| Formerly | Independent News Network |
|---|---|
| Company type | Division |
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters |
,
US
|
Key people |
|
| Brands | Hispanic News Network |
| Services | newscasts |
| Owner | Waypoint Media |
| Website | www |
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.[1]
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[2] until the station entered into a news share agreement with crosstown ABC affiliate WQAD-TV in September 2010.[3]
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.[4]
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.[4]
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.[5] A new studio was constructed for HNN and WMYD, the Detroit MyNetwork TV affiliate.[6]
Regional News Network filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on December 31, 2008.[2][7] 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,[2] and kept its client stations except for WPGA-TVinMacon, Georgia.[8]
By November 2009, Independent News Network signed on WeatherNation for five of INN's Spanish language client stations.[9] INN agreed by October 2011 to support Soul of the South Network's planned five hours of news per day.[10] INN's staff was further cut to 14 in June 2013 as more client stations left the service.[1]
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.[11]
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.[12] After a planned sale to Standard Media Group[13] collapsed, Waypoint announced the sale of the hub to Coastal Television Broadcast Group in July 2021.[14]
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.[5]
| City of license | Station | Affiliation | Newscasts produced | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Youtoo America | Youtoo America | INN News (7:00 p.m. ET) | Unknown | September 2019 |
| Davenport, IA | KLJB | Fox | Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News[3][15] | December 31, 1999 | September 6, 2010 |
| Montana | five stations | ABC | Big Sky News[4] | October 2002 | ca. 2004 |
| Gainesville, FL GTN News/[16] CBS4 News |
WGFL (channel 28) | CBS | weekdays 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. | October 27, 2010 | April 2016 |
| WNBW-DT (channel 9) | NBC | 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. | |||
| WMYG-LP (channel 11) | MNTV | 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. | |||
| Alexandria, Louisiana | KLAX-TV (channel 31) | ABC | two[6] | February 2007 | December 2018 |
| Columbus, Georgia | WLTZ | NBC | three[6][17] | December 2007 | July 2014 |
| Lafayette, Indiana Star City News |
WPBI-LD (channel 16.1) | FOX | 10 p.m. | May 29, 2017 [11] | present |
| WPBI-LD (channel 16.2) | NBC | 11 p.m. | |||
| Louisville, Kentucky | WJYL-CD | TBN | one[6] | Unknown | Unknown |
| Montgomery, Alabama | WNCF | ABC | August 2005 | February 1, 2013 | |
| Cheyenne, Wyoming | KGWN-TV | CBS | ca. 2006 | December 19, 2013 | |
| Roanoke, Va. | WZBJ | MyNetworkTV | condensed weather report [6] | Unknown | Unknown |
| Salem, Oregon | KWVT-LD | 4:30 p.m. weekdays[18] | April 6, 2006 | 2009 | |
| Macon, Georgia | WPGA-TV | Independent | 7:00 p.m. weeknights[19] | July 2007 | January 4, 2009 |
| Detroit | WMYD | MyNetworkTV | 10:00 p.m. weeknights[6] | 2008 | September 2009 |
| Omaha | KPTM | Fox | 9 p.m. weeknights[17] | September 6, 2010 | 2013[1] |
| Salisbury, Maryland | WRDE-LP | NBC | [20] | 2014 | May 31, 2019 |
| Reno, Nevada | KRXI-TV | Fox | 11:00 pm weeknights | 2011 | 2013[1] |
| Boston | WBIN-TV | Independent | 10:00 p.m. weeknights | September 2011 | April 26, 2013[21] |
| City of license | Station | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, Georgia | WUVM-LD[6] (channel 4) | Azteca América |
| Las Vegas | KMCC[6] (channel 34) | VasalloVision |
| Las Vegas, Nevada | KHDF-CD (channel 19) | Azteca América |
| Austin, Texas | KADF-LD (channel 20) | Azteca América |
| Dallas, Texas | KAZD (channel 55) | Azteca América |
| Houston, Texas | KYAZ (channel 51) | Azteca América |
| San Antonio, Texas | KVDF-CD (channel 31) | 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).[citation needed] 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: KUTHinSalt Lake City, KLRA-LP (now KKYK-CD) in Little Rock, KEYUinAmarillo, WUDT-CAinDetroit, WUMN-CAinMinneapolis, KUOKinWoodward (as well as its repeaters, KCHM-LP in Oklahoma City and KUTU-LPinTulsa) and WUVF-CAinNaples. Equity discontinued these newscasts on June 6, 2008.[23]
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.
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