Roku has been one of those companies that’s done pretty well during the pandemic, for obvious reasons. Especially when the lockdowns got underway, and people found themselves stuck at home, Roku was among the entertainment sources that people could rely on. The company is both a source of content as well as a provider of Roku hardware — things like streaming players, smart sticks, and smart TVs.
On the content side of the equation, the company just announced the addition of 25 new channels to the service. This comes as Roku pushes deeper into offering its subscribers more and more content, an effort that’s been surprisingly successful. Surprising, that is, in the sense that the big streamers like Netflix are staggeringly big — and don’t leave a lot of competitive space for rivals.
New Roku free channels
Nevertheless, per Activate Consulting, Roku Channel is currently the fifth-most popular streamer. The service now has an estimated 80,000 on-demand shows and movies. Plus more than 200 live TV channels to offer its US viewer base of around 70 million people.
The aforementioned new channels are available to enjoy now, for free, from The Roku Channel’s Live TV Guide. You can check out the full list of free channels below, including descriptions from Roku:
- AfroKiddos: Watch hundreds of African kids TV from Africa and its diaspora.
- AfrolandTV: Watch hundreds of African movies, Nollywood, and TV shows from Africa and its diaspora.
- Aspire TV Life: A black culture & urban lifestyle entertainment channel dedicated to cooking, fashion, travel, design and more.
- Ax Men: Deep in the woods, these loggers are risking it all. 24/7 non-stop episodes of the hard-hitting series.
- BlackPix: Discover documentaries on social justice and inequality, performances and profiles of popular Black artists.
- Bob The Builder: Join Bob the Builder and his machine team as they tackle projects.
- Crime ThrillHer: Dive into the unimaginable with hair-raising thrillers, cautionary tales and ripped-from-the-headlines movies.
- Demand Africa: Demand Africa is the premiere destination showcasing world-class lifestyle, travel, and entertainment.
- Fox Weather: America’s Weather Team, bringing you updates on major weather events across the country.
- Ice Road Truckers: At the top of the world, there’s a job only a few would dare — 24/7 episodes of the legendary series.
- Kin: Kin is the leader in celebrity-driven lifestyle programming for diverse women’s audiences.
- Kriminal: Witness some of the most notorious and infamous criminals ever known.
Other channels
The list of new channels Roku users can also check out includes:
- Modern Marvels: Celebrate the ingenuity and imagination found in the world around us.
- Project Runway: Designers compete to create the best clothing designs that are judged by a panel including the show host and judges.
- Red Green Channel: The Red Green Show is a sitcom sketch comedy hybrid that parodies home improvement, DIY, fishing and outdoor shows.
- Redbox Faith & Family: Movies and TV shows the whole family can watch together, whether they’re eight or 80.
- Redbox Romance: Who doesn’t want to fall in love? Comedies and dramas for every diehard and wannabe romantic.
- Sensical 8+: Award-winning favorites and awesome videos from popular digital stars.
- SPARK TV: Spark TV — Light & Love features clean movies and series that uplift, inspire and warm the heart.
- Supermarket Sweep: Three teams of two battle it out using their grocery shopping skills and knowledge of merchandise to win cash prizes.
- The Price Is Right: The Barker Era: Television’s longest-running game show, featuring host Bob Barker, where audience members try to win cash and prizes.
- This Old House Makers Channel: Streaming 24/7 and on-demand, This Old House’s Makers Channel is the DIY movement led by today’s best woodworkers, designers, engineers, farmers and metalworkers.
- Total Crime: Where questionable people do very bad things. True crime, all the time.
- UnXplained Zone: Join top investigators as they seek to uncover the truth behind some of the world’s greatest mysteries and cover-ups.
- Vive Kanal D Drama: Vive Kanal D Drama brings you a selection of the most successful and impactful Turkish dramas, 100% in Spanish.
Other company news
In other company highlights, Roku also reports its fourth-quarter 2021 results next week, on February 17, after markets close. Among other things, investors will be awaiting any mention of inflation and supply chain issues. Especially to see what impact the ongoing supply chain woes have had on Roku’s sales and distribution efforts.
“Looking ahead, our business fundamentals remain strong but we are mindful that the challenges created by the global supply chain disruptions will likely continue into 2022,” Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood and CFO Steve Louden wrote in the Roku Q3 2021 shareholder letter.
Management’s guidance for the upcoming results is that the company will show revenue of between $885 million and $900 million. More specifically, a nearly 40 percent increase from the year-ago period.
