Comedy.tv
| Entertainment Studios Networks | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | May 2009 |
| Owned by | Entertainment Studios |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Language | American English |
| Broadcast area | United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California |
| Website | |
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Availability
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| Satellite | |
| DirecTV |
|
| Cable | |
| Verizon FiOS |
|
| Sky Angel |
|
| AT&T U-verse |
|
| Streaming media | |
| Digital media receiver | |
Entertainment Studios Networks is a group of seven high definition cable networks operated by Entertainment Studios Inc. The networks were launched in May 2009 through a deal with Verizon FIOS and have since expanded to Sky Angel and the Roku streaming player. and Boxee The six networks include ES.TV, Cars.TV, Pets.TV, MyDestination.TV, Recipe.TV, Comedy.TV, and Justice Central (carried on AT&T U-verse and Verizon FIOS). All the shows appearing on the networks are produced and distributed exclusively by Entertainment Studios.
The suite of networks and their carriage on cable and satellite systems have been controversial for several reasons, including that most of the programs seen on the networks are also distributed by Entertainment Studios in broadcast syndication on over-the-air stations, and provide little value for the provider or the consumer (most Entertainment Studios programs over-the-air are mainly carried in non-prime timeslots by its stations). Another issue is the means of how Entertainment Studios has asked for carriage, mainly through civil rights lawsuits alleging that providers have not pushed enough to add minority-owned networks to their lineups, and asking for carriage through those means.
On December 3, 2014 a $10 million racial discrimination lawsuit was filed against AT&T and DirecTV by the National Association of African American Owned Media (NAAAOM) for allegedly violating the Civil Rights Act of 1866. NAAAOM is headed by Entertainment Studios Vice-President Mark DeVitre. The lawsuit claimed that Entertainment Studio Networks were denied carriage by the two providers on racial concerns. In December 2015, AT&T and DirecTV (by then part of AT&T) reached a settlement with Entertainment Studios to carry the networks, with Comedy and Justice Central carried on DirecTV, and Comedy, Recipe, ES, MyDestination, Cars and Pets added to U-verse, along with Justice Central's existing carriage. The same type of lawsuit, this time for $10 billion, was filed against Charter on January 28, 2016, which seeks carriage as part of Charter's merger with Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks into the front-facing Spectrum brand.
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