Comedy Central Acquires Off-Net Rights to 'Community'

Greendale Community College's most famous study group will have a new member beginning in 2013 (and it's not Beetlejuice) as COMEDY CENTRAL has reached a multi-year deal with Sony Picture Television to license the critically-acclaimed comedy series "Community," it was announced today by David Bernath, Executive Vice President, Program Strategy & Multiplatform Programming/Dean of Students for COMEDY CENTRAL and [Sony Pictures Television].  The all-comedy channel will launch the series with three seasons beginning in the fall of 2013.

"Within the chaos of the current media landscape we are fortunate that we live in a timeline where 'Community' comes to COMEDY CENTRAL," said Bernath.  "Our staff is celebrating with a game of paintball in the offices today."

"Community is a perfect fit for the COMEDY CENTRAL audience," added John Weiser, president, US distribution for Sony Pictures Television.

Currently in its third season on NBC, "Community" stars Joel McHale as a fast-talking lawyer whose degree has been revoked and who now attends Greendale Community College sitting at the center of a study group comprised of a band of misfits who, adventure-by-adventure, learn more about themselves than their course work.

Also among the series stars who comprise the study group are comedy legend Chevy Chase as "Pierce," a man whose life experience has brought him infinite wisdom; Gillian Jacobs as "Britta," the 20-something dropout with something to prove; Yvette Nicole Brown as "Shirley," a sassy middle-aged divorcee; Danny Pudi as "Abed," a pop culture junkie; Alison Brie as "Annie," a high-strung perfectionist; Donald Glover as "Troy," a former high school football star trying to find his way; Jim Rash as "Dean Pelton," the Dean of Greendale Community College; and Ken Jeong as Senor Chang.

"Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap, Russo Brothers, Universal Media Studios production, in association with Sony Pictures Television.  Russ Krasnoff, Dan Harmon, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Garrett Donovan, Neil Goldman and Gary Foster serve as executive producers.

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers, producing and distributing programming worldwide in every genre including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment, and for every platform:   broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution.  Internationally, SPT produces 6,000+ hours of programming annually in over 70 countries. SPT is a leader in local language productions, and sells SPE-owned formats around the world.  SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy in SPE's long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 119 channel feeds, which are available in 161 countries reaching more than 715 million households worldwide.  Additionally, SPT owns multiplatform premium video service, Crackle, 2waytraffic, Embassy Row, Sony Movie Channel, and is a part owner of cable channel GSN,  3D channel 3net, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. 

Available in 99 million homes nationwide, COMEDY CENTRAL (www.comedycentral.com), the only all-comedy network, is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIAB).  For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press web site at www.comedycentral.com/press and follow us on Twitter @ComedyCentralPR for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.