Comedy Central Bags 30 Rock Rights

NEW YORK: Comedy Central has picked up the off-net rights to NBC’s Emmy Award-winning 30 Rock for launch in 2011.

The multi-year deal with NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution covers five seasons of Tiny Fey’s acclaimed comedy series. "Pound-for-pound, 30 Rock is one of the funniest shows on television and a perfect DNA match for our viewers,” said David Bernath, the senior VP of program strategy and multiplatform programming at the MTV Networks-owned cable network. “This is a tremendous acquisition for Comedy Central and we can’t wait for Tina, Alec, Tracy and the rest of the gang to join our line-up in 2011.”

Frances Manfredi, the executive VP and general sales manager of cable and non-theatrical sales for NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, added: “This sitcom fits the Comedy Central brand perfectly and I applaud the network’s vision and ability to recognize 30 Rock is a comedy still on the rise. We believe 30 Rock will thrive in the Comedy Central environment.”

The show enters its fourth season on NBC this fall, starring Fey as variety show producer Liz Lemon, Alec Baldwin as network executive Jack Donaghy and Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan, the star of the fictional late-night show TGS with Tracy Jordan. The series picked up the Emmy for outstanding comedy series two years in a row and has won a host of other accolades, including Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Writers Guild awards and Producers Guild awards. It is produced by Broadway Video and Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios.