Owned by Bell Media, the Comedy Network is a Canadian English language specialty channel. The network airs a variety of programs including films, stand up comedy, television series, and more. The Comedy Network operates within the Eastern and Pacific Time Zone Schedules.
The Comedy Network was founded in September of 1996 when Ontario Inc. was given a television broadcasting license by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The Comedy Network was officially born when the channel first launched on October 17,1997. The network was birthed with the slogan, “Time Well Wasted” and continued with the slogan until November 1, 2011.
Extremely similar to America's Comedy Central, the Comedy Network has maintained a relationship with Comedy Central throughout the years. In 2007, a deal was implemented in which the Comedy Network gained exclusive rights to the entire Comedy Central library of past and present programs.
The Comedy Network has created many original shows that have developed large, cult like followings. Some of these shows include, “Puppets Who Kill”, “Odd Job Jack”, and “Kevin Spencer”. Many of these shows have been extremely successful, even winning the Canadian Comedy Awards. In addition, shows on the parent network, CTV, including “Corner Gas's”, have won six Gemini Award wins, seven Leo Award Wins, and even an International Emmy nomination.
A few of the network's current television shows include: “The Ben Show”, “The Benson Interruption”, “Brody Stevens: Enjoy it!”, “The Burn with Jeff Ross”, “Comedy Central Presents”, “Drawn Together”, “The Half Hour”, “Hiccups”, “Important Things with Demetri Martin”, “Inside Amy Schumer”, “John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show”, “Jon Benjamin Has a Van”, “The Late O'Clock News”, “Live at Gotham”, “Mash Up”, “Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy”, “Reno 911!”, and “The Sarah Silverman Program”.
