Independent News Network

This article is about the commercial U.S. news service since 1999. For similar names, see Independent Network News.
For the consortium of non-profit investigative news organizations, see Investigative News Network.
Independent News Network
Industry Media
Founded 1999
Headquarters Little Rock, AR, US
Brands Hispanic News Network
INN News
Services newscasts
Owner Media Gateway, LLC
Website inn-news.net (defunct)

The Independent News Network (also known as INN) is a production company based in Little Rock, AR, 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 produces a Spanish language Hispanic News Network, or HNN, and INN News for national syndication.[1]

History

Regional News Network

The Regional News Network started in 1999 the Independent News Network and operated under that name. 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[2] until the station entered into a news share agreement with crosstown ABC affiliate WQAD-TV in September 2010.[3]

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.[4]

INN began expanding into Spanish language newscast with Univision affiliates. The Salt Lake City affiliate became INN's first Spanish client in February 2003. INN started Noticas Arkansas, a regional and local Spanish newscast, in June 2004 for affiliates in Little Rock and North West Arkansas.[4]

In August 2008, INN launched Hispanic News Network (HNN) in 20 markets. At that time INN employed six on-air personnel with expectation of hiring 6 more by early 2009.[5] A new studio was constructed for HNN and the Detroit MyNetwork TV affiliate.[6]

Latin Media Group

Regional News Network filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on December 31, 2008.[2][7] 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,[2] and kept its client stations except for WPGA-TV in Macon, Georgia.[8]

By November 2009, Independent News Network signed on WeatherNation for five of INN's Spanish language client stations.[9] INN agreed by October 2011 to support Soul of the South Network's planned five hours of news per day.[10] INN's staff was further cut to 14 in June 2013 as more client stations left the service.[1]

Media Gateway division

By June 2015, SSN Media Gateway, LLC had acquired Independent News Network. At that time INN had hired Anne Imanuel, the wife of Mike Preston, the new director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, as an anchor. The Commission had an past due loan from the Soul of the South company group thus causing a perception of a conflict of interest.[11] With financial difficulties, SSN Funding partners' ownership interest in Gateway Media Technologies was purchased by Matthew Davidge, owner of client station WRDE, as of February 6, 2016.[12]

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.[5]

Stations with INN newscasts

English

City of license Station Affiliation Newscasts produced Start End
Davenport, IA KLJB Fox Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News[3][13] December 31, 1999 September 6, 2010
Montana five stations Big Sky News[4] October 2002
Gainesville, FL
GTN News/[14]
CBS4 News 		WGFL (channel 28) CBS weekdays 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. October 27, 2010
WNBW-DT (channel 9) NBC 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
WMYG-LP (channel 11) MNTV 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Alexandria, Louisiana KLAX-TV (channel 31) ABC two[6] 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware WRDE (channel 31) NBC 5:00, 6:00 and 11:00pm
Columbus, Ga. WLTZ NBC three[6][15] 2007 late
Louisville, Ky. WVHF one[6]
Montgomery, Ala. WNCF
Fort Collins, Colo. KGWN
Roanoke, Va. WDRL condensed weather report [6]
Gainesville, Fla. WGFL
Salem, Oregon KWVT-LD INN News weekday at 4:30 PM[16] April 6, 2006
Macon, Georgia WPGA-TV ABC 7 p.m.[17] July 2007 January 4, 2009
Detroit WMYD MyNetworkTV 10 PM [6] 2008 September 2009
Omaha KPTM Fox 9 p.m.[15] September 2010
Salisbury, Maryland WRDE-LP NBC [11]

Spanish

City of license Station Affiliation
Atlanta, Georgia WUVM-LP[6] (channel 4) Azteca América
Las Vegas KMCC[6]
Las Vegas, Nevada KHDF-CD (channel 19) Azteca América
Austin, Texas KADF-LP (channel 20) Azteca América
Dallas, Texas KAZD (channel 55) Azteca América
Houston, Texas KYAZ (channel 51) Azteca América
San Antonio, Texas KVDF-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). 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.[18] 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.[19]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Turner, Jonathan (June 3, 2013). "Davenport-based News Network reduces staff". Quad City Online. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Burke, David (2008-01-06). "Newscast producer based in Davenport files for bankruptcy". Quad City Times. Davenport, Iowa: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  3. 1 2 "WQAD-TV to take over of newscast production". Quad City Times. August 6, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Our History". INN-News.net. Independent News Network. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Iowa is base for national Hispanic news show". NY Daily News. DAVENPORT, Iowa. AP. September 23, 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Burke, David (September 20, 2008). "Davenport-based Hispanic News Network gains TV stations across the country". Quad City Times. Davenport, Iowa: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  7. ↑ Burk, Jennifer (2009-01-06). "WPGA's nightly newscast off the air, show's future uncertain". Macon.com (Macon Telegraph). Macon, Georgia: The McClatchy Company. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  8. ↑ Adams, Tony (2009-01-06). "Bankruptcy filing doesn't impact Columbus' WLTZ". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Columbus, Ohio: The McClatchy Company. Archived from the original on January 9, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  9. ↑ Brooks Suzukamo, Leslie (November 28, 2009). "Ex-WCCO Meteorologist Paul Douglas wants to bring the nation's TV stations more weather". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Digital First Media. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  10. ↑ Block, Alex Ben (October 31, 2011). "New Network Targeting African Americans to Launch Next Year". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  11. 1 2 "AEDC Director's Wife Hired as Anchor for SSN Media". Arkansas Business. Arkansas Business Publishing Group. July 27, 2015. Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  12. ↑ Waldon, George (June 27, 2016). "Media Gateway Emerges From Soul of the South". Arkansas Business. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  13. ↑ http://qctimes.com/business/article_fc9c9112-a1d1-11df-9226-001cc4c03286.html
  14. ↑ Rumbaugh, Andrea (November 13, 2010). "Changes come to area TV sets". Gainesville Sun. GateHouse Media, Inc. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  15. 1 2 Merli, John (August 26, 2010). "Centralizing 'Local' News". TV Technology. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Independent News Network Premieres on Salem TV Station". Salem News. April 6, 2006. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  17. ↑ Burk, Jennifer (January 6, 2009). "WPGA's nightly newscast off the air, show's future uncertain". The Macon Telegraph. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  18. ↑ Hem, Brad (May 21, 2008). "Spanish language station signs off". chron.com. Houston Chronicle. p. Business, 3. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  19. ↑ "Equity Says Adios to Spanish-Language News". TVNewsCheck. June 10, 2008. The two daily newscasts were anchored at Equity Media production and distribution hub in Little Rock, Ark, but they were localized with reports from two reporters stationed in each of the six markets.
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