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 as part of the operation taking on a major market INN-produced newscast for Detroit's WMYD, then owned by Granite Broadcasting.
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 Broadcasting Company in July 2021.Coastal Television Broadcast Group Acquires Four Lafayette Radio Stations Part Of Larger Deal. Inside Radio. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
Waypoint's WHPM-LD in Hattiesburg–Laurel, 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, retaining their locally-based news operations started by their former owners, Red River Broadcasting. 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 license Station Affiliation Owner Newscasts produced StartAnchorage, AKKYURABCVision Alaska; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2022KTBYFoxCoastal Television Broadcasting Company9 p.m. weekdaysFairbanks, AKKATNABC/FoxVision Alaska; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdaysJuneau, AKKJUDABC/CW/FoxVision Alaska; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdaysJonesboro, ARKJNB-LD/KJNE-LDFox/CBSCoastal Television Broadcasting Company6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2017 Lafayette, IN WPBI-LD Fox/NBCCoastal Television Broadcasting Company 6 p.m. (NBC), 10 p.m. (Fox) and 11 p.m. (NBC) weekdays WPBY-LD ABCCoastal Television Broadcasting Company 7 p.m. (ABC) and 11 p.m. (WPBI-LD) weekdays Hattiesburg–Laurel, MSWHPM-LDFoxWaypoint Media9 p.m. weekdays2017Meridian, MSWMDNCBSBig Horn Television; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2017WGBCFox/NBCCoastal Television Broadcasting CompanyCorning–Elmira, NYWYDCFoxCoastal Television Broadcasting Company10 p.m. weekdays2017Jackson, TNWNBJ-LDNBC/CWCoastal Television Holdings6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays2017Casper, WYKTWO-TVABCVision Alaska Television Holdings; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting CompanyGood Morning Wyoming, 12 p.m., 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays5 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekends2022KFNB/KFNE/KFNR/KWYF-LDFoxCoastal Television Broadcasting Company7 a.m. and 9 p.m. weekdaysKGWC-TV/KGWL/KGWRCBSBig Horn Television; operated by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company10 p.m. weekdays (KTWO)Cheyenne, WYKKTQ-LD ABCVision 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 license Station Affiliation Newscasts produced Start End Nationwide Youtoo America Youtoo America INN News (7 p.m. ET weekdays) Unknown September 2019 Montgomery, AL WNCF ABC OneAugust 2005 February 1, 2013 Gainesville, FL WGFL CBS 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekdays April 2016 WNBW-DT NBC 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekdays WMYG-LP MyNetworkTV 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays Columbus, GA WLTZ NBC Three December 2007 July 2014 Macon, GA WPGA-TV Independent 7 p.m. weekdays Davenport, IA KLJB Fox 9p.m. weekdays Louisville, KY WJYL-CD TBN One Unknown Unknown Alexandria, LA KLAX-TV ABC Two February 2007 December 2018 Salisbury, MD WRDE-LP NBC May 31, 2019 Boston, MA WBIN-TV Independent 10 p.m. weekdays Detroit, MI WMYD MyNetworkTV 10 p.m. weekdays Montana Five stations ABC Big Sky News ca. 2004 Omaha, NE KPTM Fox 9 p.m. weekdays Reno, NV KRXI-TV Fox 11 p.m. weekdays Salem, OR KWVT-LD 4:30 p.m. weekdays 2009 Roanoke, VA WZBJ MyNetworkTV Condensed weather report Unknown Unknown Cheyenne, WY KGWN-TV CBS One ca. 2006 December 19, 2013
Spanish City of license Station Affiliation Atlanta, Georgia WUVM-LD Azteca América Las Vegas KMCC VasalloVision Las Vegas, Nevada KHDF-CD Azteca América Austin, Texas KADF-LD Azteca América Dallas, Texas KAZD Azteca América Houston, Texas KYAZ Azteca América San Antonio, Texas KVDF-CD 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. 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 News Central All News Channel Independent Network News NewsNet One America News Network
References
External links Archived link to Waypoint Media's News Hub page