Roku announces launch of its original programming, including the Quibi content it acquired, on the Roku Channel, starting May 20
Roku today announced the launch of its own original programming, which will initially become available to viewers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada through …
Context & Ripple Effects
Roku is extending the Roku Channel beyond the ad-supported studio catalog it introduced in its initial Roku Channel launch and later broadened with a kids section. Its purchase of global Quibi rights supplied a ready-made library for that shift.
The launch matters because Roku is no longer only distributing programming from partners on its channel; it is giving viewers a distinct Roku Originals label across the U.S., U.K., and Canada.
First-order effects
- Roku gains an immediate original-programming slate for the Roku Channel, putting acquired Quibi shows in front of its free-streaming audience under Roku’s own brand.
- Quibi’s former programming gets a new free distribution outlet in three markets, while Roku controls its presentation and availability on the channel.
Second-order effects
- The Roku Channel must now promote Roku Originals alongside its partner-supplied catalog, making editorial placement and discovery part of the value Roku offers viewers.
- Partner studios on the Roku Channel face a more differentiated in-house destination, as Roku can use exclusive originals to give viewers a reason to stay within its channel.
Third-order effects
- If Roku continues adding owned or exclusively controlled programming, the Roku Channel shifts from an ad-supported aggregation product toward a destination where distribution and programming strategy are managed together.
The trend: Connected-TV platforms are increasingly using exclusive programming to turn an aggregated channel into a branded viewing destination.