Thirty “Roku Originals” programs are slated to make their debut on “The Roku Channel” beginning on May 20th — “Streaming Day”, the Roku smart TV and streaming devices platform and services developer revealed Thursday.
The new Roku Originals features will be added to Roku’s rapidly growing library of more than 40,000 free to view movies and television programs provided via the ad-supported The Roku Channel, which is prominently positioned on the Roku interface home screen.
In case you were wondering what “Streaming Day” is all about — that’s a special day in Roku land, because on May 20, 2008 the company launched its first Roku streaming player.
The new Roku Originals programs will include series from a wide swath of genres and interests including: scripted series like “Die Hart,” “#FreeRayshawn” and “Reno 911!,” documentaries including “Blackballed” and “Big Rad Wolf,” and alternative and reality programming, including “Punk’d” and “Chrissy’s Court.”
All will be readily found in The Roku Channel app on Roku devices, Roku TVs and partner devices in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., the company said. The Roku Channel also can be found on the 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.
“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, Roku Engagement Growth Marketing VP. “We’ve created a fantastic user experience to deliver exclusive, original content that’s accessible everywhere The Roku Channel is streamed.”
In addition to the May 20th additions, even more Roku Originals will debut on The Roku Channel later this year, Patel added.
“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,” Patel said.
May 20th also marks the debut of Roku’s new partnership with Laugh Out Loud, the multi-platform comedy brand founded by Kevin Hart. The Roku Channel will host the LOL! Network, which is a linear channel of curated content from what Roku called “some of the boldest voices in comedy.”
LOL! Network will be available to The Roku Channel viewers in the U.S. and Canada. With the addition, The Roku library of live linear streaming channels will eclipse 190, the company said.
“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,” stated 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.”
Concerning the rest of the exclusive The Roku Channel fare, the popular comedy “Reno 911!,” once of Comedy Central fame, will continue on with new life on The Roku Channel.
“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 added, “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!”
Roku said The Roku Channel is “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.”
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Among the other Roku Originals programs and series available to stream for free from The Roku Channel beginning May 20th are the following:
• “#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”
Streaming Day Retail Product Promotions
To further celebrate streaming day Roku will offer on and around May 20th an assortment of special deals for Roku streaming products in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
Check the list of offers below to find a Roku device to help catch all the Roku Originals action:
• 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.
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By Greg Tarr
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