Discovery launches Discovery Family Channel
09-25-14, 01:50 PM
#1
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Discovery launches Discovery Family Channel
Ariel Tweto just sent this out. Her show is coming back on this new channel.
http://realscreen.com/2014/09/25/cos...family-channel
Discovery Communications and toy company Hasbro are rebranding cable channel The Hub as Discovery Family Channel, and have tapped former 3net president Tom Cosgrove (pictured) and ID chief Henry Schleiff to oversee it.
Effective October 13, the rebranded network will air Hasbro Studios-produced programming during the day and original unscripted series and specials in the natural history, adventure, animals and science genres in primetime.
Discovery has increased its ownership stake in the network to 60%, with Hasbro having decreased its stake to 40%.
Cosgrove, most recently the president and CEO of the Discovery co-owned 3D network 3net, will serve as the network’s general manager, heading up all operations and programming and report to Schlieff. Prior to that, he was as exec VP and chief operating officer of Discovery Channel and Science Channel and has held senior positions at ABC Family, Fox Family and Fox Kids before joining Discovery.
Schleiff will oversee the network’s transition. He is Discovery’s group president in charge of the Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel, and Discovery Fit & Health portfolio.
“[Tom] shares my vision for this brand: while the trend is for family members to scatter at home to pursue different interests, we believe television can actually be an inspiration for bringing families together,” Schleiff said in a statement. “Our goal for Discovery Family Channel is to curate and program content that will grab entire families.”
Initial primetime series set to air on Discovery Family Channel include Superhuman, Time Warp, Flying Wild Alaska, Africa and Extreme Engineering: Biggest Reveals. Daytime programming will include My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop and Transformers Rescue Bots.
In June, Hub chief Margaret Loesch announced she would step down before the year’s end.
http://realscreen.com/2014/09/25/cos...family-channel
Discovery Communications and toy company Hasbro are rebranding cable channel The Hub as Discovery Family Channel, and have tapped former 3net president Tom Cosgrove (pictured) and ID chief Henry Schleiff to oversee it.
Effective October 13, the rebranded network will air Hasbro Studios-produced programming during the day and original unscripted series and specials in the natural history, adventure, animals and science genres in primetime.
Discovery has increased its ownership stake in the network to 60%, with Hasbro having decreased its stake to 40%.
Cosgrove, most recently the president and CEO of the Discovery co-owned 3D network 3net, will serve as the network’s general manager, heading up all operations and programming and report to Schlieff. Prior to that, he was as exec VP and chief operating officer of Discovery Channel and Science Channel and has held senior positions at ABC Family, Fox Family and Fox Kids before joining Discovery.
Schleiff will oversee the network’s transition. He is Discovery’s group president in charge of the Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel, and Discovery Fit & Health portfolio.
“[Tom] shares my vision for this brand: while the trend is for family members to scatter at home to pursue different interests, we believe television can actually be an inspiration for bringing families together,” Schleiff said in a statement. “Our goal for Discovery Family Channel is to curate and program content that will grab entire families.”
Initial primetime series set to air on Discovery Family Channel include Superhuman, Time Warp, Flying Wild Alaska, Africa and Extreme Engineering: Biggest Reveals. Daytime programming will include My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop and Transformers Rescue Bots.
In June, Hub chief Margaret Loesch announced she would step down before the year’s end.
09-25-14, 07:15 PM
#2
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Discovery launches Discovery Family Channel
The Hub was kind of cool, as it aired the original G.I. Joe and Transformers episodes for a while. I also watched Sliders on there last year. This just sounds like they're hacking off half the time to reair stuff from other Discovery channels. Seemed like a half assed rebranding.
09-25-14, 07:25 PM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Discovery launches Discovery Family Channel
That sucks. I liked The Hub when they aired 80s cartoons and Batman ('66). They had a lot of good 80s/90s programming.
09-25-14, 09:33 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Discovery launches Discovery Family Channel
The Hub has been a great niche channel, airing complete runs of different cartoon shows. This new one appears to be a dumping ground for Discovery's retreads. It's amazing how creative channels that fill a niche get canned, but the Hub was always going to be on the outside looking in with most major kids properties (Disney, Star Wars, Marvel and DC, etc) all tied up with their corporate siblings.
