-- Award-winning industry veteran named President and CEO of
multi-platform venture
dedicated to high-quality children’s and family entertainment and
educational content --
Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) and Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA,
DISCB, DISCK) today announced that children’s entertainment veteran
Margaret Loesch has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of
the companies’ multi-platform joint venture. The yet-to-be-named network
is expected to premiere in Fall 2010 reaching approximately 60 million
U.S. households on what is currently Discovery Kids channel. Loesch will
assume her new position on August 17th and will be based in Los Angeles.
The winner of multiple Emmy and other industry awards, Loesch has almost
four decades of unparalleled success in children’s and family
entertainment. Her extensive resume includes the development and
production of some of the most iconic programs in children’s television,
such as Smurfs, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, Jim
Henson’s Muppet Babies, Animaniacs, Transformers
and the award-winning pre-school educational series Bear in the Big
Blue House, among many others.
As a chief executive, Loesch’s experience includes the launch and
international expansion of Fox Kids Network, the creation of the U.S.
Hallmark Channel, leadership of Marvel Comics’ film production arm,
Marvel Productions, and, most recently, the co-founding of family media
company, The Hatchery. She also serves on the board of trustees of
Sesame Workshop, producers of educational children’s programs, including Sesame
Street, and is on the advisory board of the Coalition for Quality
Children’s Media.
“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,” said
David Zaslav, 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.”
As President and CEO of the Hasbro-Discovery Communications joint
venture, Loesch will oversee all business and creative areas of the
rebranded television channel and multi-platform media venture.
