Discovery Taking Control over The Hub

[Shanks 10,811]

I doubt this will effect MLP, a few other shows maybe but since Dan VS got cancelled MLP is the only show I really care about on the Hub.

[Sonicrules831 520]

I don't think anything bad is going to happen. All I see is Discovery taking more control and I bet MLP and EQG will air more now during Hasbro's time slot. It is the most popular show on the Hub. So I think things will be just fine, there's just a reconfiguration in the network. It'll be alright.

 

Although I will miss the Hub Logo and the "Only on the Hub" quote

[mars 4,861]

The Hub was originally Discovery Kids right? ...So a simple name change back to Discovery Family isn't a big deal to me. I don't think it'll affect FiM in any way.

discovery kids was my childhood and back when i found out the hub was replacing it i was upset at first

[Zekromic 1,054]

I don't see why this is causing panic. Discovery always owned The Hub. It looks to me that they just want to eliminate reruns of old sitcoms in the PM, in order to run more original programming. From what I understand, the AM Hasbro block will remain the same. Since I don't actually get The Hub (Comcast, bah, humbug!) this will have no effect on me!

Yeah, from what I've seen in my recent visit to the US, Hasbro air from morning to 3 pm, but it also has space later judging by the two additional episodes of ponies around 6 pm

[FlutterBo55 26]

It wont affect it. Either it will air on the same channel or someone else will pick it up. Its way to popular for other networks not to want a share of.

[Tao 6,749]

Well they keep MLP, or cast it to the end of the line. 

[Orablanco Account 3,706]

I mock these people and their attempts to be the next Nickelodeon. Mock them, I say!

 

Sort of saw something like this coming in the long run. Like @@Wind Chaser mentioned, you can't build an entire network off of existing properties, reruns and imports and expect to get anywhere major. Didn't expect this so soon, though.

[Magic Note 2,738]

I honestly don't think this will affect FiM at all. If anything, it'll still be on the same channel on at the same time. *crosses fingers*

[The Crimson Cross 7,532]

MLP/Discovery

 

That is a combination I thought I'd never live to hear.

I wonder what this'll mean?

Honestly it'd appeal to me since I don't think I've ever even seen a hub network of any kind on television to begin with.

I don't think it'll change the show in any way.

 

But yeah, I laughed at the ice road truckers comment.

I don't see how it mixes in with things such as Mythbusters and Deadliest Catch though.. Ah well. I'm curious as to see what'll happen!

[Rainboom Dash 1,055]

I don't think it'll affect the show either. The channel's merely being re-named and re-branded. Happens to channels all the time and their content never really changes.

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

On top of what has already been discussed (poor marketing, and money blinded companies) Sounds to me like Discovery is trying to act more like Disney Channel while harkening back to their days of Discovery Kids (anyone remember Tutenstein?)....Discovery Kids had blocks of programming for younger and older audiences respectively. Disney Channel plays itself as a "whole family can watch" channel, but in actuality, they have a block of shows for preschoolers, a block for the elementary and middle schoolers, and a block for the high schoolers. Not much of anything for adults, but it's considered a family network channel. In other words, Discovery is taking its stake in what was Discovery's to begin with, while giving the kids shows to Hasbro, and may be doing something more to appeal to the preteen and teenage demographic while throwing in more adult stuff during the bulk the of school day.  The modern entertainment market will never see another channel be the next CN, Nick, or even Disney (when it was good), because of the internet. I don't think I really have to go into this....I mean, just look at us Bronies. Few of us watch MLP on TV let alone get The Hub....

[ggg-2 3,550]

@ Rainboom Dash "Happens to channels all the time and their content never really changes". yeeeeeah, tell that to OWN (formerly Discovery Health).....and Disney XD (formerly Toon Disney) oh, and pretty soon Vortexx is joining this list too.

Edited September 18, 2014 by ggg-2

[NavelColt 22,876]

Most bronies don't actually use the Hub anyway to watch ponies, these are the days of the internet. Even during seasons, there's always at least someone who's able to stream them for everyone else. Like everyone else, as long as this doesn't affect the show, which I seriously doubt it would, this is mostly irrelevant to our interests. Just businesses doing bussiness shit.

[Singe 2,109]

The Hub is on a next level package for companies like Direct TV where Boomerang and NickToons resides. Hub was never going to make a dent in the CN/Disney/Nick hold where they have their main channels available for standard packages.

[Shadowking58 1,136]

Most bronies don't actually use the Hub anyway to watch ponies, these are the days of the internet. Even during seasons, there's always at least someone who's able to stream them for everyone else. Like everyone else, as long as this doesn't affect the show, which I seriously doubt it would, this is mostly irrelevant to our interests. Just businesses doing bussiness shit.

hnnnnngghhh.

Oh, I'm sorry, I was too busy 'd'awwwww'ing at your profile pic to come up with a coherent response

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

http://online.wsj.com/articles/discovery-to-take-control-of-the-hub-network-1410979842

 

Well, after almost 5 years, Discovery and Hasbro's partnership will be coming to a close. As a result, The Hub network will be rebranded as Discovery Family later this year. While I am disapointed and Its sad to see the network go, I'm honestly not surprised, for 2 reasons.

1. Jointly owned networks usually don't last very long. Remember Noggin? It was an educational off-shoot of Nickelodeon jointly owned by Sesame Workshop (Yes, THAT Sesame Workshop), then Sesame sold its interest in the network by 2002 and Nick split Noggin into 2 networks, Noggin, which was reposed into a preschool network running from 6am to 6pm, and The-N, a network originaly targeting middle schoolers, but shifted focused to high schoolers and 20-somethings a year 1/2 later running from 6pm to 6am. Then they got their own separate channels and were renamed Nick Jr. and TeenNick respectively. 

2. Discovery is notorious for this crap. They always relauch, reboot, and scrap their networks hap-hazzordly without giving them time to breathe. For gods-sake, the channel that used to be Planet Green went through 3 different rebrands already. The Hub was originaly Discovery Kids, until Hasbro came into the picture, but now that they're gone, Discovery apparently feels the need to relaunch the channel AGAIN. I just don't see why Discovery can't just make a channel and stick to it. Its like they don't know what they want these networks to be. 

What this will mean for FiM, I have no idea, but Hasbro is apparently in talks with Cartoon Network to be the new home for its programming, so we could see FiM airing side-by-side with the likes of Adventure Time and Steven Universe. And considering Cartoon Network recently got a new CEO (a FEMALE one at that) I do hope it ends up there if it does make a channel hop.

Edited September 18, 2014 by TheMisterManGuy

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,329]

Well like I said  before, it did say in the Wall Street Journal article that Hasbro still gets the 9 am to 3 pm slot, which is where fim gets new episodes anyway. So they would most likely put it there since fim is there biggest hit in a while.

 

Also, I wouldn't be completely be against it airing on Cartoon Network now the that Stuart Snyder guy is out of the picture. If he was still there, he'd probably cancel it for some stupid cartoon. But since they got a female one, I'm sure she wouldn't be sexist against herself. Also, new pony would be on like Thursday nights I think, so we don't have to wake up early.

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

I don't see why this is causing panic. Discovery always owned The Hub. It looks to me that they just want to eliminate reruns of old sitcoms in the PM, in order to run more original programming. From what I understand, the AM Hasbro block will remain the same. Since I don't actually get The Hub (Comcast, bah, humbug!) this will have no effect on me!

While it's true Discovery always had a hand in the Hub, they owned half of the Hub. Under the old arrangement, Discovery was only responsible for the channel space that the Hub was on, as well as some of the promotion. Hasbro was 100% repsonsible for the content.

 

With the new arrangement, even with Hasbro getting a block on the new network, the final decisions on programming arrangements now belong to Discovery execs, not Hasbro. The problem here is the uncertainty since no one knows how they'll handle this.

 

I do like the idea of more original programming though. One thing for which I was faulting the Hub, alongside poor marketing and distribution, was not giving original projects the light of day, instead favoring all new programming to established franchises, acquisitions, or imports. They could have been a good creative incubator for new franchises given that the Hub is directly connected to Hasbro's merchandising empire.

[SystemError514. 84]

If it was aired on CN that would be good for me as you can't get HUB in the UK

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

I don't know why, but I fear for MLP if it moved to CN. I can't help but think the show would be relegated to slap stick & fart jokes while the rest of the show would be canned & retconned to be in line with the more random humor of a lot of their other shows.

[SeraphStar 398]

@PathfinderCS I hope not as well, although I'm willing to bet all those other shows don't have as big a fandom as mlp (plus the fact that the target demographic is young girls, so probably no fart jokes hopefully). I think CN has to have taken the fandom into account (which is a big reason for them not to mess with mlp — they want us watching), and if they haven't, well then ... they're idiots.

[yeet 2,026]

Omfg. The hub was called discovery kids? I remember that channel. Mystery hunters on at like 6am. But they renamed to hub I guess. And they took it off english tv ; ^ ;

 

I didn't even know discovery was linked with hasbro.

[Plonkett 341]

People may be excited for FiM going to another channel like CN, but the long term issue is that Hasbro no longer has the power to keep the show alive, so it's now at the mercy of another network. At least the writers at DHX still have creative control.

Edited September 18, 2014 by vgmaster9

[Buck Testa 5,503]

Ah company politics. So nessesary but terrifying to fans of their favorite shows. A moment of silence for other great shows that fell from grace... like my beloved teen titans

[Shadowking58 1,136]

Like it has been said countless times. Hasbro will still have 6 hours of air time on the new Discovery channel, so, for now, MLP will be safe.

Even if they we're to go to Cartoon Network, That doesn't mean that Cartoon Network gains control over MLP.

Hasbro still owns it, so CN cannot (I hope) alter it in anyway.