NEW YORK, January 13, 2009 -- It's true. Comedy is funnier in high definition and COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, is scheduled to launch COMEDY CENTRAL HD beginning today on Cablevision* and on Cox and DirecTV later this month, with more launches anticipated throughout 2009, it was announced today by Michele Ganeless, president, COMEDY CENTRAL. (*note: the launch on Cablevision will occur over a three-day period)

"COMEDY CENTRAL's viewers are some of the earliest adopters of new technology and when they are not consuming content on the go, either online or on their phones, many of them are sitting in front of a high definition television, making programming decisions based on what's on in their high def tier," said Ganeless.

COMEDY CENTRAL HD will offer close to 200 hours of programming in native high definition, including almost 30 past episodes of the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning "South Park," the first two seasons of the Emmy®-nominated "The Sarah Silverman Program" and countless hours of stand-up, including the most recent season of the channel's "COMEDY CENTRAL Presents" series, and a number of original and acquired stand-up specials, as well as acquired films. In addition, upcoming new seasons of network stalwarts "South Park" (season 13, premiering March 11) and "RENO 911!" (season 6, premiering April 1) and the series premiere of the epic series, "Kröd Mändoon and The Flaming Sword of Fire" (series premiere April 9) will be presented in native high definition.

The Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning network mainstays, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report," will initially be upconverted for COMEDY CENTRAL HD but will be broadcast in native high definition sometime in the future.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, is scheduled to launch COMEDY CENTRAL HD beginning today on Cablevision* and on Cox and DirecTV later this month, with more launches anticipated throughout 2009