Laff (TV network): Difference between revisions

{{Infobox broadcastingtelevision networkchannel

| name = Laff

| logo = [[File:LAFF logo.png|200px]]

| type = [[Digital subchannel|Digital multicast]] [[television network]] ([[Comedy]])

| country = [[United States]]

| founded = {{Start date and age|2015|1|18}}

| founder = Jonathan Katz

| headquarters = [[Atlanta, Georgia]]

| parent owner = [[Katz Broadcasting|Katz Broadcasting, LLC]]<br>([[E. W. Scripps Company]])

| key_people = {{ubl|Jonathan Katz|(president/[[chief executive officer|CEO]],|Katz Broadcasting)}}

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2015|4|15}}

'''Laff''' (legal name: '''Laff Media, [[Limited liability company|LLC]]''') is an American [[digital subchannel|digital multicast]] [[television network]] headquartered in [[Atlanta, Georgia]] and is owned by the [[KatzScripps BroadcastingNetworks]] subsidiary of the [[E. W. Scripps Company]]. The network specializes in [[comedy]] programming, featuring mainly [[sitcom]]s from the 1990s through the 2000s2020s.<ref name=ct/>

Laff's launch was announced by [[Katz Broadcasting]] in January 2015 as having a scheduled launch date of {{dts|2015|04|15}}, coinciding with [[Tax Day]] in the [[United States]]; the explanation by Katz is that people needed "something to laugh to" on what they deemed one of the most stressful days of the year. The network launched at Noon that day; the first program was the film ''[[My Mom's New Boyfriend]]''.<ref name="bc0">{{cite news |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |date=January 18, 2015 |title=Exclusive: Comedy Multicast Net Launching on ABC, Scripps |periodical=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/exclusive-comedy-multicast-net-launching-abc-scripps/137199|author=Jon Lafayette|periodicalaccess-date=[[BroadcastingJanuary &28, Cable]]|publisher=[[NewBay2015 Media]]|archive-date=January 1821, 2015 |accessarchive-dateurl=Januaryhttps://web.archive.org/web/20150121000314/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/exclusive-comedy-multicast-net-launching-abc-scripps/137199 28,|url-status=live 2015}}</ref>

Katz announced that television stations owned by [[ABC Owned Television Stations]] and 13 [[E. W. Scripps Company]] would serve as the network's charter affiliates; the former serving as a replacement for the standard definition feed of the [[Localish|Live Well Network]], which with Laff's announcement also began to roll-back to only being carried by ABCOTS stations.<ref name="ABCSticksLWN">{{cite news|last1=Littleton|first1=Cynthia|title=ABC Sticks with Live Well Digital Channel, Adds Comedy Net|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/abc-sticks-with-live-well-digital-channel-adds-comedy-net-1201408301/|access-date=January 28, 2015|work=Variety|date=January 18, 2015|archive-date=January 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122225649/http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/abc-sticks-with-live-well-digital-channel-adds-comedy-net-1201408301/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=bn>{{cite news|last1=Pergament|first1=Alan|title=Ch.7 to add comedy network called LAFF in mid-April on sub-channel|url=http://talkintv.buffalonews.com/2015/01/20/ch-7-add-comedy-network-called-Laff-Mid-April-sub-channel/|access-date=January 28, 2015|work=Talkin' TV|publisher=Buffalo News|date=January 20, 2015|archive-date=January 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150125003127/http://talkintv.buffalonews.com/2015/01/20/ch-7-add-comedy-network-called-laff-mid-april-sub-channel/|url-status=dead}}</ref> On March 13, 2015, Katz Broadcasting announced an affiliation deal with the [[Cox Media Group]] to carry Laff on the subchannels of seven of its stations expanding its initial reach to 47% of the country.<ref name="BC03132015">{{cite web |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |date=March 13, 2015 |title=Cox Gets Joke And Gives Viewers LAFF |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/exclusive-cox-gets-joke-and-gives-viewers-laff/138771|author=Jon Lafayette|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable |publisheraccess-date=NewBayMarch 14, 2015 Media|archive-date=March 1315, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315072602/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/exclusive-cox-gets-joke-and-gives-viewers-laff/138771 |url-status=live }}</ref> The following week on March 20, as part of a multi-network affiliation agreement with Katz, the [[Meredith Corporation]] announced that it would carry the network on two of its stations.<ref name=TVNewsCheck03202015>{{cite news|title=Meredith To Add Three Katz Diginets|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/83908/Meredith-to-add-three-katz-diginets|website=TVNewsCheck|publisherdate=NewsCheckMarch Media20, 2015|access-date=MarchNovember 2024, 2020|archive-date=May 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525012629/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/83908/meredith-to-add-three-katz-diginets|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Jon Lafayette">{{cite news|title=Meredith To Carry Grit, Escape, LAFF Networks|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/meredith-carry-grit-escape-laff-networks/138986|author=Jon Lafayette|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=NewBay Media|date=March 20, 2015|access-date=April 14, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402102540/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/meredith-carry-grit-escape-laff-networks/138986|url-status=live}}</ref>

On February 13, 2015, Laff acquired the [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] rights to five sitcoms.<ref name=tnc0>{{cite news|title=LAFF Comedy Diginet Lands Five Sitcoms|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/82990/laff-comedy-diginet-lands-five-sitcoms|website=TVNewsCheck|publisherdate=NewsCheckFebruary Media13, 2015|access-date=February 1316, 2015|archive-date=February 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216154641/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/82990/laff-comedy-diginet-lands-five-sitcoms|url-status=live}}</ref> Laff followed that deal for film licensing with [[Disney–ABC Domestic Television]], [[Miramax]], and [[Sony Pictures Television]] by March 17.<ref name=bc1>{{cite news|title=LAFF Makes Rights Deals to Air 250 Movie Comedies|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/laff-makes-rights-deals-air-250-movie-comedies/138853|author=Jon Lafayette|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|date=March 17, 2015|access-date=April 14, 2015|archive-date=April 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416135329/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/laff-makes-rights-deals-air-250-movie-comedies/138853|url-status=live}}</ref> Laff made a multi-year deal for five sitcoms with [[The Carsey-Werner Company|Carsey-Werner Productions]] in April 2016.<ref name="bc4">{{cite news |last1=Lafayette |first1=Jon |title=LAFF Grabs Top Sitcoms in Carsey-Werner Deal |url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/laff-grabs-top-sitcoms-Carsey-Werner-deal-155312 |access-date=September 7, 2018 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |date=April 7, 2016 |language=en-us |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907183214/https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/laff-grabs-top-sitcoms-carsey-werner-deal-155312 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Roseanne]]'' reruns were removed on May 29, 2018, after ABC removed [[Roseanne Barr]] was fired from the show by ABC (which then continued on as ''[[The Conners]]''); both decisions were based on [[Roseanne Barr#Valerie Jarrett tweetstweet and Roseanne cancellation|a Roseanne Barr tweet considered racist]].<ref name="dl0">{{cite news |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |title='Roseanne' Dropped From Laff Schedule; "Disgusted" By Barr's Racist Comments |url=https://deadline.com/2018/05/Roseanneroseanne-dropped-laff-schedule-Roseanneroseanne-Barrbarr-comments-1202399508/ |access-date=June 22, 2018 |work=Deadline |date=29 May 2018 |archive-date=22 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622220346/https://deadline.com/2018/05/roseanne-dropped-laff-schedule-roseanne-barr-comments-1202399508/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

A list of 2019 [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen]] ratings published by ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' indicated that Laff averaged 223,000 viewers in prime time, down 5% from the 2018 average.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schneider |first1=Michael |title=Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2019's Winners and Losers |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/network-ratings-top-channels-Fox-News-ESPN-CNN-CBS-NBC-ABC-1203440870/ |access-date=March 6, 2020 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=26 Dec 2019 |archive-date=6 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106110035/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/network-ratings-top-channels-fox-news-espn-cnn-cbs-nbc-abc-1203440870/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The network moved off [[ABC Owned Television Stations]] at the beginning of 2021, in favor of new carriage on Scripps's recently- acquired [[Ion Media]] stations in place of the now-defunct [[Qubo]], [[Ion Plus]] and Ion Shop networks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Balderston |first=Michael |date=2021-01-14 |title=Scripps Moving Multicast Networks onto Ion TV Stations |url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/scripps-moving-multicast-networks-onto-ion-tv-stations |website=TVTechnology |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114110509/https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/scripps-moving-multicast-networks-onto-ion-tv-stations |archive-date= Jan 14, 2024 }}</ref>

Laff provides comedy programming to owned-and-operated and affiliated stations every day from 6:00&nbsp;a.m. to 3:00&nbsp;a.m. Eastern Time, with paid programming filling the remaining vacated hours. Laff's schedule mainly consists of 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2000s2020s [[broadcast syndication|off-network]] sitcoms.<ref name="ct">{{cite news |last=Channick |first=Robert |date=January 19, 2015 |title=Laff comedy network to launch on WLS-Ch.7 digital subchannel |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/ct-laff-digital-network-wls-0120-biz-20150119-story.html|author=Robert Channick|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|publisher=[[Tribune Publishing]]|access-date=January 1928, 2015 |accessarchive-date=January 2827, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150127120130/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/ct-laff-digital-network-wls-0120-biz-20150119-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ABCSticksLWN"/> On September 1, 2021, [[Nexstar Media Group|Nexstar]] launched a direct competitor to Laff, [[Rewind TV]], and the latter network replaced Laff on Nexstar stations (or will in the upcoming months if not immediately possible due to contractual obligations).

===TelevisionCurrent seriesprogramming===

*''[[According to Jim]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/laff-to-launch-according-to-jim-in-access|title=Laff to Launch 'According to Jim' in Access|last=Albiniak|first=Paige|website=Broadcasting & Cable|date=March 1, 2019|publisher=Next TV|language=en-us|access-date=2019-04-18|archive-date=2019-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418194834/https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/laff-to-launch-according-to-jim-in-access|url-status=live}}</ref>

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