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LAFF Rolls Out Across Multiple Platforms Today, April 15:
Nation's First Comedy-Driven Broadcast Television Network Licenses Spin City, Launches in NY, LA, Chicago & Other Major Markets;
LAFF.com Goes Live Today;
"LAFF TV" App Now Available for Free in Apple iTunes Store for iPhones,
Google Play Store for Android Devices
ATLANTA (April 15, 2015) - LAFF, the country's first-ever, over-the-air broadcast television network devoted to comedy around-the-clock, launches today, Weds. April 15 and in time for its' debut has licensed the broadcast television rights to all six seasons and 145 episodes of the popular sitcom Spin City from Paramount Worldwide Television Licensing & Distribution, it was announced today.
LAFF becomes the first emerging broadcast network brand to offer distinctive programming across multiple platforms. The linear network is carried on the signals of local broadcast television stations with corresponding cable carriage, while standalone digital content is available at LAFF.com and via the "LAFF TV" app starting today, with the "LAFF TV" app now available for free in the Apple iTunes Store for iPhones and the Google Play Store for Android devices.
"We are committed to making the LAFF television network a popular 24/7 home for great movies and iconic off-network sitcoms and we are thrilled to add Spin City," commented Jonathan Katz, President and CEO of Katz Broadcasting, which owns and operates LAFF. "At the same time, LAFF.com and the LAFF TV apps extend the brand as dedicated digital destinations for comedy lovers, and in many cases the content we curate, acquire and produce for the digital properties will migrate to the linear channel."
Michael J. Fox headlines Spin City, which takes a hilarious look inside the New York City mayor's office. The series also features Heather Locklear, Barry Bostwick, Richard Kind, Alan Ruck and Connie Britton, with Charlie Sheen joining the cast for the series' final two seasons. Spin City was nominated multiple times for the Golden Globe(R) for Best TV Series - Comedy/Musical and Michael J. Fox won three Golden Globe(R) Awards and an Emmy(R) for his portrayal of Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty.
The addition of Spin City brings LAFF's tally to nearly 1000 episodes of popular contemporary sitcoms, including The Drew Carey Show, Night Court, Ellen DeGeneres' first sitcom Ellen, Empty Nest and Grace Under Fire.
LAFF also features such top movies as Jerry Maguire, Splash, Sleepless in Seattle, Steel Magnolias, Punchline, Stir Crazy, Clerks, Flirting With Disaster, This is Spinal Tap, About Last Night, The Fisher King, Old Dogs, St. Elmo's Fire, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Cool Runnings and many others.
Starting today, LAFF is available to half the country -- including in 18 of the top 25 markets - with even more markets to be added shortly. LAFF* is now seen in: New York (WABC-TV), Los Angeles (KABC-TV), Chicago (WLS-TV), Philadelphia (WPVI-TV), San Francisco (KGO-TV), Boston (WFXT-TV), Atlanta (WSB-TV), Houston (KTRK-TV), Phoenix (KNXV-TV), Detroit (WXYZ-TV), Tampa (WFTS-TV), Seattle (KIRO-TV), Denver (KMGH-TV), Orlando (WFTV-TV), Cleveland (WEWS-TV), Pittsburgh (WPXI-TV) Charlotte (WSOC-TV), Raleigh (WTVD-TV), Baltimore (WMAR-TV), Indianapolis (WRTV-TV), San Diego (KGTV-TV), Kansas City (KSHB-TV), Cincinnati (WCPO-TV), West Palm Beach (WPTV-TV), Buffalo (WKBW-TV), Fresno (KFSN-TV), Tulsa (KJRH-TV) and Dayton (WHIO-TV).
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 Broadcasting was established in 2014 by Bounce TV founder/COO and former Turner Broadcasting executive Jonathan Katz. 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.
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*Initial LAFF station group partners: The ABC Owned Television Stations, The E.W. Scripps Company , Cox Media Group
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