UK commercial terrestrial broadcaster, Channel 4, has confirmed plans to launch a viewer-programmed broadband TV comedy channel, called 4Laughs. The channel, which is a joint project between the broadcaster's New Media and Entertainment departments, and which is scheduled to launch next spring, will allow aspiring comedians to upload video skits and stand-up performances of up to 10 minutes in length, so that they can be viewed on-demand and rated by fellow viewers. Channel 4 says that it is currently mulling a number of ways to develop the channel further, including tapping existing Channel 4 comedy talent to create exclusive original content for it, or licensing short-form comedy programming from third parties. The broadcaster says that it is also considering the possibility of introducing a way to monitor user ratings, so that the creators of the highest-rated videos can be commissioned to create additional programming for the channel. The new channel is similar to an existing Channel 4 broadband TV service, called FourDocs, that allows aspiring documentary film makers to upload short-form documentaries for review by and feedback from the broadcaster's commissioning editors. "The success of FourDocs convinced us that an appetite exists for quality Web sites populated with user-generated content, and we wanted to extend this idea further," Andy Gumbridge, managing editor of Channel 4 New Media, said in a prepared statement. "Comedy is the perfect genre for user-generated content and Channel 4's fantastic pedigree in comedy gives us genuine credibility to showcase other people's talent. Ultimately we hope that 4Laughs will become a trusted and valued entertainment site which users can visit confident they'll be able to find high-quality, unique comedy clips."
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