Claim: Seinfeld used to be a television program.

A situation comedy , or sitcom , is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who carry over from episode to episode . Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy , where a troupe may use new characters in each sketch , and stand-up comedy , where a comedian tells jokes and stories to an audience . Sitcoms originated in radio , but today are found mostly on television as one of its dominant narrative forms . This form can also include mockumentaries .   A situation comedy television program may be recorded in front of a studio audience , depending on the program 's production format . The effect of a live studio audience can be imitated or enhanced by the use of a laugh track .