The Hub


ITV buys into Discovery-backed New Form

ITV has invested in digital studio New Form. The digital studio was set up in 2014 by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Discovery, and the latter has also invested more in the business. The LA-based firm raised US$18 million in a new funding round, with UK broadcaster ITV taking a minority stake. New Form will launch […]

Discovery Family buys teen toon drama

US cable channel Discovery Family has bought Dream Defenders, an animated series about two teenage twins that have adventures in the ‘real’ world and a fantasy universe. The deal with Singapore-based CGI studio Tiny Island Productions means Discovery Family gets US rights to the 26x22mins show, and will premiere it at a later, currently unspecified […]

Andy Heyward’s Genius hires digital exec

Genius Brands International, the kids content company run by Andy Heyward, has hired Jason Brumbaugh as vice president, digital. Brumbaugh is a former producer at Disney Interactive and at kids channel The Hub. He also worked at DIC, the kids producer and distributor that was run by Heyward before its sale to Cookie Jar. At […]

Cartoon Network grabs Transformers after Hub switch

Cartoon Network has snapped up Transformers: Robots in Disguise after the Transformer franchise’s former home, The Hub, rebranded as Discovery Family. The new Hasbro Studios-produced animated show will be run exclusively on the Turner Broadcasting System-owned US cable channel. It has been slated for a debut on The Hub, but will now debut in the […]

The Hub rebrand confirmed as 3net winds down

The Hub will be rebranded as Discovery Family Channel, with Tom Cosgrove taking over as his 3net channel is wound down as a linear network. Changes at US cable channel The Hub will see Discovery paying US$64.4 million to increase its shareholding from 50% to 60%, and the network changing its name to Discovery Family […]

Report: Discovery to take control of The Hub

Discovery Communications will take control of its joint venture kids channel The Hub by the end of the year, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The report suggests Discovery and toy form Hasbro will rework their JV so that the cable giant takes a majority stake and rebrands the channel as Discovery […]

B’casters clear schedules for Robin Williams shows

International broadcasters have reorganised their schedules to make room for Robin Williams tributes and re-runs of classic Williams movies and series in the wake of the comic actor’s tragic suicide this week. US kids network The Hub, a joint venture between Discovery and Hasbro, will pay tribute to Williams with the episode of comedy series […]

News brief: Michelle Obama to appear in US kids show

Michelle Obama is set to appear in US kids series Kid President: Declaration of Awesome. The show goes out on joint-venture Discovery and Hasbro channel The Hub and the First Lady will talk about the importance of an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. The variety series, which is exec-produced by Rainn Wilson, is produced […]

Endemol’s 51 Minds making kids reality for The Hub

US kids cable network The Hub has ordered Parents Just Don’t Understand, a new reality series from Endemol-owned US producer 51 Minds. The show puts parents and their offspring in each other’s shoes. It will debut on The Hub on August 23 and be presented by former ‘N Sync singer Joey Fatone. The Hub is […]

News brief: Saban hires former Hub, CBS exec for digital

Saban Brands has hired Kendall Doty as VP of digital. Doty was most recently at Discovery-Hasbro JV kids net The Hub and before that was director, interactive content and mobile marketing at US network CBS. At Saban she will be tasked with growing the presence of the company’s brands – including Power Rangers, Julius Jr. […]