Quibi shows arrive on The Roku Channel next week

Wendy Lee
·2 min read
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 12, 2020 - - Rob Holmes Vice President of Programming and Engagement for Roku, stands over the company logo is this double-exposure made at his home in Los Angeles on May 12, 2020. Roku has seen strong growth in the amount of time people are streaming content on its platform. Roku has benefited from more people staying at home, but it has also been hurt by the weaker advertising market, with some advertisers like travel pulling out due to COVID-19. One of the areas of growth for Roku is its streaming channel, The Roku Channel, that offers free, ad-supported content. vLos Angeles on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 Los Angeles, CA. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Roku's vice president of programming and engagement, Rob Holmes, seems to have the company's logo imprinted on him in this double exposure. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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.

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.

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 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.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.