• by Wayne Friedman , June 12, 2014

Margaret Loesch is leaving her post as president/chief executive officer of The Hub network, the Discovery Communications-Hasbro kids TV network.

In a statement, Loesch said: “The network is now in excellent financial shape, its ratings are up year-to-year, our programming has won more than 30 awards, including 12 Daytime Emmys, and the Hub Network has become a TV home for quality programming that kids and their families come together to enjoy.”

Some of the network’s better-performing shows include: “My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic,” “Transformers Prime Beast Hunters” and “The Aquabats!”

The Hub has been slow to grow over its five years of existence. For the month of April, The Hub averaged 120,000 daytime viewers, up slightly from 119,000 in April 2013. It was up 4% to 26,000 6-11 viewers in daytime for the same period.  In prime time, The Hub was down 14% to 144,000 viewers.

She has been at the post since the network started up five years ago.

Before The Hub, Loesch was the first president/chief executive officer of Crown Media United States and helped create its U.S. cable television network, Hallmark Channel.

Loesch has been a veteran kids programming executive. She was president/chief executive officer of Fox Kids Network, which debuted in 1990.  

Before that, she was president/chief executive officer of Marvel Comics’ Marvel Productions, where she executive produced such series as “Muppet Babies,” “Transformers,” “G.I. Joe,” “Dungeons and Dragons” and “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.

Loesch says she will depart the network by the end of the year.