Comedy Central Strikes MotherLoad

Comedy Central will launch its first broadband service, MotherLoad (www.comedycentral.com/motherload), Nov. 1.

Motherload, whose launch is being sponsored by Verizon, will consist of five channels streaming exclusive content and clips from off-Comedy Central shows including TV Funhouse, Strangers with Candy, and Viva Variety, as well as short films, cartoon and TV listings.

"Comedy today does not just live as a 22-minute television show," said Lou Wallach, senior VP, original programming and development, in a statement. "We've developed and produced programming exclusively for this digital platform and are looking forward to premiering original content on 'MotherLoad'."

Also available will be sneak previews, behind-the-scenes material, and made-for-MotherLoad series I Love the Thirties, Odd Todd, Shadow Rock, and Meet the Creeps.

On the drawing board are movie reviews, a sketch comedy series and more animation.

MotherLoad will be hosted by Greg Giraldo (of comedy Central's Friday Night with Greg Giraldo), who will provide topical intros to the clips and shows.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.