Roku and Tubi have signed content deals with Warner Bros. Discovery for its free ad-supported channels.
Roku has signed a deal to add Warner Bros. branded FAST channels to The Roku Channel. In the spring of 2023, popular premium channels with programming including Westworld, The Bachelor, Cake Boss, Say Yes to the Dress, F-Boy Island, and others will be available on The Roku Channel. Additionally, the agreement will bring around 2,000 hours of library content on demand.
“As FAST continues to explode in popularity amongst cord-cutters, we’re seeing content players increasingly shift their focus towards capturing this audience, by bringing some of their best stuff to FAST,” Rob Holmes, vice president, programming, Roku, said in a statement. “The rapid expansion of premium content on FAST is a win for both the viewer and content owner, as well as advertisers looking to reach these audiences through well-known programming. We’re delighted to be one of Warner Bros. Discovery’s inaugural FAST partners, and we look forward to introducing its incredible TV series, films and entertainment brands to a whole new audience on The Roku Channel.”
Similar content agreements have been made with Tubi and WBD, adding 14 Warner Bros.-branded FAST channels and more than 225 AVOD titles with a combined runtime of more than 2,000 hours to the platform. Three brand-new, FAST channels–WB TV Reality, WB TV Series and WB TV Family–will feature WBD content, including Westworld, Raised by Wolves, Legendary, FBoy Island, The Nevers, Finding Magic Mike, Head of the Class and The Time Traveler’s Wife. Additionally, 11 FAST channels will be centered on fan-favorite genres.
“Warner Bros. Discovery has a catalogue that TV lovers can’t get enough of and Tubi is proudly making many of these recent hits from Warner Bros. Discovery available to new audiences this month,” Adam Lewinson, chief content officer, Tubi, said. “From critically acclaimed and groundbreaking to lighthearted and addicting, our new WB branded FAST channels and on-demand offering will speak to each of Tubi’s distinct audience communities.”
These content deals will be a relief to viewers who were rightfully panicked when WBD announced it was removing many fan-favorite titles from HBO Max’s library. The company later announced these canceled titles would be moved to third-party FAST services.