Quibi shows arrive on The Roku Channel next week
Months after troubled Hollywood startup Quibi shut down access to its shows, those programs, many with A-list stars, will get a second shot at gaining an audience when they shift to the Roku Channel streaming service.
San Jose-based Roku announced it will release 30 Quibi shows on its free, ad-supported streaming service on May 20. Programs, presented in episodes that are 10 minutes or less, include the thriller “Most Dangerous Game,” starring Liam Hemsworth; the comedy “Die Hart,” featuring Kevin Hart; and the cooking competition “Dishmantled.”
Sweta Patel, Roku’s vice president of engagement growth marketing, praised the quality of Quibi’s content and said she believes it will resonate with Roku Channel viewers because not many people have watched those shows.
Quibi, a startup led by Jeffrey Katzenberg and tech industry veteran Meg Whitman, folded its monthly subscription service after failing to attract a large enough audience to survive.
Shortly after the streaming platform launched, marketing consultants advised the company to change course, but they were largely ignored, sources said.
Roku estimates the Roku Channel reaches 70 million people in the U.S.
“We have the platform and we have the expansive map from coast to coast to get to almost everyone that will want to watch this content, and it’s free,” Patel said. “There are no barriers, right? So whatever didn’t work with Quibi, we don’t see any of that as a hindrance for us.”
Roku acquired the global rights to Quibi’s catalog in January for an undisclosed price. The rights were sold for less than $100 million, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The shows will remain in their short format, and each episode will be separated by one minute worth of ads, Patel said. The first 30 programs will be released on May 20, with the remainder of Quibi’s library placed on the platform at a later date, she added. They will be available on the Roku Channel in the U.S., United Kingdom and Canada.
Quibi, the Hollywood streaming service that shut down in December, sold the global distribution rights of its shows to Roku. Analysts say shows that feature A-list celebrities will likely succeed in attracting a larger audience.
Many Quibi creators were excited their programs have a new home.
Kerri Kenney-Silver, one of the creators of the comedy “Reno 911!,” said in a statement: “There’s nothing more satisfying than bringing even more of Reno’s signature shenanigans to Roku’s extensive audience.”
The Quibi shows, branded as Roku Originals, will help strengthen the Roku Channel’s library of more than 40,000 free movies and TV episodes and 190 live linear channels. The Roku Channel competes against streaming services for user’s attention and ad dollars. Many streamers believe good content will help draw audiences to their platforms.
Roku’s fortunes have brightened considerably since the COVID-19 pandemic halted production in Hollywood and confined people to their homes.
Roku also announced on Thursday it is adding an additional linear channel to the Roku Channel called LOL! Network in a partnership with Kevin Hart’s comedy brand, Laugh Out Loud.
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