As expected, not everyone is too happy about this deal. The immediate thought that comes to mind is whether the partnership between Hasbro and Discovery will result in a whole slew of targeted advertising. Naturally, as children view programs based on popular Hasbro brands, they will want the toys as well. It is a strong concern whether the shows aired on the "new" Discovery Kids Channel will be more like advertisements for Hasbro's toys and games.
It's interesting to note that we also have other TV channels run by Nickelodeon and Disney where there's a fine distinction between the TV shows being aired and licensed toy lines. However, a significant difference is that most toys have been traditionally based on TV shows and not the other way around. In the Hasbro-Discovery partnership, the intent is to create TV shows specifically modeled after the existing toy lines.
Will the Hasbro-Discovery partnership be any different than channels like Nick and Disney? Do we need any more TV shows which promote toy brands? It's definitely not a good thing for children to be exposed to stereotypes, this leads to a decrease in their creativity and uniqueness. If they are bombarded from all sides by certain brands, they are bound to be influenced in their ways. However much Hasbro may deny the fact, it is pretty evident that the vested interest will cause the TV shows aired on the "new" Discovery Kids Channel to exhibit a strong bias towards Hasbro's products.