The Roku Channel Debuts 30 “Roku Originals” on Streaming Day
Roku Originals will be added to the Expansive Lineup of More Than 40,000 Free Movies and Television Programs Available on The Roku Channel; LOL! Network will also Premiere on The Roku Channel in the U.S. and Canada
SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) today announced it will debut “Roku Originals” on The Roku Channel on May 20, in celebration of Streaming Day. The Roku Originals launch lineup, which features 30 titles, includes award-winning and scripted series, such as “Die Hart,” “#FreeRayshawn” and “Reno 911!,” documentaries, such as “Blackballed” and “Big Rad Wolf,” and alternative and reality programming, including “Punk’d” and “Chrissy’s Court.” Roku Originals will be available exclusively on The Roku Channel in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
“The launch of Roku Originals will bring incredible, premium entertainment that has breadth, depth and diversity to the millions of streamers who regularly visit The Roku Channel and to many new viewers who may not even have a Roku device – and it’s all available for free,” said Sweta Patel, Vice President of Engagement Growth Marketing, Roku. “We’ve created a fantastic user experience to deliver exclusive, original content that’s accessible everywhere The Roku Channel is streamed.”
Coinciding with the launch on May 20, Roku is partnering with Laugh Out Loud, the multi-platform comedy brand founded by Kevin Hart, to bring LOL! Network, a linear channel featuring a curated collection of the boldest voices in comedy, to The Roku Channel. It will join The Roku Channel’s lineup of more than 190 live linear streaming channels.
- “LOL’s partnership with Roku is the culmination of a lot of hard work by two great teams, and I’m excited that both Die Hart and LOL! Network will be available on The Roku Channel,” said Kevin Hart. “Our mission is to keep the world laughing, whether that’s through the action and laughs in Die Hart or the best in comedy on LOL! Network, this partnership allows us to further that mission by bringing laughs to millions of viewers on Roku.”
- “Reno 911! has that sort of magic that people can’t forget, and we can’t wait for new generations of streamers to discover something that’s been so close to our hearts,” said Thomas Lennon. Robert Ben Garant continued, “The show has been on an incredible journey and we’re excited it gets to continue on The Roku Channel.” Kerri Kenney-Silver concludes, “There’s nothing more satisfying than bringing even more of Reno’s signature shenanigans to Roku’s extensive audience.”
- “Will the record reflect that my mom/head bailiff in charge, Pepper, and I are beyond excited to bring Chrissy’s Court to the biggest screen in the home,” said Chrissy Teigen. “There’s no more hung jury on Chrissy’s Court – justice is getting served on The Roku Channel!”
The Roku Channel is the home for free entertainment on America’s No. 1 TV streaming platform based on hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, April 2021). In Q1 2021, The Roku Channel reached U.S. households with an estimated 70 million people. Account reach and streaming hours more than doubled year-over-year — a growth rate that is over twice as fast as the overall Roku platform.
Roku Originals
From award-winning scripted entertainment and engaging documentaries, to new breakout unscripted series, Roku Originals will give viewers free access to bold, fresh entertainment from the biggest names in Hollywood. The Roku Channel will be the exclusive destination for viewers in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. to stream Roku Originals for free. Programs available on May 20 include:
- “#FreeRayshawn”
- “About Face”
- “Bad Ideas with Adam Devine”
- “Barkitechture”
- “Big Rad Wolf”
- “Blackballed”
- “Centerpiece”
- “Chrissy’s Court”
- “Cup of Joe”
- “Die Hart”
- “Dishmantled”
- “Dummy”
- “Fight Like a Girl”
- “Flipped”
- “The Fugitive”
- “Gayme Show”
- “Iron Sharpens Iron”
- “Last Looks”
- “Let’s Roll with Tony Greenhand”
- “Most Dangerous Game”
- “Murder House Flip”
- “Murder Unboxed”
- “Nightgowns”
- “Prodigy”
- “Punk’d”
- “Reno 911!”
- “Royalties
- “Shape of Pasta”
- “Thanks a Million”
- “You Ain’t Got These”
In addition to the 30 Roku Originals announced for the May 20 lineup, more Roku Originals will debut on The Roku Channel later this year. “As The Roku Channel grows, we will continue to be even more creative and expansive in sourcing great content that will perform well in a free, advertising-supported model, while delivering an array of incredible, quality entertainment for our users to enjoy,” concluded Roku’s Patel.
In celebration of Streaming Day, which commemorates the launch of the very first Roku streaming player in 2008, Roku has also announced a series of promotional offers for customers in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
Streaming Day Retail Offers
- In the U.S. get $10 off the Roku Streaming Stick+, $30 off both the Roku Streambar and the Roku Ultra, and $5 off the Roku Express (May 16-29, 2021).
- Canadian customers can get $5 off Roku Express, $10 off Roku Streaming Stick+ and $30 off the Roku Streambar (May 19-28, 2021).
- Streamers in the U.K. can get £5 off Roku Express, £10 off Roku Streaming Stick+ through May 25, 2021. Additionally, the Roku Streambar will be available for £30 off from May 19-June 8, 2021.
The Roku Channel is available on Roku devices, Web, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV and select Samsung TVs and can be accessed internationally in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
For more information, visit https://therokuchannel.roku.com.
About Roku, Inc.
Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. We connect users to the streaming content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and TV-related audio devices are available in the U.S. and in select countries through direct retail sales and licensing arrangements with service operators. Roku TV™ models are available in the U.S. and in select countries through licensing arrangements with TV brands. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. U.S.A.
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements that are based on our beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to us on the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements include but are not limited to the content, benefits, features, timing and availability of Roku Originals on The Roku Channel; the benefits, features, and availability of the Roku streaming player lineup and related Streaming Day deals; trends related to TV streaming; and the features, benefits, growth and reach of The Roku Channel and the Roku platform. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially are detailed from time to time in the reports Roku, Inc. files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on Roku’s website and are available from Roku without charge.
Roku and Streaming Stick are registered trademarks and Roku TV and Streambar are trademarks of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries. Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this press release are the property of their respective holders.
Contacts
US media contact:
Roku, Inc.
Abby Reyes
areyes@roku.com
Canadian and U.K. media contact:
Roku, Inc.
Mike Duin
mduin@roku.com