Rob Holmes: Last News

EXCLUSIVE: Roku has quickly found its new scripted boss.

David Eilenberg, who joined Roku last April to head up original programming at the streaming company, has been upped to head of content, Deadline has confirmed.

The Roku Channel has now become the exclusive AVOD streaming home for The Jennifer Hudson Show.

Roku will launch Paramount+ as a premium subscription within the Roku Channel later this month, including a dedicated TV guide for all Paramount+ live content — its first for a premium partner. It’s also the first time live sports will be available within premium subscriptions.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorRoku is super-sizing its cooking entertainment lineup.The streaming platform announced co-production deals with Marquee Brands and Milk Street Studios to develop seven original series starring lifestyle and culinary personalities Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse and Christopher Kimball.The new programming was unveiled as part of Roku’s 2022 NewFronts presentation for marketers. The shows, to premiere exclusively on the Roku Channel, are “Martha Cooks,” “Martha Holidays” (working title), and “Martha Gardens” from Martha Stewart; “Emeril Cooks,” “Emeril Tailgates” from Lagasse: and “Milk Street’s Cooking School” and “Milk Street’s My Family Recipe” from Christopher Kimball.In addition to the all-new original series, the deals will bring complete past seasons of Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse and Christopher Kimball series to the Roku Channel — comprising more than 3,000 episodes from the vault for free.

Lionsgate and Roku have struck a deal giving the studio’s feature films an exclusive streaming run on the free, ad-supported Roku Channel after they play on Starz.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorRoku snapped up the rights to the majority of Quibi’s multimillion-dollar portfolio original programming — more than 75 shows in all — and will make them available free to stream in 2021 on the Roku Channel.Following Quibi’s decision last October to shut down after failing to attract a sustainable base of subscribers, Roku acquired Quibi Holdings LLC, the company that holds all of Quibi’s content distribution rights.Financial terms of the pact were not disclosed. Rob Holmes, Roku’s VP of programming, said in an interview, “We do think this deal represents a great value.”“Fundamentally, we think that Quibi has created great, high-quality content,” Holmes told Variety.