Cox To Carry Laff Diginet In Seven Markets

Cox Media Group will carry Katz Broadcasting’s Laff — the country’s first-ever, over-the-air broadcast television network devoted to comedy — on its stations in Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Charlotte and Dayton when the network debuts on April 15, it was announced today.

Laff will be carried by Cox Media Group stations WSB Atlanta (on ch. 2.3), WFXT Boston (25.3), KIRO Seattle (7.3), WFTV Orlando (9.3), WPXI Pittsburgh (11.3), WSOC Charlotte, N.C., (9.2) and WHIO Dayton, Ohio (7.3)

“Laff will be an ideal companion network for our Cox Media Group TV stations in these markets, providing our viewers with unique programming not found on any other network,” commented Jane Williams, EVP of television, Cox Media Group.

Today’s announcement is Laff’s third major distribution agreement: The ABC Owned Television Stations will carry Laff in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh and Fresno, while the E.W. Scripps Co. 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.

Laff is also building its programming line-up, having recently landed the broadcast television rights to more than 800 episodes of a variety of sitcoms. In the three individual, multi-year licensing agreements, Laff acquired 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) — and Grace Under Fire (112 episodes) starring Brett Butler from Carsey-Werner.

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 television stations and corresponding cable carriage while companion digital content will be available at Laff.com and via the Laff app.

Laff joins Grit, a broadcast network targeting men, and Escape, designed for women, in the Katz Broadcasting portfolio.