Canadian comedians not laughing at Canadian radio takeover from U.S.

Canadian comedians are angry at a takeover of the “Canada Laughs” channel which was carried on Sirius XM satellite radio.

The channel had been carrying exclusive Canadian content since it began in 2005, but has recently entered into a partnership with Just for Laughs, an operation now owned by a U.S talent agency and Canadian comedian Howie Mandel who makes his living in the U.S.

Canada Laughs channel becomes Just for Laughs channel

The Canadian Association of Stand-up Comedians says a great many Canadian comedians depended on the channel both for exposure and for the important royalty cheques.

They note the new format of the channel plays American comedians, international comedians, decades-old comedy, and material owned by the Just for Laughs operation from their many festivals and events.

Read the full article by Marc Montgomery on Radio Canada International