Decades Network Transforming Into ‘Catchy Comedy’ Channel on March 27, with Original ‘Night Court,’ More
Decades Network Transforming Into ‘Catchy Comedy’ Channel on March 27, with Original ‘Night Court,’ More
If you like to laugh and save money at the same time, good news! The free broadcast channel Decades Network is undergoing a total rebrand, and will launch as the “Catchy Comedy” channel on Monday, March 27.
Decades Network was launched in 2014 by Wiegel Broadcasting Company. At the time of its introduction, it was a channel dedicated to a historical, day-by-day examination of pop culture, and the TV shows most associated with the time frame being focused on. Now, the network will be more focused on classic comedy series, such as “I Love Lucy” and the original “Night Court.”
“Classic sitcoms and sitcoms with a really good pedigree,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting. “The newly rebranded channel will “embrace the comedy elements of the network that were there before, by just adding a few more sitcoms to the schedule — and to give it a new name so that advertisers, station affiliates and others know that we are fully focused on comedy.”
Cord cutters can currently find Decades Network as a free ad-supported TV (FAST) channel on Philo and Frndly TV, but it could be available on more platforms soon. The channel is not currently measured by ratings, but it will be once it transforms into Catchy Comedy, which will help its parent company bring more advertising dollars in. Philo first picked up Decades Network in June 2022.
“[Allowing the network to be rated] takes it into a different sphere, in terms of advertiser availability and access,” said Sabin. “There are many advertisers that won’t look at these networks unless they’re rated, and we’re pretty confident that we have something here that will rate well.”
Sabin’s confidence may well be justified, especially due to the presence of “Night Court” in the channel’s programming lineup. The show was recently rebooted by NBC, and the new iteration has been a ratings juggernaut for both the linear channel and its on-demand streaming sibling Peacock.
Daytime programming on the Catchy Comedy channel will focus on series featuring female comedy superstars, such as “I Love Lucy,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Rhoda,” “Laverne & Shirley,” and the hour-long full version of “The Carol Burnett Show.” Weekends will offer marathons, giving viewers the chance to binge one or two series for hours on end.
There are no plans to air original content on the network, at least for the time being. But fans of classic comedy shows will be psyched when Decades Network relaunches as Catchy Comedy on March 27.
Philo
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers, offering flexible ways to watch without the high price of traditional TV bundles. The service now features two paid plans — Essential and Bundle+ — alongside its existing free streaming offering, giving customers a range of options depending on how much live and premium content they want.