Margaret Loesch to Lead Hasbro/Discovery JV

SILVER SPRING: Industry veteran Margaret Loesch, whose experience includes running Fox Kids Network and Hallmark Channel U.S., has been tapped as the president and CEO of the joint venture formed by Discovery Communications and Hasbro for a new multiplatform kids’ network.

Discovery announced its joint venture with the toy giant at the end of April. The two companies are pooling resources to deliver a family entertainment and educational service in fall 2010, reaching 60 million U.S. homes in place of the Discovery Kids channel. The as-yet-unnamed service will deliver shows based on Hasbro’s portfolio of brands as well programming from Discovery’s library and third-party acquired fare. The target demo is boys and girls up to the age of 14. 

Loesch will assume her new position on August 17 and will be based in Los Angeles, overseeing all business and creative areas of the venture. She will report to the joint venture’s board of directors, composed equally of representatives from Hasbro and Discovery. 

“The opportunity to work with Hasbro and Discovery—two companies that are synonymous with quality, values and success—is the type of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I could not resist,” Loesch said of her appointment. “Since I started in the children’s entertainment industry, I have believed there always is a yearning among viewers for high-quality, family-friendly entertainment filled with positive messages and built on strong and engaging brands, characters and stories. With Hasbro’s world-class brands and Discovery’s established distribution strength, we have the tools to address that yearning and create a network and programming that will entertain, inform and truly resonate with viewers.”

Loesch has spent 40 years in children’s and family entertainment. Her achievements include the launch and international expansion of Fox Kids Network, the creation of the U.S. Hallmark Channel, leading Marvel Comics’ film production arm, Marvel Productions, and, most recently, co-founding the family media company The Hatchery. She also held positions at Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Jim Henson Group, ABC and NBC.

“Margaret is the perfect match for the network that Hasbro and Discovery are developing,” said Brian Goldner, Hasbro’s president and CEO. “Her consistent track record of creating groundbreaking children’s programming and successfully launching new networks is a blueprint for what we want this joint venture to be. We look forward to working with Margaret, and the team she assembles, to build a powerful and immersive new destination for family entertainment that engages both children and parents alike.”

“Margaret’s experience and accomplishments speak for themselves,” added David Zaslav, the president and CEO of Discovery Communications. “She has not only succeeded time and time again in the children’s and family entertainment space, but also she has demonstrated a true passion for the type of high-quality content that is at the heart of Hasbro’s and Discovery’s missions. Margaret has the creative vision and business acumen, as well as the values and dedication to high-quality entertainment and educational programming to lead this joint venture.”