News Hub Explained

News Hub should not be confused with Newshub.

News Hub
Former Name:Independent News Network
Type:Division
Industry:Media
Founded:1999
Founders:-->
Hq Location City:Little Rock, AR
Hq Location Country:US
Areas Served:-->
Brands:Hispanic News Network
Services:newscasts
Owner:Waypoint Media

News HUB (formerly known as Independent News Network) is a production company based in Little Rock, Arkansas, which syndicates "localized" news programs for broadcast television stations in the United States, that have budgets limiting their ability to produce their own local newscasts.

In addition to producing local newscasts, INN also produced a Spanish language Hispanic News Network, or HNN and (prior to September 2019) INN News for national syndication.

History

Regional News Network

The Regional News Network started in 1999 and branded itself as Independent News Network. The company's first client was Davenport Fox affiliate KLJB (channel 18). INN produced a half-hour primetime newscast for that station, titled the Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News, which started on December 31 1999[1] until the station entered into a news share agreement with crosstown ABC affiliate WQAD-TV in September 2010.

The company started two syndicated general national news products in June 2002. "The American Times" and "INN News" were for stations and cable channels who did not want a customized news product. In October, a Montana regional newscast, Big Sky News, with some localization for five stations began.[2]

INN began expanding into Spanish language newscast with Univision affiliates, particularly those owned by Equity Media Holdings. The Salt Lake City affiliate, KUTH, became INN's first Spanish client in February 2003. INN started Noticias Arkansas, a regional and local Spanish newscast, in June 2004 for affiliates in Little Rock and North West Arkansas.[2]

In August 2008, INN launched Hispanic News Network (HNN) in 20 markets. At that time INN employed six on-air personnel, with the expectation of hiring 6 more by early 2009.[3] A new studio was constructed for HNN and WMYD, the Detroit MyNetwork TV affiliate.[4]

Latin Media Group

Regional News Network filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on December 31, 2008.[1] [5] INN was taken over in early January 2009 by LMG, Inc., part of Fusion Communications, also of Davenport, Iowa. In the transfer, INN laid off 12 of its staff of 40,[1] and kept its client stations except for WPGA-TV in Macon, Georgia.[6]

By November 2009, Independent News Network signed on WeatherNation for five of INN's Spanish language client stations.[7] INN agreed by October 2011 to support Soul of the South Network's planned five hours of news per day.[8] INN's staff was further cut to 14 in June 2013 as more client stations left the service.[9]

Media Gateway division

By June 2015, SSN Media Gateway, LLC had acquired Independent News Network. At that time Media Gateway hired Anne Imanuel who remains one of the company’s primary anchors.

Sarah Blakely was hired by May 2017 as anchor for the Lafayette, Indiana Star City News.[10]

News Hub

Waypoint Media purchased Independent News Network from Media Gateway in early June 2019 and renamed News Hub. As corporate director of news, Elden A. Hale Jr. was then appointed to head the division. The national version of the newscast was dropped at the same time.[11] After a planned sale to Standard Media Group[12] collapsed, Waypoint announced the sale of the hub to Coastal Television Broadcast Group in July 2021.[13]

Hispanic News Network

Hispanic News Network (HNN) was launched by INN in 20 markets in August 2008. Alan Rivera was promoted to executive producer for HNN and newscaster after already working at INN for 4 years. At launch, HNN produced three newscasts a day. At that time INN employed six on-air personnel with expectation of hiring 6 more by early 2009.[3]

Stations with INN newscasts

English

City of licenseStationAffiliationNewscasts producedStartEnd
Nationwide INN News (7:00 p.m. ET) UnknownSeptember 2019
Davenport, IA Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News[14] [15]
Montana five stations ABC Big Sky News ca. 2004
Gainesville, FL
GTN News/[16]
CBS4 News
weekdays 5:30 p.m. and 11p.m. April 2016
6p.m. and 11p.m.
7p.m. and 10p.m.
two February 2007 December 2018
Columbus, Georgia three December 2007 July 2014
Lafayette, Indiana
Star City News
FOX 10p.m. present
NBC 11p.m.
Louisville, Kentucky WJYL-CD TBNoneUnknownUnknown
Montgomery, Alabama ABC August 2005 February 1, 2013
Cheyenne, Wyoming CBS ca. 2006 December 19, 2013
Roanoke, Va. MyNetworkTVcondensed weather report Unknown Unknown
Salem, Oregon 4:30 p.m. weekdays[17] 2009
Independent 7:00 p.m. weeknights[18]
Detroit MyNetworkTV 10:00 p.m. weeknights
Omaha Fox 9p.m. weeknights[19]
Salisbury, Maryland NBC [20] May 31, 2019
Reno, Nevada Fox 11:00pm weeknights
Boston Independent 10:00 p.m. weeknights [21]
Anchorage, AlaskaKYURABCABC Alaska News 5 PM & 10 PM2022Present
KTBYFOXFOX 4 NEWS @ 9 PM
Fairbanks, AlaskaKATNABC/FOXABC Alaska News 5 PM & 10 PM/FOX 4 NEWS @ 9 PM
Casper, WyomingKTWOABCGood Morning Wyoming/Noon/5 PM/10 PM Weeknights. 5 PM & 10 PM Weekends2022Present
KFNBFOXGood Morning Wyoming 7 AM/9 PM Weeknights
CBSSimulcast of KTWO's 10 PM News
Cheyenne, WyomingABCSimulcast of KTWO's News Output
KLWYFOXSimulcast of KFNB's News Output
Jonesboro, ArkansasKJNB/KJNEFOX (.1)/CBS (.2)Northeast Arkansas News at 6 PM/9 PM/10 PM2017Present
Meridian, MississippiWMDNCBSTwin States News at 6 PM/9 PM/10 PM2017Present
WGBCNBC/FOX
Hattiesburg/Laurel, MississippiWHPMFOXFOX 23 NEWS at 92017Present
Elmira/Corning, New YorkWYDCFOXBig FOX NEWS at 102017Present
Jackson, TennesseeWNBJNBC/CWNBC 39 NEWS at 6, at 9 (on CW 39.2), at 102017Present

Spanish

City of licenseStationAffiliation
Atlanta, Georgia Azteca América
Las Vegas VasalloVision
Azteca América
Austin, Texas KADF-LD Azteca América
Azteca América
Houston, Texas Azteca América
San Antonio, Texas KVDF-CD Azteca América

INN produces several Spanish language newscasts (primarily for Azteca América owned-and-operated stations run by Una Vez Más Holdings, LLC), and provides content for HNN (Hispanic News Network). INN also produces a daily national program for the HITN network.

INN also previously produced a newscast for affiliates of LAT TV, a Houston, Texas-based Spanish language television network; LAT TV folded in May 2008.[22] The company also produced newscasts for seven Univision-affiliated stations owned by the Equity Broadcasting Corporation: KUTH in Salt Lake City, KLRA-LP (now KKYK-CD) in Little Rock, KEYU in Amarillo, WUDT-CA in Detroit, WUMN-CA in Minneapolis, KUOK in Woodward (as well as its repeaters, KCHM-LP in Oklahoma City and KUTU-LP in Tulsa) and WUVF-CA in Naples. Equity discontinued these newscasts on June 6, 2008.[23]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Newscast producer based in Davenport files for bankruptcy . David . Burke . 2008-01-06 . . . . 2008-01-26 .
  2. Web site: Our History. INN-News.net. Independent News Network. July 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20060615023300/http://inn-news.net/history.html. June 15, 2006.
  3. News: Iowa is base for national Hispanic news show. June 30, 2016. NY Daily News. AP. September 23, 2008. DAVENPORT, Iowa.
  4. News: Davenport-based Hispanic News Network gains TV stations across the country . David . Burke . September 20, 2008 . . . . July 3, 2016 .
  5. News: WPGA's nightly newscast off the air, show's future uncertain . Jennifer . Burk . 2009-01-06 . Macon.com (Macon Telegraph) . . . 2009-01-26 .
  6. News: Bankruptcy filing doesn't impact Columbus' WLTZ . Tony . Adams . 2009-01-06 . . . . 2009-01-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090109092539/http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/102/story/567818.html . January 9, 2009 .
  7. News: Brooks Suzukamo. Leslie. Ex-WCCO Meteorologist Paul Douglas wants to bring the nation's TV stations more weather. June 29, 2016. Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Digital First Media. November 28, 2009.
  8. News: Block. Alex Ben. New Network Targeting African Americans to Launch Next Year. July 4, 2016. Hollywood Reporter. October 31, 2011.
  9. News: Turner. Jonathan. Davenport-based News Network reduces staff. June 30, 2016. Quad City Online. June 3, 2013.
  10. News: Vrrma . Atreya . WPBI bursts onto local TV news scene . August 15, 2019 . Purdue Exponent . June 1, 2017 . en.
  11. News: TV news firm bought by Waypoint . August 14, 2019 . Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . June 4, 2019 . en.
  12. Web site: Standard Media Group Buys Waypoint, Vision Stations. Lafayette. Jon. Broadcasting & Cable. November 25, 2019. November 26, 2019.
  13. http://www.insideradio.com/free/coastal-television-broadcast-group-acquires-four-lafayette-radio-stations-part-of-larger-deal/article_15b90266-f13a-11eb-aaac-77f09249ab9a.html Coastal Television Broadcast Group Acquires Four Lafayette Radio Stations Part Of Larger Deal
  14. News: WQAD-TV to take over of newscast production. July 1, 2016. Quad City Times. August 6, 2010.
  15. News: staff. Times. WQAD-TV to take over of newscast production. January 23, 2017. The Quad-City Times. August 6, 2010. en.
  16. News: Rumbaugh. Andrea. Changes come to area TV sets. July 6, 2016. Gainesville Sun. GateHouse Media, Inc.. November 13, 2010 .
  17. News: Independent News Network Premieres on Salem TV Station. July 4, 2016. Salem News. April 6, 2006.
  18. News: Burk. Jennifer. WPGA's nightly newscast off the air, show's future uncertain. June 30, 2016. The Macon Telegraph. January 6, 2009.
  19. News: Merli. John. Centralizing 'Local' News. July 4, 2016. TV Technology. NewBay Media, LLC. August 26, 2010.
  20. News: AEDC Director's Wife Hired as Anchor for SSN Media. July 5, 2016. Arkansas Business. Arkansas Business Publishing Group. July 27, 2015.
  21. News: McCrystal . Laura . Bill Binnie's WBIN stops news broadcasts . January 23, 2017 . Concord Monitor . May 1, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130503092749/http://www.concordmonitor.com/news/5950671-95/bill-binnies-wbin-stops-news-broadcasts . May 3, 2013 . dead .
  22. Web site: Spanish language station signs off. Hem, Brad . May 21, 2008 . chron.com. Houston Chronicle. Business, 3 . 2008-06-10.
  23. News: Equity Says Adios to Spanish-Language News. TVNewsCheck. June 10, 2008. The two daily newscasts were anchored at Equity Media production and distribution hub in Little Rock, Ark, but they were localized with reports from two reporters stationed in each of the six markets. .