Company Town

Television: New World Entertainment signed a two-year agreement with “Just for Laughs: The Montreal International Comedy Festival” to develop TV shows featuring comedians from the festival. Creative Artists Agency arranged the deal and plans to package shows developed from the arrangement. The Montreal festival has helped launch the TV careers of comedy stars such as Tim Allen of “Home Improvement” and Brett Butler of “Grace Under Fire.” The deal is part of Chairman Brandon Tartikoff’s plan to make New World a major supplier of comedy shows. Fox Broadcasting, which recently formed a major business alliance with New World, will have first crack at the projects.