Brent Bozell III
| coauthors =
| title = Comedy Central's War on Christmas
| work = [[CNS News]]
| publisher = [[Creators Syndicate]]
| date = 2005-12-22
| url = http://www.cnsnews.com/bozellcolumn/archive/2005/col20051222.asp
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-08-01 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080201043432/http://www.cnsnews.com/bozellcolumn/archive/2005/col20051222.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-02-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release
| title = Comedy Central Shows God in One-Night Stand
| publisher = [[Parents Television Council]]
| date = 2007-03-09
| url = http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/release/2007/0309.asp
| accessdate = 2007-08-01 }}</ref> especially within the programs ''[[South Park]]'', ''[[The Sarah Silverman Program]]'', ''[[Halfway Home (TV series)|Halfway Home]]'', and the annual "Roast" special.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Bozell
| first = L. Brent III
| authorlink = L. Brent Bozell III
| coauthors =
| title = Roasting the Final Frontier
| work = [[Media Research Center|MRC.org]]
| publisher = [[Creators Syndicate]]
| date = 2006-08-24
| url = http://www.mrc.org/BozellColumns/entertainmentcolumn/2006/col20060824.asp
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-08-01 }}</ref> PTC has used their criticisms against Comedy Central for their support of the [[Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007]], which would allow American [[cable television in the United States|cable TV]] subscribers to choose which channels they subscribe to,<ref>{{cite web
| last = Isett
| first = Dan
| authorlink = Parents_Television_Council#Leadership
| coauthors =
| title = Remarks Presented by Dan Isett of the PTC at the News Conference Regarding the "Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007"
| work =
| publisher = [[Parents Television Council]]
| date = 2007-06-14
| url = http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/publications/news/cablebill-danisett.asp
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-08-01 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070930200903/http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/publications/news/cablebill-danisett.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-09-30}}</ref> and to persuade advertisers to stop advertising on the channel.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Bozell
| first = L. Brent III
| authorlink = L. Brent Bozell III
| coauthors =
| title = Letter to Advertisers Concerning their Sponsorship of the August 16th Roast of Pamela Anderson on Comedy Central
| work =
| publisher = [[Parents Television Council]]
| date = 2005-09-06
| url = http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/advertisers/letters/Various_Roast_090605.htm
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-08-01 }}</ref> PTC founder and former president [[L. Brent Bozell III]] has called the channel unfunny, claiming the channel has managed "to reach the top of its field in spite of – or, better put, because of – the network's sheer lack of comedic talent" by its "extensive reliance on shocking or disgusting humor".<ref>{{cite web
| last = Bozell
| first = L. Brent III
| authorlink = L. Brent Bozell III
| coauthors =
| title = The Arrested Adolescent's Channel
| work = [[CNS News]]
| publisher = [[Creators Syndicate]]
| date = 2006-03-24
| url = http://www.cnsnews.com/bozellcolumn/archive/2006/col20060324.asp
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-08-01 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070611135632/http://www.cnsnews.com/bozellcolumn/archive/2006/col20060324.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-06-11}}</ref> The channel has also received criticism from certain parents<ref>[http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/letters/main.asp#4 Parents Television Council - Letters to the Editor - Offensive Ads]</ref> for airing advertisements for "[[Girls Gone Wild]]". The channel also airs the least cut version of the popular film ''[[Not Another Teen Movie]]'', as well as uncut versions of films such as ''[[Coming to America]]'', ''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]'' and [[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]].

On November 5, 2007, an open letter<ref>[http://www.videosift.com/talk/An-Open-Letter-to-Comedy-Central-and-Viacom VideoSifts open letter to Comedy Central and Viacom]</ref> was written by [[VideoSift]] to protest publicly the blocking of Comedy Central's embedded video content for non U.S. based viewers.

On April 21, 2010, Comedy Central [[201 (South Park)#Censorship|censored]] the ''[[South Park]]'' episode, "[[201 (South Park)|201]]", in response to a [[death threat]] issued by users of a [[Revolution Muslim|radical Muslim website]] over the episode's planned depiction of the [[Prophets of Islam|Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]], which led several newspaper columnists to condemn the network's actions as tantamount to abetting [[terrorism]]. Since then, as a result, neither "201" nor [[200 (South Park)|the episode that preceded it]] have been aired.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}http://www.tv.com/a-new-futurama-teaser-is-out-but-will-the-show-be-as-good/story/22087.html?tag=news_list;title;0 Retrieved 4/02/10

== External links ==
* [http://www.comedycentral.com ComedyCentral.com]
* [http://www.comedycentral.de ComedyCentral Germany]
* [http://www.comedycentral.it ComedyCentral Italia]
* [http://www.comedycentral.nl ComedyCentral Netherlands]
* [http://www.comedycentral.pl ComedyCentral Poland]
* [http://www.comedycentral.hu ComedyCentral Hungary]
* [http://www.comedycentral.tv ComedyCentral Sweden]
* [http://www.comedycentral.ie ComedyCentral Ireland]
* [http://www.comedycentral.co.nz Comedy Central New Zealand]
* [http://www.comedycentral.co.uk Comedy Central UK]
* [http://www.paramountcomedy.es Paramount Comedy Spain]
{{MTV Networks}}
{{Viacom}}

[[Category:Comedy Central| ]]
[[Category:MTV Networks]]
[[Category:Former Time Warner subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1991]]
[[Category:1991 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in the United States]]

[[ar:كوميدي سنترال]]
[[bar:Comedy Central]]
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Revision as of 20:25, 3 November 2011

Comedy Central
HeadquartersNew York City
Ownership
OwnerComedy Partners
(MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom)[1]

Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated.

Since late 2006, Comedy Central has expanded globally with localized channels in Poland, Germany,Netherlands, Italy, Hungary,Sweden, Ireland, United Kingdom,New Zealand, Israel and Spain.

In Latin America, a Spanish speaking channel will launch on Thursday, November 10, 2011 branded as Comedy Central Latin America[3]. A channel which serves Asia will launch in 2012[4].

History

Creation (1989–1991)

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! [5] that featured reruns of situation comedies and some original sketch comedy.

The Comedy Channel's programs were originated from the HBO Downtown Studios at 120 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, 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.

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.

After two years of limited distribution, the two channels merged into one, relaunching on April Fools' Day 1991 as CTV: The Comedy Network, changing its name to Comedy Central on June 1, 1991.[6] Viacom bought out Time Warner's half in April 2003 for $1.23 billion.[7] Despite HBO's exit from the venture, the MTV Networks division in charge of Comedy Central is still called Comedy Partners, currently being a partnership of Viacom International, the subsidiary MTV Networks does business as, and Viacom Hearty Ha! Ha!, the subsidiary that owned Ha! and Viacom's original half of the network.[8]

1991–1997

The original Comedy Central logo used from June 1, 1991 to October 29, 2000. An earlier variant of this logo has the "Comedy Central" text bigger, almost taking up the marquee sign. That variant lasted until 1995.

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

File:SouthParkBoys.jpg
South Park's main characters: (L-R) Eric Cartman, Kyle Broflovski, Stan Marsh and Kenny McCormick

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.[9] 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

File:Comedy Central logo.svg
The network's second logo used from October 30, 2000 until December 31, 2010.

In 2002, Comedy Central Records was formed as a means of releasing albums by comedians that have appeared on the network.[10] 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 Hugh Hefner,[11] Denis Leary,[12] Jeff Foxworthy,[13] Pamela Anderson,[14] William Shatner,[15] Flavor Flav,[16] Bob Saget,[17] Larry the Cable Guy,[18]Joan Rivers, David Hasselhoff.[19] and Donald Trump.

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

File:The Colbert Report - Stewart & Colbert (Aug 2006).png
Stewart (left) and Colbert during a comedic pause on The Colbert Report.

In late 2004, it was reported that the top four rated shows on Comedy Central were, in ascending order, 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.[20] 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 Daily Show spin-off 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 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[21] 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[citation needed] 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 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 opening credits of the "Cartoon Wars" episodes (the image had been there as a call-back to "Super Best Friends").

2007–2010

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.[22] 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.[23] And on May 1, 2007 the channel has launched in Italy replacing Paramount Comedy.[24]

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. 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.[25] As of 2011 this Geocaching no longer applies and both the Comedy Central and The Comedy Network website can be access worldwide with the exception of videos which remain only accessible within eaches native country.

In December 2007, Comedy Central picked up a show hosted by Lewis Black called Lewis Black's Root of All Evil.[26] 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.[27] On January 24, Scott Landsman became the Vice President of Original Programming and Development at the network.[28]

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.[29] The main Comedy Central network in the United States picked up a remake of The Gong Show hosted by Dave Attell,[30] star of his former self-titled Comedy Central series Insomniac for premiere in July 2008. Another new show called Reality Bites Back [31] 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.[32] 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 would air new stand-up comedy specials starring Christopher Titus, Gabriel Iglesias, Pablo Francisco, Jim Breuer, Mitch Fatel and Pete Correale, and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham.[33] An animated show entitled Ugly Americans has also been picked up by the network.[34] In 2009, The Goode Family premiered.[35] Also in 2009, Thomas Lennon announced via Twitter that Reno 911! had been cancelled [36] after six successful seasons, much to outraged fan disapproval. The network has also played a role in the revival of the animated series Futurama, which Fox had cancelled in 2003. New episodes began airing on Comedy Central in 2010.[37]

South Park episodes "200" and "201" aired in April 2010, revisiting the issue of the Islamic religious figure Muhammad's perceived immunity to parody, for fear of violent retaliation. The Super Best Friends return, but Muhammad is entirely covered by a black bar reading "CENSORED" through all of his screen time. By the second episode of the two-parter, Comedy Central decided to censor every instance of his name, as well as three entire monologues, from the end of the show. The monologues dealt with the subjects of censorship and intimidation, but did not actually use Muhammad's name. Parker and Stone have since issued a statement to the press, confirming that the "bleeps" were added weeks after the show was finished, and that Comedy Central has refused to let them post the original version to South Park Studios, in addition to retroactively removing the original "Super Best Friends" episode.[38]

2011–present

On December 10, 2010, Comedy Central introduced a new logo for the network that launched on January 1, 2011, which left behind the previous theme of a world-sized "tower" broadcasting the network/skyscrapers, in favor of an image of two "C"'s, with one of them and the word "Central" turned upside-down within the new logomark. The new logo was designed to represent the network's unique brand of comedy (with some drawing comparisons to the copyright symbol as inspiration for its design and use), and to provide the network with a logo that could be easily used across different platforms, such as social media.[39][40] This new logo has won several awards.[41] Poland was the first who started the international rebrand in Europe on February 20, 2011. The next two countries were the Netherlands and Germany on October 1, 2011.

In 2010, the network announced that Norm Macdonald was developing a new series that he described as a sports version of The Daily Show.[42] As of April 2011, the show was titled Sports Show with Norm Macdonald and premiered on April 12.[43] It was cancelled on June 7, 2011.

Comedy Central HD

Comedy Central HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of Comedy Central that launched on January 13, 2009.[44] Cablevision was the first carrier to add it. DirecTV added the HD version on January 21, 2009. Dish Network added the HD version on April 9. 2009.[45] It was also reported that some Cox Cable systems would get it by the end of January 2009.[44] Comedy Central anticipated that several more providers would add it later in that year.[44]

Currently, original shows that air in HD include The Sarah Silverman Program, and newer episodes of South Park, Comedy Central Presents, Reno 911!, as well as the new series Michael & Michael Have Issues and The Jeff Dunham Show. The new season of Live at Gotham and other stand up specials, as well as movies, air in HD as well.[44]

The Daily Show and The Colbert Report began airing in HD on January 4, 2010.[46] Many episodes of South Park that were originally made in 4:3 standard definition are cropped to be made 16:9 on Comedy Central HD. Comedy Central HD currently only airs in Eastern Standards Time.

Programming

International

Local versions of Comedy Central include:

And Comedy Central Family:

Criticism

Comedy Central has been a frequent target of criticism from the conservative group Parents Television Council, which accuses them of bigotry and blasphemy,[47][48] especially within the programs South Park, The Sarah Silverman Program, Halfway Home, and the annual "Roast" special.[49] PTC has used their criticisms against Comedy Central for their support of the Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007, which would allow American cable TV subscribers to choose which channels they subscribe to,[50] and to persuade advertisers to stop advertising on the channel.[51] PTC founder and former president L. Brent Bozell III has called the channel unfunny, claiming the channel has managed "to reach the top of its field in spite of – or, better put, because of – the network's sheer lack of comedic talent" by its "extensive reliance on shocking or disgusting humor".[52] The channel has also received criticism from certain parents[53] for airing advertisements for "Girls Gone Wild". The channel also airs the least cut version of the popular film Not Another Teen Movie, as well as uncut versions of films such as Coming to America, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

On November 5, 2007, an open letter[54] was written by VideoSift to protest publicly the blocking of Comedy Central's embedded video content for non U.S. based viewers.

On April 21, 2010, Comedy Central censored the South Park episode, "201", in response to a death threat issued by users of a radical Muslim website over the episode's planned depiction of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, which led several newspaper columnists to condemn the network's actions as tantamount to abetting terrorism. Since then, as a result, neither "201" nor the episode that preceded it have been aired.

References

  1. ^ "FAQ". Comedy Central. Archived from the original on March 14, 2008. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of MTV Networks.
  2. ^ Adam Benzine (2010-07-29). "Comedy Central heads to Israel". C21 Media.
  3. ^ www.comedycentral.la
  4. ^ http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=5&article=63697
  5. ^ latimes.com Cable Comedy--Will HBO Have the Last Laugh? Television: The 24-hour Comedy Channel premieres tonight, but Viacom has plans to launch its own comedy channel, HA!, in the spring.
  6. ^ (Name change to Comedy Central within a month of launch due to a lawsuit with CTV in Canada)[1]
  7. ^ "Viacom buys Comedy Central". CNN.com. Reuters. 2003-04-22. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
  8. ^ http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4002:b66558.2.1
  9. ^ Carter, Bill. MEDIA: BROADCASTING; Comedy Central makes the most of an irreverent, and profitable, new cartoon hit (Part 2 of 2). The New York Times: Nov. 10, 1997.
  10. ^ comedycentral.com Press Central - Comedy Central Records
  11. ^ "Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Hugh Hefner". Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  12. ^ Official site
  13. ^ Comedy Central Roast of Jeff Foxworthy
  14. ^ Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson
  15. ^ Roast of Shatner
  16. ^ Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav official site
  17. ^ Official site
  18. ^ Official site
  19. ^ Official site
  20. ^ Comedy Central to air Chappelle remainders - MSNBC - Dec. 12, 2005
  21. ^ Newsvine - 'South Park' Creators Skewer Own Network
  22. ^ Tzortzis, Andreas (2007-02-18). "Comedy Central plays to a German sense of humor". iht.com. International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2007-08-03. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  23. ^ Dutch launch for Comedy Central
  24. ^ http://www.broadcastclub.co.uk/sateuropa_forum/upload/viewtopic.php?pid=318
  25. ^ CTV Strikes Multi-Platform Content Deal With Comedy Central, CTV press release, June 27, 2007
  26. ^ tvsquad.com Comedy Central picks up Lewis Black's show
  27. ^ Jones, K.C. (2008-01-09). "Free MTV And Comedy Central Online". Information Week. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  28. ^ Eggerton, John (2007-01-24). "Landsman Gets VP Stripes at Comedy Central". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2007-01-27. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  29. ^ "Announcement regarding new DVB-T channels going live in Sweden on April 1, 2008". Retrieved 2008-03-27.
  30. ^ zap2it.com Comedy Central Resurrects 'The Gong Show'
  31. ^ multichannel.com Comedians Square Off In ‘Reality Bites Back’ Series - Comedy Central’s First Unscripted Competition Series Mocks Reality Genre
  32. ^ "Stewart stamp on 'Martin'". Hollywoodreporter.com. 2007-10-03. Retrieved 2009-02-16. [dead link]
  33. ^ TV Week April 7, 2009 Comedy Central Commits to Stand-Up Specials
  34. ^ "Comedy Central Orders Animated Show, Gets Righteous". The Live Feed. May 14, 2009.
  35. ^ latimes.com New life for 'Goode Family' - Canceled last season by ABC, the series is getting another chance to catch on, this time via Comedy Central.
  36. ^ gawker.com Reno 911! Cancelled By Comedy Central
  37. ^ movieweb.com Futurama Finally Returns with Brand New Episodes in June!
  38. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/201_(South_Park)#cite_note-NYT_Arts_Blog-2
  39. ^ http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/12/comedy_central_unveils_serious.html
  40. ^ http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/460888-Comedy_Central_Flips_With_New_Logo.php
  41. ^ http://www.thelabnyc.com/blog/article/thelab-wins-awards
  42. ^ "Comedy Central Developing Weekly Sports Pilot with Norm Macdonald". Broadcasting & Cable. September 21, 2010. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
  43. ^ "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald Official Site". Comedy Central. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
  44. ^ a b c d Multichannel News January 13, 2009 Comedy Central Launches HDTV Network - New Service Available on Cablevision Systems with Cox, DirecTV to Come
  45. ^ TV Week April 10, 2009 Dish Network Adds BET, MTV Channels in HD
  46. ^ Multichannel News December 17, 2009 'Daily Show,' 'Colbert Report' To Ring In 2010 In HD - Comedy Central Series Will Be Delivered In HD, Beginning Jan. 4
  47. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2005-12-22). "Comedy Central's War on Christmas". CNS News. Creators Syndicate. Archived from the original on 2008-02-01. Retrieved 2007-08-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  48. ^ "Comedy Central Shows God in One-Night Stand" (Press release). Parents Television Council. 2007-03-09. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
  49. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2006-08-24). "Roasting the Final Frontier". MRC.org. Creators Syndicate. Retrieved 2007-08-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  50. ^ Isett, Dan (2007-06-14). "Remarks Presented by Dan Isett of the PTC at the News Conference Regarding the "Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007"". Parents Television Council. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-08-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  51. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2005-09-06). "Letter to Advertisers Concerning their Sponsorship of the August 16th Roast of Pamela Anderson on Comedy Central". Parents Television Council. Retrieved 2007-08-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  52. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2006-03-24). "The Arrested Adolescent's Channel". CNS News. Creators Syndicate. Archived from the original on 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2007-08-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  53. ^ Parents Television Council - Letters to the Editor - Offensive Ads
  54. ^ VideoSifts open letter to Comedy Central and Viacom

http://www.tv.com/a-new-futurama-teaser-is-out-but-will-the-show-be-as-good/story/22087.html?tag=news_list;title;0 Retrieved 4/02/10