• by Wayne Friedman , July 16, 2009

Veteran TV kids programming executive Margaret Loesch has been named president and CEO of the new Hasbro-Discovery Communications kids TV Network.

Discovery Kids Channel will be re-invented, due to a major partnership deal with toy manufacturer Hasbro. That deal was announced in April.

The yet-to-be-named Hasbro-Discovery network is set to premiere in fall 2010, covering approximately 60 million U.S. households. New shows will be based on Hasbro brands, such as "Romper Room," "Trivial Pursuit," "Scrabble," "Cranium," "My Little Pony," "G.I. Joe" and "Transformers."

Through her long career, Loesch has held senior programming positions at notable kids' TV programmers, including: executive vice president of Hanna-Barbera Productions, president/CEO of Marvel Productions, and president of television, worldwide of the Jim Henson Group.

She has worked on shows such as "Transformers," "G.I. Joe," "Dungeons and Dragons," "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends," Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers," "Jim Henson's Muppet Babies," "Animaniacs" "Richie Rich" and "Smurfs."

Previously, she was the first president/CEO of Crown Media and its Hallmark Channel in 1998. She was also the first president/CEO of Fox Kids Network Worldwide in 1990.