The Hub (TV network)
Encyclopedia
The Hub is an American
digital cable
and satellite television
channel that launched on October 10, 2010. The channel, which replaced Discovery Kids
, is a joint venture of Discovery Communications, Inc. and Hasbro
. The Hub airs programming primarily aimed at children ages 6–12, drawing largely on the libraries of both parent companies.
The Hub targets a dual audience, young children in the daytime with original and acquired children's programs, and families at night with reruns of older television sitcoms, dramas and feature films. Veteran television executive Margaret Loesch serves as president and chief executive officer
of The Hub. The channel is available to approximately 60 million subscribers.
In a recent debt filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Discovery Communications indicated that the channel may be worth less than previously believed, based on low viewership figures. The management of the Hub is currently undergoing a fair value analysis of the channel.
acquired a 50% stake in Discovery Kids, with the resulting joint-venture changing the channel's name to The Hub. Discovery will oversee ad sales and distribution, while Hasbro will be responsible for programming. The channel continues to use the Discovery Kids strategy of tagging their educational programming as meeting FCC educational and informational programming guidelines
with an on-screen logo to list it as such on electronic program guide
listings, despite the E/I policy being targeted wholly to broadcast stations, with cable channels completely excluded from E/I regulations.
The channel launched at 10:00 am ET
(9:00 am CT
) on October 10, 2010, taking over the Discovery Kids channel space after a final marathon of Kenny the Shark
. The first program aired on the channel was The Twisted Whiskers Show
.
, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
, Transformers: Prime
, G.I. Joe: Renegades
, In the Night Garden
, Dennis and Gnasher, R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
, Clue
and Hubworld
.
Programming from Hasbro includes cartoons based on My Little Pony
, Transformers
, the Pound Puppies
and Strawberry Shortcake
. Additionally, the network airs Family Game Night
, which features Hasbro's board game
properties adapted into a game show form.
A limited amount of original Discovery Kids programming remains including series such as Endurance
, Adventure Camp
and Scout's Safari
, a contrast to other rebranded Discovery networks as of late which have taken on completely new schedules. In addition the network carries content from the Hasbro-acquired library of Sunbow Productions
programs featuring Hasbro licenses, including The Transformers
and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, though not any cartoons based on Hasbro properties (or forerunner toy companies such as Tonka
that were eventually purchased by Hasbro) made by Hanna-Barbera
or Ruby-Spears Productions
, whose libraries are owned by Time Warner
and air on Cartoon Network
and Boomerang
. Other library content includes Fraggle Rock
, Atomic Betty
, Batman Beyond
and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
.
, Verizon FiOS
, and AT&T U-Verse carried the high-definition
feed versions of the network on their channel lineups. Time Warner Cable
recently added the channel as well.
, Maryoku Yummy and In the Night Garden
. HubBub competes with two preschool program cable channels: Nick Jr.
and PBS Kids Sprout
, and the program block Disney Junior
. It replaced the Ready Set Learn
block when Discovery Kids was relaunched as The Hub.
and CBS Television Distribution
aimed at families and adults. Programs currently airing in this block include Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
, Doogie Howser, M.D.
, Laverne & Shirley
, The Wonder Years
and Happy Days
(the latter three of which had previously run on Nick at Nite
); most of these sitcoms are mainly part of a package which was formerly aired by FamilyNet
in 2008 and 2009 before their December 2009 purchase by another party.
Programming originally produced for The Hub such as Family Game Night
, Discovery Kids produced programming and feature films aimed at family audiences also air in primetime in place of the classic television series on Fridays from 7:00 pm–2:00 am ET (6:00 pm–1:00 am CT), Saturdays from 7:00 pm–1:00 am ET (6:00 pm–12:00 am CT) and Sundays from 7:00 pm–1:00 am ET (6:00 pm–12:00 am CT).
, The Transformers
and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero on Monday through Thursdays from 11:30 pm–1:00 am ET (10:30 pm–12:00 am CT).
. Family Prime airs from 7:00 pm Eastern/6:00 pm Central to 9:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Central; it airs The Hub's best shows. Finally, Family Movie Night airs from 9:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Central to 11:00 pm Eastern/10:00 pm Central.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
digital cable
Digital cable
Digital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
and satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
channel that launched on October 10, 2010. The channel, which replaced Discovery Kids
Discovery Kids
Discovery Kids is an American website owned by Discovery Communications, Inc. created for children. Until October 10, 2010, it was an American digital cable specialty channel, owned by Discovery Communications with television programming for education of children. It was launched in October 1996...
, is a joint venture of Discovery Communications, Inc. and Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
. The Hub airs programming primarily aimed at children ages 6–12, drawing largely on the libraries of both parent companies.
The Hub targets a dual audience, young children in the daytime with original and acquired children's programs, and families at night with reruns of older television sitcoms, dramas and feature films. Veteran television executive Margaret Loesch serves as president and chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of The Hub. The channel is available to approximately 60 million subscribers.
In a recent debt filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Discovery Communications indicated that the channel may be worth less than previously believed, based on low viewership figures. The management of the Hub is currently undergoing a fair value analysis of the channel.
History
On April 30, 2009, it was announced that HasbroHasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
acquired a 50% stake in Discovery Kids, with the resulting joint-venture changing the channel's name to The Hub. Discovery will oversee ad sales and distribution, while Hasbro will be responsible for programming. The channel continues to use the Discovery Kids strategy of tagging their educational programming as meeting FCC educational and informational programming guidelines
E/I
E/I, which stands for "educational and informative," refers to a type of children's television programming shown in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission requires that every full-service Terrestrial television station in the U.S. show at least three hours of these television...
with an on-screen logo to list it as such on electronic program guide
Electronic program guide
Electronic program guides and interactive program guides provide users of television, radio, and other media applications with continuously updated menus displaying broadcast programming or scheduling information for current and upcoming programming...
listings, despite the E/I policy being targeted wholly to broadcast stations, with cable channels completely excluded from E/I regulations.
The channel launched at 10:00 am ET
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
(9:00 am CT
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
) on October 10, 2010, taking over the Discovery Kids channel space after a final marathon of Kenny the Shark
Kenny the Shark
Kenny the Shark is an animated television series produced by Discovery Kids. The show first aired on NBC's Discovery Kids on NBC from November 1, 2003 until February 18, 2006 with two seasons and 26 episodes having been shown. The series continued to run on Discovery Kids until the network changed...
. The first program aired on the channel was The Twisted Whiskers Show
The Twisted Whiskers Show
The Twisted Whiskers Show is an American animated series based on the Twisted Whiskers greeting cards created by Terrill Bohlar. It began airing as the first program of the Hasbro/Discovery TV network, The Hub on October 10, 2010...
.
Programming
Programming includes Pictureka!, The Adventures of Chuck and FriendsThe Adventures of Chuck and Friends
Adventures of Chuck and Friends, The is a television series which airs on The Hub's daily block "HubBub", in the United States. On HubBub it first aired on October 15, 2010. The show is being produced in collaboration by Toronto based studios Nelvana, Pipeline Studios Inc. and Hasbro Studios...
, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is an animated television series that premiered on October 10, 2010 on the United States cable network The Hub, and is based on Hasbro's My Little Pony line of toys and animated works. The series is produced by Hasbro Studios and DHX Media Vancouver...
, Transformers: Prime
Transformers: Prime
Transformers: Prime, also known as Transformers: Prime –The Animated Series, is an American computer-animated television series based on the Transformers toy franchise by Hasbro. It airs on the The Hub in the United States...
, G.I. Joe: Renegades
G.I. Joe: Renegades
G.I. Joe: Renegades is an American animated television series based on the G.I. Joe toy franchise. The series premiered on November 26, 2010 on The Hub. The series aired on Teletoon in Canada....
, In the Night Garden
In the Night Garden
In the Night Garden... is a BBC children's television series, aimed at children aged from one to four years old. It is produced by Ragdoll Productions. Andrew Davenport created, wrote, and composed the title theme and incidental music for all 100 episodes. It was produced by Andrew Davenport and...
, Dennis and Gnasher, R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour is a Canadian/American original anthology horror-fantasy series, with episodes each half an hour long. The new show was produced by Front Street Pictures, The Hatchery, Incendo Films and Endemol, and premiered on The Hub, which overtook Discovery Kids on October 10,...
, Clue
Clue (TV series)
Clue is an American five-part mystery television miniseries based on the Parker Brothers board game of the same name, which aired on The Hub from November 14, 2011 to November 17, 2011...
and Hubworld
Hubworld
Hubworld is a children's news magazine television series airing in the United States on The Hub, and produced by Natural 9 Entertainment with an association with Hasbro Studios. The program premiered on November 5, 2010 and is hosted by actor/magician Justin "Kredible" Willman...
.
Programming from Hasbro includes cartoons based on My Little Pony
My Little Pony
My Little Pony is a brand of toy ponies marketed primarily to girls produced by the toy manufacturer Hasbro. These ponies can be identified by their colorful bodies and manes and a unique symbol on one or both sides of their flanks...
, Transformers
Transformers
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling.Transformer may also refer to:* ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, an Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet computer manufacturer by Asus...
, the Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies is a toyline sold by Tonka in the 1980s. It later inspired an animated TV special, an animated TV series, and a feature film. Shipments of the toys over five years generated sales of $300 million in 35 countries....
and Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake is a licensed character owned by American Greetings, originally used in greeting cards and expanded to include dolls, posters, and other products...
. Additionally, the network airs Family Game Night
Family Game Night (TV series)
Family Game Night is a television series based on Hasbro's family of board games. The show is hosted by Todd Newton, and also features announcer Burton Richardson. The 60-minute program debuted on October 10, 2010 on the new channel, The Hub, formerly Discovery Kids; it was previewed on October 9,...
, which features Hasbro's board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
properties adapted into a game show form.
A limited amount of original Discovery Kids programming remains including series such as Endurance
Endurance (TV series)
Endurance is an American reality television children's program, currently shown on the Discovery Kids cable network in the United States and also on networks in other countries. The show's format is somewhat similar to the CBS television series Survivor, though with a teenaged cast...
, Adventure Camp
Adventure Camp
Adventure Camp is a television program currently being shown on the Discovery Kids Channel and to be shown on its replacement, The Hub. The show takes place at Sea World Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa. It is based upon the real life camps of Sea World/Busch Gardens Adventure Camps...
and Scout's Safari
Scout's Safari
Scout's Safari is a children's television series that aired on the Discovery Kids Channel and Saturday mornings on NBC. The series was created by Thomas W...
, a contrast to other rebranded Discovery networks as of late which have taken on completely new schedules. In addition the network carries content from the Hasbro-acquired library of Sunbow Productions
Sunbow Productions
Sunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
programs featuring Hasbro licenses, including The Transformers
The Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, though not any cartoons based on Hasbro properties (or forerunner toy companies such as Tonka
Tonka
Tonka is an American toy company most known for its signature toy trucks and construction equipment.-History:On September 18, 1946 Mound Metalcraft was created in Mound, Minnesota with three men as partners, Lynn Everett Baker , Avery F. Crounse, and Alvin F. Tesch. The first products produced by...
that were eventually purchased by Hasbro) made by Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
or Ruby-Spears Productions
Ruby-Spears Productions
Ruby-Spears Productions is a Burbank, California-based entertainment production company that specializes in animation...
, whose libraries are owned by Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
and air on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
and Boomerang
Boomerang (TV channel)
Boomerang is a 24-hour American cable television channel owned by Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner. Boomerang specializes in reruns of animated programming from Time Warner's extensive archives, including pre-1986 MGM, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
. Other library content includes Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock is a children's live action puppet television program series created by Jim Henson. The central characters were a set of "Muppet" creatures called Fraggles. The show ran from January 10, 1983, to March 30, 1987, on CBC Television in Canada, ITV in the UK, HBO in the United States,...
, Atomic Betty
Atomic Betty
Atomic Betty is a Canadian animated television series produced by Atomic Cartoons, Breakthrough Films & Television, and Tele Images Kids. Additional funding for production is provided by Teletoon in Canada and M6 and Télétoon in France. It currently airs on CITV. The series has once again begun...
, Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show is an American syndicated science fiction sitcom based on the 1989 film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. It expands upon the original film's concept of a shrinking experiment gone wrong to include a myriad of experiments gone awry...
.
The Hub HD
Since the day The Hub launched, Dish NetworkDish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
, Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
, and AT&T U-Verse carried the high-definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
feed versions of the network on their channel lineups. Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
recently added the channel as well.
HubBub
HubBub is a daytime programming block for preschoolers, airing from 10:00 am–11:30 am ET (9:00 am–10:30 am CT). The block exists on account of The Hub's primary target audience of school-age children are usually in school during that time period. Programming in the Hubbub block includes The Adventures of Chuck and FriendsThe Adventures of Chuck and Friends
Adventures of Chuck and Friends, The is a television series which airs on The Hub's daily block "HubBub", in the United States. On HubBub it first aired on October 15, 2010. The show is being produced in collaboration by Toronto based studios Nelvana, Pipeline Studios Inc. and Hasbro Studios...
, Maryoku Yummy and In the Night Garden
In the Night Garden
In the Night Garden... is a BBC children's television series, aimed at children aged from one to four years old. It is produced by Ragdoll Productions. Andrew Davenport created, wrote, and composed the title theme and incidental music for all 100 episodes. It was produced by Andrew Davenport and...
. HubBub competes with two preschool program cable channels: Nick Jr.
Nick Jr.
Nick Jr. was a programming block on the Nickelodeon television channel, seen on Nickelodeon weekday mornings. It was aimed at a preschool-age audience ages 6 and under. On September 28, 2009, Nick Jr. became its own official channel, replacing Noggin...
and PBS Kids Sprout
PBS KIDS Sprout
PBS Kids Sprout is a U.S. digital cable television channel, video-on-demand service, and website providing PBS Kids shows and original programming for preschoolers and their families...
, and the program block Disney Junior
Disney Junior
Disney Junior is a current program block on Disney Channel and an upcoming American basic cable and satellite television network intended to replace SOAPnet in February 2012. It began airing on February 14, 2011, replacing Playhouse Disney....
. It replaced the Ready Set Learn
Ready Set Learn
Ready, Set, Learn! was a preschool block that aired on TLC from October 14, 1996 to September 29, 2008, and Discovery Kids from October 1996 to October 8, 2010....
block when Discovery Kids was relaunched as The Hub.
Family Prime Time
The Hub features a nighttime lineup on Monday-Thursdays from 7:00 pm–6:00 am ET (6:00 pm–5:00 am CT), Fridays from 2:00–4:00 am ET (1:00–3:00 am CT), Saturdays from 1:00–4:00 am ET (12:00–3:00 am CT) and Sundays from 12:00–4:00 am ET (11:00 pm–3:00 am CT). The nighttime schedule consists primarily of off-network syndicated sitcoms and dramas made prior to 2000, primarily from both 20th Century Fox Television20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
and CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution is a global television distribution company, formed from the merger of CBS Corporation's two domestic television distribution arms CBS Paramount Domestic Television and King World Productions, including its home entertainment arm CBS Home Entertainment...
aimed at families and adults. Programs currently airing in this block include Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (U.S. game show)
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? is an American quiz game show on Fox. It is produced by Mark Burnett and is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy. The show premiered as a three-day special which began on February 27, 2007 with the first two shows each a half-hour in length...
, Doogie Howser, M.D.
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Doogie Howser, M.D. is an American television comedy-drama starring Neil Patrick Harris as a 16-year-old doctor who also faces the problems of being a normal teenager. Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, ABC aired the show from 1989 to 1993 for four seasons totaling 97 episodes.-Plot:Dr....
, Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from January 26, 1976, to May 10, 1983...
, The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years is an American television comedy-drama created by Carol Black and Neal Marlens. It ran for six seasons on ABC from 1988 through 1993. The pilot aired on January 31, 1988 after ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII....
and Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
(the latter three of which had previously run on Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite is the nighttime Cable network that broadcasts over the channel space of Nickelodeon on Sundays from 8.p.m.-7.am., Monday through Fridays from 9 p.m.-7 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. . Though it shares channel space with Nickelodeon, A.C. Nielsen Co...
); most of these sitcoms are mainly part of a package which was formerly aired by FamilyNet
FamilyNet
FamilyNet is a broadcast television network owned by ComStar Media Fund and based in Atlanta, Georgia. The network was founded in 1979 as the National Christian Network, and took the name FamilyNet in 1988 under the ownership of Jerry Falwell. The channel was acquired by InTouch Ministries in...
in 2008 and 2009 before their December 2009 purchase by another party.
Programming originally produced for The Hub such as Family Game Night
Family Game Night (TV series)
Family Game Night is a television series based on Hasbro's family of board games. The show is hosted by Todd Newton, and also features announcer Burton Richardson. The 60-minute program debuted on October 10, 2010 on the new channel, The Hub, formerly Discovery Kids; it was previewed on October 9,...
, Discovery Kids produced programming and feature films aimed at family audiences also air in primetime in place of the classic television series on Fridays from 7:00 pm–2:00 am ET (6:00 pm–1:00 am CT), Saturdays from 7:00 pm–1:00 am ET (6:00 pm–12:00 am CT) and Sundays from 7:00 pm–1:00 am ET (6:00 pm–12:00 am CT).
HubBoom
A late night block of action-themed programming featuring BatmanBatman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
, The Transformers
The Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero on Monday through Thursdays from 11:30 pm–1:00 am ET (10:30 pm–12:00 am CT).
Saturday Mash Up
This programming block seems to be an all-day block. It has several sub-blocks (Crack Up, Smash Up, Team Up, Family Prime, and Family Movie Night). Crack Up is the sub-block that airs from 6:00 am Eastern/5:00 am Central to 10:00 am Eastern/9:00 am Central; it airs comedy cartoons. Smash Up airs after it from 10:00 am Eastern/9:00 am Central to 2:00 pm Eastern/1:00 pm Central with action shows. Team Up airs from 3:00 pm Eastern/2:00 pm Central to 5:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Central with two back-to-back episodes of Family Game NightFamily Game Night (TV series)
Family Game Night is a television series based on Hasbro's family of board games. The show is hosted by Todd Newton, and also features announcer Burton Richardson. The 60-minute program debuted on October 10, 2010 on the new channel, The Hub, formerly Discovery Kids; it was previewed on October 9,...
. Family Prime airs from 7:00 pm Eastern/6:00 pm Central to 9:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Central; it airs The Hub's best shows. Finally, Family Movie Night airs from 9:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Central to 11:00 pm Eastern/10:00 pm Central.