With cable upfront presentations continuing this month, Media Life will carry a series of network profiles with information important to media buyers and planners heading into negotiations. This is the 19th in the series. Previous articles can be found in the Cable Department.
Think of Comedy Central in this hot election season and one thinks of the “Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report,” the two faux news shows that to many define the network, as classic sketch comedy with an edge.
Comedy Central is certainly that, but it's also the network of “Sarah Silverman” and “South Park” and, more and more, just about anything that will raise a laugh.
Heading into the upfront market, the fast-growing No. 4 network in 18-34s is broadening its focus to include scripted series and repeats of network comedies like “Futurama,” which premiered in January, but also game shows, reality shows and theatrical movies.
It's a low-risk strategy. If the shows hit, great. If not, it's on to something else. The network's growth insulates it from any lasting effects of new shows that do bomb, unlike the broadcast networks.
“We’re always experimenting but our goal is always the same: In order to get a pilot on or into development it has to be really funny and it has to have a different point of view. So whether that’s in scripted, sketch or standup doesn’t matter,” says Michele Ganeless, president of Comedy Central.
It's a strategy that makes sense to media buyers.
“When you think of Comedy Central, you think ‘South Park,’ ‘Jon Stewart’ and ‘Colbert,’ which is good but that’s only going to be successful for a certain amount of time,” says Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate research director at Horizon Media. “So why not expand to see what else works?”
The network’s identity
Comedy is a pretty clear-cut brand as a network for comedies, notably originals like “South Park” and the out-of-production “Chappelle’s Show” and its late-night faux news shows. With comedy as its genre, it has vast latitude in which it can expand without blurring the brand.
The network’s target audience
Comedy zeroes in on young men with its cable network and increasingly its web sites, like Comedycentral.com and Atom.com, a site launching this summer for original online programs.
The network’s ratings
Comedy ranked No. 6 in 18-49s in primetime in first quarter, up 10 percent over the year-earlier period, and No. 4 in 18-34s, up 19 percent.
Comedy may be getting a boost from the drawn-out presidential campaigns and could be at risk of losing some viewers on “Daily” and “Colbert” when President Bush, who’s often the butt of their jokes, leaves office in January.
Fortunately for Comedy, it’s also doing well with sketch shows like “Silverman,” its second-most-popular show after “South Park.”
The network’s competitive set
Comedy competes with networks that do well with young adults, including TBS, FX, ESPN, Nick at Nite and its sister networks, MTV and VH1.
What’s new for 2008/09
Comedy is rolling out a slew of new shows, some along the lines of sketch shows already on the air but notably others in relatively new genres for the network.
Among its upcoming scripted series are medieval comedy “Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword on Fire” and “Speed Freaks,” about two guys running from a hit man.
The sketch comedy “Important Things with Demetri Martin” premieres this fall while “Gong Show with Dave Attell” and the reality show spoof “Reality Bites Back” debut this summer.
Shows in development include newsmagazine spoof “David Alan Grier’s Chocolate News” and the animated “Gay Robot.”
Comedy will also be airing more theatrical movies than it has in the past, including “40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Borat.”
The network’s upfront outlook
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being excellent: 4.5
Comedy’s standing as a top-rated network among young adults, coupled with its fast growth, positions it to do well in the upfront. The network also has multiple internet sites, something media buyers also like.
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A LOOK AT COMEDY CENTRAL
Launched in 1991 |
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Parent Company |
MTV Networks |
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No. of subscribers |
95 million |
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Median viewer age |
29 years old |
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Average primetime viewers |
1,126,000 |
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Average total-day viewers |
629,000 |
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Avg. primetime 18-49 viewers |
722,000 |
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Avg. total-day 18-49 viewers |
522,000 |
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Target audience |
Adults 18-49, Men 18-24, Men 18-34 |
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Main Competitors |
Comedy competes with networks that do well among young adults, particularly men, including TBS, sister networks MTV and VH1, USA, ESPN and Nick at Nite. |
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Upfront presentation |
May 8 in New York |
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Source: Nielsen Media Research, 1st Qtr. 2008 |
Links to past upfront stories
History
TBS
TNT
A&E
Nick at Nite
Discovery
Animal Planet
Food Network
Spike
Lifetime
USA
G4
HGTV
DIY
Hallmark
truTV
FX
AMC
