Our History

HITN’s major acomplishments and growth throughout its history

1981 HITN Is Founded

HITN was founded by José Luis Rodríguez, who served as board member and CEO until 2014

1987 HITN Airs For The First Time

HITN-TV was established as HITN Airs For the First Timea Spanish-language educational network airs for the first time through MMDS/Wireless cable on channel 75

1993 Production and Distribution Of “Corriente Cultural”

HITN-TV produces and distributes “Corriente Cultural” to NYC Public School System, sponsored by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs

1997 HITN Receives Grant To Build On Brooklyn Navy Yard

HITN receives $12 million grant from New York City Council, New York Mayor’s Office to build Brooklyn Navy Yard telecommunications facility

2000 HITN Distribution On DISH Network

HITN-TV negotiates distribution with Echostar’s satellite-based DISH Network on “Americas Top 50” package

2002 HITN Acquires News Van

HITN-TV acquires news van enabling live on-site reporting and multiple camera event coverage.

2003 New Partnerships & Sponsorships

HITN-TV named as Official “United Nations Broadcaster Partner”.

Banco Popular becomes HITN-TV Programming Partner.

HITN-TV becomes a member of the Asociación Televisora Educativa Iberoamericana.

Cadbury-Schweppes’ Dentyne joins as first sponsor.

HITN-TV obtains Time Warner Cable nationwide “License to Hunt”.

HITN begins distribution in NYC metro area, the nation’s largest Hispanic TV market.

2004 Continúa Expansión y Distribución de HITN

HITN-TV se une a la línea de programación de DirecTV.

HITN se asocia con la Casa Blanca en la Iniciativa de Excelencia Educativa para Hispanos Americanos.

DISH Network agrega HITN-TV a los tres paquetes de programación para latinos: DISH Latino, DISH Latino Dos y DISH Latino Max.

La construcción de las nuevas instalaciones de HITN-TV comienza en el Brooklyn Navy Yard.

2005 HITN Becomes #1 Hispanic Programmer, Wins Award and Concludes Facilities Construction

U.S. Media identifies HITN-TV as the number one Hispanic cable service programmer distributed in the United States.

Construction completed on the new HITN-TV facility at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Charter Communications, Inc. added HITN-TV to its Spanish-language tier, Charter Latino “Corriente Cultural”.

Original HITN TV production wins Beacon Award for bringing Hispanic arts and culture to New York City Public Schools.

HITN programming available to Comcast customers.

2006 ”Diálogo De Costa A Costa” Wins Beacon Award

“Diálogo de Costa a Costa” an original HITN production wins Beacon Award for outstanding community programming

2008 Launch Of Destination Casa Blanca

Launch of Destination Casa Blanca, which provided legislators, staffers and the general public with a Latino perspective on election year issues

2010 HITN Receives $30 Million "Ready To Learn" Grant

HITN is awarded a $30 million grant for Learning from the US Department of Education.

2012 HITN Helps Community With Hurricane Sandy & Collaborates To Air 2012 Presidential Debates

HITN production/broadcast facilities destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, signal goes "dark" for 13 days.

HITN launches live show “Diálogo Costa a Costa” to provide local community with information on how to obtain recovery assistance from Hurricane Sandy.

HITN collaborates with CLAVES to air 2012 Presidential Elections debate.

2013 Early Learning Transmedia Launches & Facilities Open In Washington, D.C.

HITN Early Learning Collaborative launches research-based transmedia learning resources for preschoolers and their families at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

HITN opens new studio and office in Washington, D.C.

HITN hosts press conference for Time Warner Cable Business Class Announcement in Brooklyn Navy Yard.

2014 HITN Launches PSA’s And Early Learning Transmedia Pilots

HITN receives National Grid grant to renovate 1st-floor vestibule.

Re-opening of ground floor destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.

HITN, in collaboration with Aspira, creates, produces and airs PSAs and capsules to help Spanish-speaking adults avoid being victimized by financial fraud.

HITN Early Learning collaborative launches transmedia learning pilots.

Head Start, public and private school locations in Puerto Rico.

HITN Early Learning collaborative airs WonderGrove Kids programming.

2015 Michael D. Nieves Is Named President & CEO Of HITN

HITN partners with Neptuno to bring wireless services to schools and not for profit organizations in Puerto Rico.

In July 2015 Michael D. Nieves is named President & CEO of HITN by the Board of Directors.

2016 HITN Imagina US New Partnership & Renewed Partnership With Sprint

HITN and Imagina US Partner to Establish A Full TV Production Service Hub

HITN renews its mobile broadband partnership with Sprint in thirty three markets and expands its capacity to provide free mobile broadband to educational institutions nationwide

2017 HITN Distributed On Spectrum, Launch Of Cleo & Cuquin & Digital Growth

HITN and Charter reach agreement to distribute HITN’s educational network to all Spectrum Spanish package subscribers.

HITN Learning In November 2017 HITN signed an exclusive license with Anima Kitchent, creators of the animated TV series Cleo & Cuquin—successor to the bedtime series La Familia Telerin that was widely popular throughout Latin America in the 1980s and 1990s--for learning resources serving the U.S. preschool education market. Cleo and Cuquin will animate math and literacy kits and apps now in development by HITN Learning, based on its award-winning (Parents Choice, Kidscreen) Ready to Learn grant-funded Early Learning Collaborative transmedia.

Cleo & Cuquin debuts on Nick Jr., Univision and Televisa in 2018; HITN’s first Cleo & Cuquin Family Fun Kits and Apps release in October.HITN TV & Digital

January 2017 - For the first time in Hispanic television, HITN TV arranges for audience members to attend the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States as special guests.
March 2017 - HITN TV and Hispanic celebrity-physician, Doctora Aliza, join forces to launch Vida y Salud TV, a daily programming block promoting health and well-being among the Latin community.
June 2017 - With the launch of the Tu Planeta programming block, HITN TV becomes the US Hispanic television leader in Nature and conservation content.
August 2017 - HITN TV, premieres “En Foco con Neida Sandoval,” an original-production documentary series hosted and presented by the Emmy-award winner journalist.
September 2017 - In partnership with CBS, HITN TV premieres the original production Mundo CNET, an in-depth weekly review of the consumer electronics world.