| Broadcast area | Canada, United States |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Sirius XM 168 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Canadian stand-up comedy |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Sirius XM Canada |
| History | |
First air date | November 17, 2005 |
| Technical information | |
| Class | satellite radio station |
| Links | |
| Website | Canada Laughs |
Just for Laughs Radio is a Sirius XM Radio channel featuring uncensored comedy from Canada. It was created in November 2005 as a result of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) regulations for Canadian content on the XM Radio Canada platform,[1] originally as Laugh Attack until 2013 and then as Canada Laughs from 2013 to 2019.[2]
In conjunction with the Just for Laughs comedy festival, the channel was rebranded as Just for Laughs Radio on February 25, 2019 and will broadcast content from Just for Laugh events as well as independent content by Canadian comics.
History
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As Canada Laughs, the channel featured uncensored Canadian stand-up and sketch comedy.
This channel, The Verge, Radio Parallèle, and/or ATN-Asian Radio were sometimes preempted by XM Radio Canada in order to air extra NHL play-by-play on channels 235 - 239.
Laugh Attack was not added to Sirius after the Sirius/XM merger in 2008, as the Canadian Sirius and XM affiliates did not merge until 2011.[3]
Laugh Attack was renamed Canada Laughs and made available on SIRIUS and XM in May 2013.[2]
Rebranding as Just for Laughs
In February 2019, SiriusXM announced a branding deal with the Just for Laughs comedy festival, which would see the channel rebranded as Just for Laughs Radio, and the programming extended to include archival comedy performances from the Just for Laughs library.[4] The rebranding was heavily criticized by Canadian comedians, because the use of archival material — which would be open to international comedians as well — would vastly reduce the amount of broadcast time available to Canadian comedians.[5] Many comedians, in fact, noted that their royalties from Canada Laughs airplay were their single largest and most reliable comedy-related income source.[6]
On February 27, Just for Laughs announced a partial retreat, under which the station will retain the Just for Laughs branding but the 100 per cent Canadian content rule will be restored. They also modified the new name of the station to Just for Laughs Canada.[7]
References
- ^ "Everything from hockey talk to hip-hop on XM radio". Waterloo Region Record, November 17, 2005.
- ^ a b "SiriusXM Canada spruces up its Canadian line-up". Canada NewsWire, May 6, 2013.
- ^ "XM, Sirius move closer to merger in Canada". The Globe and Mail, February 17, 2011.
- ^ "Edmonton comedians cancel show to protest ‘Just For Laughs’ radio channel". Global News, February 27, 2019.
- ^ "Vancouver comic says comedians to lose major source of income over changes to Canada Laughs". CBC News British Columbia, February 27, 2019.
- ^ "Howie Mandel and SiriusXM Canada's new partnership could seriously endanger Canadian comics". The A.V. Club, February 25, 2019.
- ^ "Just For Laughs retreats, vows radio channel will stay 100 per cent Canadian". Toronto Star, February 27, 2019.