A day after Roku said it would be reviewing its content strategy, more than 30 shows have been pulled from The Roku Channel. A raft of shows that had originally been picked up from short-lived streamer Quibi in 2021 are among those taken down, ranging from Anna Kendrick-starring Dummy to Joe Jonas’s travelogue Cup Of […]
Streaming operator and smart TV manufacturer Roku is making further staff cuts, with plans to lay off around 10% of its workforce and pull content, in its latest round of cost-cutting measures. In an SEC filing this week, Roku said that around 300 members of staff would be let go and that it is looking […]
NBCUniversal (NBCU) Global Distribution is placing more of its content on FAST channels, following a deal with Roku. A new deal sees single IP channels such as Murder, She Wrote and Little House On The Prairie being rolled out on Roku, along with multi-IP offerings such as Universal Crime, which carries library series including Columbo […]
Paramount+ creates ‘Mixtape’ Paramount+ has commissioned Mixtape, a documentary exploring how the creation of mixtapes launched hip hop into mainstream culture. The doc will premiere exclusively on the service on 1 August in the US and Canada and 2 August in the UK, Australia, Latin America and Brazil, with further international markets to follow later in the year. Mixtape […]
Roku is looking to order up to 30 unscripted originals this year and is exploring a further “pivot” towards international partnerships, following its deal for Tempting Fortune with Channel 4 in the UK. The device manufacturer and operator of The Roku Channel partnered last year with C4 on reality adventure show Tempting Fortune, with format […]
Former Amazon exec Jeff Blackburn, who until recently oversaw its streaming and content operations, is joining the Roku board. Blackburn was previously Amazon’s SVP of global media & entertainment, with a remit that stretched across Prime Video and Amazon Studios, as well as gaming streamer Twitch, Amazon Music and podcast service Audible. He revealed plans […]
Roku has commissioned and returned a slew of new original unscripted series, including projects from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. New titles announced at the 2023 IAB NewFronts include Charlie Makes A Record (working title), a six-episode unscripted comedy starring US singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, which takes stories from his real life and turns them into borderline-surreal […]
The CW has hired Roku’s Ashley Hovey as its first chief digital officer. Hovey will lead strategy and day-to-day operations across the US broadcast network’s digital and streaming operations, including the CW app. She reports into The CW’s president, Dennis Miller, and becomes the latest addition for the broadcaster, following its acquisition by Nexstar Media […]
Roku has announced plans to cut a further 200 jobs, equivalent to around 6% of its total workforce, as it continues to feel the impact of the US economic downturn. The company, which manufactures devices but is also a major player in FAST, expects the move will cost between $30m and $35m in severance payments, […]
Roku has rejigged its senior ranks following Colin Davis’ move to join Sony Pictures Television (SPT). Davis, who had been head of scripted originals for the Roku Channel, has been replaced by Brian Tannenbaum, who reports into VP of content, David Eilenberg. Lydia Antonini has been named head of scripted originals, having previously been head […]
