24/7 Comedy was a 24-hour live, commercial-free radio format produced by iHeartMedia's Premiere Networks in the United States and by Bell Media in Canada. It showcased the stand-up comedy routines of established and emerging comedians in a rapid-fire presentation style and was programmed by an array of comedians and comedy experts. The network targeted a 18-54 demographic range. It remains available through the iHeartRadio app in a more automated form, and in Canada through IHeart's Bell Media-managed presences.
It was first conceived in April 2008 by Bill Bungeroth, who had his partner George Gimarc design the format. 24/7 Comedy's debut on air was September 27, 2010 in Riverside, California, on KFNY,24/7 Comedy Radio Debuts On KFNY-A/Riverside, CA - All Access Music Group and a few weeks later digitally on iHeartRadio on October 22, 2010. Bungeroth's company was purchased by what was then Clear Channel in July 2012.
Short and fast-paced comedic bits are broadcast all day and night, averaging two to four minutes, like music formats. A different comedian would appear weekly as a guest host, often with on the road stories about their routines and featuring their favorite fellow comedians.
Clear Channel started phasing out the format from its stations in early 2014, with it discontinuing over-the-air on August 3, 2014.Today's Comedy To Continue For Terrestrial After 24/7 Comedy Goes Digital-Only. AllAccess. Retrieved July 4, 2014. Non-iHeart-owned stations then transitioned to another network known as "Today's Comedy," which launched concurrently with 24/7 Comedy's closure.
Astral Media introduced the network on AM stations CHAM and CKSL in Hamilton and London, Ontario in 2012 under the Funny brand. They were a rarity among Canadian radio networks in that the majority of their programming originated almost entirely from outside Canada; the long-standing Canadian content requirements do not apply to spoken-word programming. However, the stations did provide limited local inserts (with the Hamilton station retaining one of the personalities from its prior talk radio format as a local host, billed as the station's "Ambassador of Funny"), and later added the late-night show Humble & Fred, produced from sister station CFRB."No kidding: Hamilton radio station CHAM goes all comedy," from The Hamilton Spectator, 8/20/2012
Former affiliate(s)
United States
Callsign Frequency Location WACT 1420 Tuscaloosa, Alabama KBSZ 1260 Phoenix, Arizona KIKO 97.3 Phoenix, Arizona KBFP 800 Bakersfield, California KFNY 1440 Riverside, California KKLF 1700 Richardson, Texas K276FK 103.1 Denver, Colorado K277AG 103.3 Beaumont, Texas WHAL 1460 Columbus, Georgia KXQZ 1270 Twin Falls, Idaho WLRO 1210 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WTGM 960 Salisbury, Maryland WFNL 570 Raleigh, North Carolina KEBC 1560 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma KTHH 990 Albany, Oregon
Notes: ¹ Indicates a Daytimer radio station.
Canada Callsign Frequency Location CFVP² 6030 Calgary, Alberta CHAM 820 Hamilton, Ontario CKMX 1060 Calgary, Alberta CKST 1040 Vancouver, British Columbia CFRW 1290 Winnipeg, Manitoba
Notes: ² Indicates a shortwave station, repeating CKMX Calgary.
References
External links 24/7 Comedy Radio - official site