Margaret Loesch, founding president and CEO of Discovery/Hasbro kidnet Hub Network, will depart from the company at the end of the year when her current contract expires.

Loesch has been at the helm of the network for the past five years, over which time ratings have consistently risen year-over-year and its carriage has grown to 70 million US homes.

Her career has spanned more than four decades, having worked as president of TV, worldwide at Jim Henson and as the founding president and CEO of Fox Kids Network.

In a company statement, Loesch says that she will work closely with parent companies Discovery and Hasbro to assist in the leadership transition for the JV network launched in October 2010. (Hasbro paid US$300 million for its 50% stake in the net) . Her successor has not been confirmed.

Aside from adding to its main slate of popular series including My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic and Transformers Prime Beast Hunters, the Hub has been busy bolstering its digital-inspired offerings in order to appease its connected viewers.

In January, the network embarked on a soft launch of a new tablet-responsive website, rebranded to HubNetwork.com, and April brought its first app, which features exclusive games, full episodes and video shorts, as well as a cartoon-integrated photo booth activity. Also in April, the Hub announced its adaptation of YouTube viral series Kid President for linear TV.