Wikipedia

The Roku Channel

The Roku Channelis anover-the-topvideo streamingservice owned and operated byRoku, Inc.It was launched in September 2017.[1][2]The service tops U.S. viewership forfree ad-supported streaming TVand reports 120 million viewers as of 2023.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

The Roku Channel
DeveloperRoku, Inc.
Key peopleAnthony Wood,Charlie Collier
TypeOver-the-top media service
Launch date
  • September 2017;7 years ago(2017-09)
Platform(s)Streaming devices:Roku,Amazon Fire TV,Apple TV,Chromecast with Google TV,Android TV,Samsung smart TVs

Web browsers:running on PCs, smartphones and tablets
StatusActive (USA, Canada, the U.K., Mexico)
MembersIncrease120 million viewers (2023)
Pricing modelFree with ad support,Paid subscriptions
Websitetherokuchannel.roku.com

The Roku Channel is available in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. It offers over 400 free livelinear TVchannels, more than 80,000 free movies and shows,[9]and access to paid content. The service can be streamed usingstreaming devicesandsmart TVsfrom Roku as well as other providers,[10][11][12]or usingweb browsersrunning on PCs, tablets or smartphones.[13]

History

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2017–2019: Launch in North America

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The Roku Channel was launched in September 2017 as a free, ad-supported streaming television service ( "FAST" ),[1][14]available to viewers in the U.S.[15]Roku's CEOAnthony Woodstated in the same month that the channel was a "way for content owners to publish their content on Roku without writing an app".[16]By August 2018, the channel had expanded to Canada,[10]and a website version of the service was launched, allowing it to be accessed via any web browser.[13][17]In August 2018, The Roku Channel was also reported to have signed content licensing deals withSony Pictures,Warner Bros.,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,Lionsgate,Disney,andParamount Pictures.Additionally, the service offered content from existing partners includingAmerican Classics,FilmRise,Nosey,OVGuide,Popcornflix,Vidmark,and YuYu.[17]

2020–2022: Expansion into the U.K., Mexico

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April 2020 saw the launch of The Roku Channel in the U.K.[18]In January 2021, Roku announced that it had acquired theoriginal content libraryof the defunct mobile video serviceQuibifor an undisclosed amount, reported to be around $100 million, for availability on The Roku Channel.[19][20]The content was rebranded asRoku Originals.[21]In August 2021, The Roku Channel was reported to addCBC,AccuWeather Now,FilmRiseTrue Crime,Haunt TV,andIGNfor free streaming.[22]

By March 2022, The Roku Channel included news services such asABC News,Bloomberg,Cheddar,NBC News,Newsy,People TV,Reuters,USA Today,WeatherNation,andYahoo Finance,all available for free streaming.[23][24][25]In October 2022, the channel was launched in Mexico.[26]According toDeadline Hollywood,October 2022 also saw Charlie Collier, previously the CEO ofFox Entertainment,join Roku as the President of Roku Media to manage ad platform business and content for The Roku Channel and more.[27]Later, in December 2022, Roku announced that it would sign a agreement with the Miss Universe Organization to broadcast the70th (2022)and71st (2023)editions of theMiss Universebeauty pageant in the United States, making the first time the pageant would broadcast on streaming television, after several years on linear television.[28]

By the end of 2022, The Roku Channel was offering premium subscriptions for over 50 services includingDiscovery+,Paramount+,[29]MGM+,Showtime,Starz,[30]HBO,[31]AMC+,ShudderandAcorn TV.[32]Moreover, The Roku Channel was reaching U.S. households with a total population of 100 million, in Roku's estimates.[33][11]The Roku Channel was also reportedly the most popular FAST service in the U.S. in 2021 and 2022.[3][4][5]

2023–present: Viewership growth

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In February 2023,BGRreported that Roku announced the addition of nearly 2000 hours of on-demand content to The Roku Channel. This content included offerings from HBO,HBO Max,Discovery Channel,HGTV,Food Network,TLC,Warner Bros. Pictures,andWarner Bros. Television.Moreover, this content would be available to stream for free.[34]

In August 2023, it was reported that The Roku Channel was adding several NBCUniversal services as free, ad-supported options. These includedNBC News Now,Dateline,Today All Day,NBC local stations, regionalTelemundonews channels,Universal Action,Alfred Hitchcock Presents,Sky News International,The Rotten Tomatoes Channel,and a Universal Crime channel.[11][35][36]Further, The Roku Channel became available onGoogle TVand otherAndroid TVOS devices, in addition to Roku-branded streaming devices and smart TVs,Amazon Fire TVs,Apple TV,and Samsung smart TVs.[10][12][37]Moreover, a report byVarietyin September 2023 stated that The Roku Channel offered more than 80,000 TV shows and movies and access to premium content.[38]The Roku Channel reported 120 million viewers by the end of 2023.[6][7]

In January 2024, Roku announced an agreement withFormula Eto air all but 5 races per year. Roku was slated to also airRecharge,a studio program aired 24 hours after every race.[39]According toThe Wrapin February 2024, The Roku Channel offered over 400 free live linear TV channels and distributed content from over 250 partners.[9]In April 2024,National Basketball Association(NBA) announced a partnership with Roku to launch "NBA Fast", the first FAST channel from NBA, on The Roku Channel.[40]Roku also announced an agreement with NBA to air more than 40NBA G Leaguegames during the 2024–25 season.[41]In May 2024, The Roku Channel secured a multiyear rights agreement withMajor League Baseballto stream live the league'sSunday Leadoffgames for free.[42]

In June 2024, measurement firmComscorefound The Roku Channel to be the most popular among all free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) streaming services in the U.S.[8][43]Later, U.S. TV viewership data fromNielsenfor July 2024 showed that The Roku Channel gathered 1.6% of all U.S. TV use and ranked among the top seven streaming services, trailing YouTube (10.4%), Netflix (8.4%) andPrime Video(3.4%).[44][45]

On August 12, 2024, Roku launched a newfree ad-supported streaming television(FAST) sports channel,Roku Sports Channel,which would be available on The Roku Channel. At launch, the sports channel will show live events fromMLB Sunday Leadoff,Formula E and the NBA G League and live studio programming fromThe Rich Eisen ShowandGMFB: Overtime.[46]

Content

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Free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST)

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Below is a partial list of live TV channels included in The Roku Channel for free streaming:

Advertising video on demand (AVOD)

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The Roku Channel offers viewers to watch a selection ofadvertising video on demandcontent for free, requiring no subscription fee.[62]This content includes movies fromHollywoodstudios such asLionsgate,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer(MGM), Sony Pictures andWarner Brothers,and videos from publishers such as American Classics,Fandor,FilmRise, Nosey, OVGuide, Popcornflix, Vidmark, and YuYu.[1]The channel also delivers about 2000 hours of content from Warner Bros. Discovery’s TV series and movies, including content from HBO, HBO Max, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television and more.[63]Moreover, it offers for free a part of the "premium content" from Showtime, MGM+,Cinedigmand Acorn TV, with no subscription or trial required. The offering includesOn Becoming a God in Central Florida(Showtime),Godfather of Harlem(Epix),America The Story of Us(HISTORY Vault),Heartland(Dove Channel), andMiss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries(Acorn TV).[64]

The Spanish AVOD titles free to watch on The Roku Channel include Hernan (A+E Networks), Hunting Ava Bravo (Wild Sheep Content, Top Dead Center Films, Chollawood Productions),A la Mala(Lionsgate), Enamorada (Cisneros),Amor Comprado(Cisneros), Seasons 1-3 ofEl Señor de los Cielos(NBCUniversal Telemundo), El Chema: Edición Especial (NBCUniversal Telemundo), Seasons 1-2 ofSeñora Acero(NBCUniversal Telemundo).[61]

The Roku Channel also includes original content, including that in Spanish, in form ofRoku Originals.[65][66]Content creation partners for the Roku Originals include Cisley Saldaña, Liz Jenkins, Mariel Saldaña,Paul Hollywood,Prue Leith,Rich Eisen,and“Weird Al” Yankovic.[67]Spanish-language content creation partners includeJennifer Lopez,Juanpa ZuritaandJaime Camil.[66]

Premium subscriptions

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The Roku Channel offers premium subscriptions for various services including Discovery+,Paramount+,[29]HBO,[31]MGM+,Showtime,Starz,[30]Cinemax,[68]AMC+,Shudder,Acorn TV,[32]Fuse Plus,[69]andVix Premium.[70]

References

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  2. ^Lacoma, Tyler (November 3, 2022)."What is The Roku Channel? Content, cost, and how to use it".Digital Trends.Archivedfrom the original on February 10, 2023.RetrievedFebruary 10,2023.
  3. ^abRoth, Emma (April 29, 2023)."These are the FAST services you need to know about".The Verge.RetrievedFebruary 20,2024.
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