News Hub

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.

This article is about the commercial U.S. news service since 1999. For similar names, see Independent Network News. For the consortium of non-profit investigative news organizations, see Institute for Nonprofit News.
"Regional News Network" redirects here. For the television station in Kingston, New York, United States branded as "Regional News Network", see WRNN-TV.
News Hub
FormerlyIndependent News Network
TypeDivision
IndustryMedia
Founded1999
Headquarters
Little Rock, AR
,
US
Key people
  • Elden A. Hale Jr.
  • (corporate director of news)
BrandsHispanic News Network
Servicesnewscasts
OwnerWaypoint Media
Websitewww.waypoint-media.com/local-news/

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]

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[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]

Latin Media Group

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-TV in Macon, 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]

Media Gateway division

By June 2015, SSN Media Gateway, LLC had acquired Independent News Network. At that time INN had hired Anne Imanuel, the wife of Mike Preston, the new director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, as an anchor. The Commission had a past due loan from the Soul of the South company group thus causing a perception of a conflict of interest.[11] With financial difficulties, SSN Funding partners' ownership interest in Gateway Media Technologies was purchased by Matthew Davidge, owner of client station WRDE, as of February 6, 2016.[12]

Sarah Blakely was hired by May 2017 as anchor for the Lafayette, Indiana Star City News.[13]

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.[14] Standard Media Group, in turn, purchased Waypoint in November 2019.[15]

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.[5]

Stations with INN newscasts

English
City of license Station Affiliation Newscasts produced Start End
NationwideYoutoo AmericaYoutoo AmericaINN News (7:00 p.m. ET)UnknownSeptember 2019
Davenport, IAKLJBFoxFox 18 Nine O'Clock News[3][16]December 31, 1999September 6, 2010
Montanafive stationsN/ABig Sky News[4]October 2002ca. 2004
Gainesville, FL
GTN News/[17]
CBS4 News		 WGFL (channel 28)CBSweekdays 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.October 27, 2010April 2016
WNBW-DT (channel 9)NBC6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
WMYG-LP (channel 11)MNTV7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Alexandria, LouisianaKLAX-TV (channel 31)ABCtwo[6]February 2007December 2018
Columbus, GeorgiaWLTZNBCthree[6][18]December 2007July 2014
Lafayette, Indiana
Star City News		 WPBI-LD (channel 16.1)FOX10 p.m. May 29, 2017 [13] present
WPBI-LD (channel 16.2)NBC11 p.m.
Louisville, KentuckyWJYL-CDTBN one[6] UnknownUnknown
Montgomery, AlabamaWNCFABCAugust 2005February 1, 2013
Fort Collins, ColoradoKGWN-TV.2 CBSca. 2006December 19, 2013
Roanoke, Va.WZBJMyNetworkTV condensed weather report [6] UnknownUnknown
Salem, OregonKWVT-LD4:30 p.m. weekdays[19]April 6, 20062009
Macon, GeorgiaWPGA-TVIndependent7:00 p.m. weeknights[20]July 2007January 4, 2009
DetroitWMYDMyNetworkTV10:00 p.m. weeknights[6]2008September 2009
OmahaKPTMFox9 p.m. weeknights[18]September 6, 20102013[1]
Salisbury, MarylandWRDE-LPNBC[11]2014May 31, 2019
Reno, NevadaKRXI-TVFox11:00 pm weeknights20112013[1]
BostonWBIN-TVIndependent10:00 p.m. weeknightsSeptember 2011April 26, 2013[21]

Spanish
City of license Station Affiliation
Atlanta, GeorgiaWUVM-LP[6] (channel 4)Azteca América
Las VegasKMCC[6] (channel 34)VasalloVision
Las Vegas, NevadaKHDF-CD (channel 19)Azteca América
Austin, TexasKADF-LD (channel 20)Azteca América
Dallas, TexasKAZD (channel 55)Azteca América
Houston, TexasKYAZ (channel 51)Azteca América
San Antonio, TexasKVDF-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). 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

References
  1. Turner, Jonathan (June 3, 2013). "Davenport-based News Network reduces staff". Quad City Online. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  2. Burke, David (2008-01-06). "Newscast producer based in Davenport files for bankruptcy". Quad City Times. Davenport, Iowa: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  3. "WQAD-TV to take over of newscast production". Quad City Times. August 6, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  4. "Our History". INN-News.net. Independent News Network. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  5. "Iowa is base for national Hispanic news show". NY Daily News. DAVENPORT, Iowa. AP. September 23, 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  6. Burke, David (September 20, 2008). "Davenport-based Hispanic News Network gains TV stations across the country". Quad City Times. Davenport, Iowa: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  7. Burk, Jennifer (2009-01-06). "WPGA's nightly newscast off the air, show's future uncertain". Macon.com (Macon Telegraph). Macon, Georgia: The McClatchy Company. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  8. Adams, Tony (2009-01-06). "Bankruptcy filing doesn't impact Columbus' WLTZ". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Columbus, Ohio: The McClatchy Company. Archived from the original on January 9, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  9. Brooks Suzukamo, Leslie (November 28, 2009). "Ex-WCCO Meteorologist Paul Douglas wants to bring the nation's TV stations more weather". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Digital First Media. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  10. Block, Alex Ben (October 31, 2011). "New Network Targeting African Americans to Launch Next Year". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  11. "AEDC Director's Wife Hired as Anchor for SSN Media". Arkansas Business. Arkansas Business Publishing Group. July 27, 2015. Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  12. Waldon, George (June 27, 2016). "Media Gateway Emerges From Soul of the South". Arkansas Business. Archived from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  13. Vrrma, Atreya (June 1, 2017). "WPBI bursts onto local TV news scene". Purdue Exponent. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  14. "TV news firm bought by Waypoint". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. June 4, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  15. Lafayette, Jon (November 25, 2019). "Standard Media Group Buys Waypoint, Vision Stations". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  16. staff, Times (August 6, 2010). "WQAD-TV to take over of newscast production". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  17. Rumbaugh, Andrea (November 13, 2010). "Changes come to area TV sets". Gainesville Sun. GateHouse Media, Inc. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  18. Merli, John (August 26, 2010). "Centralizing 'Local' News". TV Technology. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  19. "Independent News Network Premieres on Salem TV Station". Salem News. April 6, 2006. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  20. Burk, Jennifer (January 6, 2009). "WPGA's nightly newscast off the air, show's future uncertain". The Macon Telegraph. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  21. McCrystal, Laura (May 1, 2013). "Bill Binnie's WBIN stops news broadcasts". Concord Monitor. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  22. Hem, Brad (May 21, 2008). "Spanish language station signs off". chron.com. Houston Chronicle. p. Business, 3. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  23. "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.
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