Hearst Media Production Group to Debut New Series Jack Hanna's Passport with Host Alfonso Ribeiro

Premieres Weekend Mornings Starting April 6 on ABC Stations Nationwide 

NEW YORK, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG), a leading producer and distributor of wildlife programming, announced the launch of a new show, Jack Hanna's Passport. The program will take a fresh look at the most compelling stories from Hanna's legendary career and his greatest past adventures across the globe. 

The new weekly series debuts weekend mornings starting April 6 on ABC owned and affiliated stations across the country as part of the "Weekend Adventure" educational/informational program block (times vary, check local listings). 

Jack Hanna's Passport will be hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro, the Emmy-nominated actor and entertainer known for hosting roles on ABC's Dancing with the Stars and America's Funniest Home Videos, the longest-running series on the ABC network. Ribeiro first gained widespread popularity for his starring roles in such network TV comedies as Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Silver Spoons and In The House.  

"Jack Hanna's Passport will celebrate the decades of adventures brought to audiences by the legendary wildlife ambassador Jack Hanna," said Bryan Curb, HMPG EVP and general manager, education/information.  

HMPG's leadership in the wildlife programming genre includes Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, hosted by Peter Gros and Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant; Earth Odyssey, hosted by Dylan Dreyer; Wild Child, hosted by Sheinelle Jones; Oh Baby!, hosted by Janai Norman; and Wildlife Nation, hosted by Jeff Corwin.  HMPG recently acquired the library of programs hosted by Jack Hanna, further expanding its presence in the genre.  Overall, HMPG's current program portfolio comprises more than 30 original series and hundreds of hours of original content annually on leading broadcast networks and station groups and on connected TV and streaming platforms.  It has a library of more than 4,000 hours of programming and its content can be found in 97 countries. HMPG was recently honored with 86 national Telly Awards and named Telly "Company of the Year," recognized as a standout for equity and inclusion programming.

About Hearst Media Production Group
Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG), a business unit of Hearst Television, is an independent producer and distributor of original programming for TV stations, broadcast and cable networks and streaming services. HMPG produces hundreds of hours of programming annually across linear, streaming, digital and social media platforms for domestic and international distribution in nearly 100 countries.  Its popular shows include the Emmy® Award-winning educational/informational (E/I) programming blocks airing weekends nationwide including "Weekend Adventure," on ABC stations; "CBS WKND," on the CBS Network; "The More You Know," on the NBC Network; "One Magnificent Morning," on the CW Network; "Mi Telemundo" on the Telemundo Network and "Go Time" on independent stations. HMPG also produces and/or distributes a diverse slate of other programming and content including Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien, America's #1 nationally syndicated public affairs news magazine; Consumer Reports TV, and the company's dedicated FAST channels Xplore, The Jack Hanna Channel and Rovr Pets, available on some of the most popular smart TVs and streaming platforms.   HMPG has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Charlotte.  HMPG is represented by United Talent Agency.

SOURCE Hearst Media Production Group, LLC