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 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.

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.

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. A new studio was constructed for HNN and WMYD, the Detroit MyNetwork TV affiliate.

Latin Media Group

Regional News Network filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on December 31, 2008. 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, and kept its client stations except for WPGA-TV in Macon, Georgia.

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

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.

News Hub

Waypoint Media purchased Independent News Network from Media Gateway in early June 2019 and renamed it to 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. After a planned sale to Standard Media Group collapsed, Waypoint announced the sale of the hub to Coastal Television Broadcast Group in July 2021.

Waypoint's WHPM-LD in HattiesburgLaurel, Mississippi retained its affiliation with News Hub after the hub's sale to Coastal.

Coastal's KQDS-TV in Duluth, Minnesota and KVRR in Fargo, North Dakota (including KVRR's satellites, KBRR, KJRR and KNRR) do not utilize News Hub, instead broadcasting their own locally-produced newscasts. Coastal's WLOV-TV in West Point, Mississippi, serving Columbus, Tupelo and Starkville, operated by Morris Multimedia, also does not utilize News Hub, instead airing newscasts produced by Morris Multimedia's Columbus-licensed WCBI-TV. Coastal's WJKP-LD in Corning, New York does not carry any newscasts.

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.

Stations with News Hub/INN newscasts

English

Current

City of licenseStationAffiliationOwnerNewscasts producedStart
Anchorage, AKKYURABCVision Alaska; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2022
KTBYFoxCoastal Television Broadcasting Company9 p.m. weekdays
Fairbanks, AKKATNABC/FoxVision Alaska; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays
Juneau, AKKJUDABC/CW/FoxVision Alaska; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays
Jonesboro, ARKJNB-LD/KJNE-LDFox/CBSCoastal Television Broadcasting Company6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2017
Lafayette, INWPBI-LDFox/NBCCoastal Television Broadcasting Company6 p.m. (NBC), 10 p.m. (Fox) and 11 p.m. (NBC) weekdaysMay 29, 2017
WPBY-LDABCCoastal Television Broadcasting Company7 p.m. (ABC) and 11 p.m. (WPBI-LD) weekdays
HattiesburgLaurel, MSWHPM-LDFoxWaypoint Media9 p.m. weekdays2017
Meridian, MSWMDNCBSBig Horn Television; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2017
WGBCFox/NBCCoastal Television Broadcasting Company
CorningElmira, NYWYDCFoxCoastal Television Broadcasting Company10 p.m. weekdays2017
Jackson, TNWNBJ-LDNBC/CWCoastal Television Holdings6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2017
Casper, WYKTWO-TVABCVision Alaska Television Holdings; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting CompanyGood Morning Wyoming, 12 p.m., 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekends2022
KFNB/KFNE/KFNR/KWYF-LDFoxCoastal Television Broadcasting Company7 a.m. and 9 p.m. weekdays
KGWC-TV/KGWL/KGWRCBSBig Horn Television; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company10 p.m. weekdays (KTWO)
Cheyenne, WYKKTQ-LDABCVision Alaska Television Holdings; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting CompanyGood Morning Wyoming, 12 p.m., 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays (KTWO) 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekends (KTWO)
KLWYFoxCoastal Television7 a.m. and 9 p.m. weekdays (KFNB)

Former

City of licenseStationAffiliationNewscasts producedStartEnd
NationwideYoutoo AmericaYoutoo AmericaINN News (7 p.m. ET weekdays)UnknownSeptember 2019
Montgomery, ALWNCFABCOneAugust 2005February 1, 2013
Gainesville, FLWGFLCBS5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekdaysOctober 27, 2010April 2016
WNBW-DTNBC6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekdays
WMYG-LPMyNetworkTV7 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays
Columbus, GAWLTZNBCThreeDecember 2007July 2014
Macon, GAWPGA-TVIndependent7 p.m. weekdaysJuly 2007January 4, 2009
Davenport, IAKLJBFox9p.m. weekdaysDecember 31, 1999September 6, 2010
Louisville, KYWJYL-CDTBNOneUnknownUnknown
Alexandria, LAKLAX-TVABCTwoFebruary 2007December 2018
Salisbury, MDWRDE-LPNBC2014May 31, 2019
Boston, MAWBIN-TVIndependent10 p.m. weekdaysSeptember 2011April 26, 2013
Detroit, MIWMYDMyNetworkTV10 p.m. weekdays2008September 2009
MontanaFive stationsABCBig Sky NewsOctober 2002ca. 2004
Omaha, NEKPTMFox9 p.m. weekdaysSeptember 6, 20102013
Reno, NVKRXI-TVFox11 p.m. weekdays20112013
Salem, ORKWVT-LD4:30 p.m. weekdaysApril 6, 20062009
Roanoke, VAWZBJMyNetworkTVCondensed weather reportUnknownUnknown
Cheyenne, WYKGWN-TVCBSOneca. 2006December 19, 2013

Spanish

City of licenseStationAffiliation
Atlanta, GeorgiaWUVM-LD (channel 4)Azteca América
Las VegasKMCC (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).[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. 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.

See also

External links