Roku is looking to create its own original “episodic and feature film productions”, according to a recent (and now closed) job list published by the company (via Protocol) The job list mentions Roku’s “original content expansion list”.
Roku currently has no content of his own. It now owns the Quibi line of programs, which it acquired from the now-defunct streaming company, and also offers The Roku Channel, an advertising service that allows users to watch a wide range of TV shows, movies, live news and much more – but we haven’t seen any programs made by Roku himself.
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The job list, however, indicates that Roku is looking to enter the content production business – something his hardware competitors like Amazon and Apple have already done. Offering your own programs can give users a reason to spend more time on their Roku devices, which in turn can help to further increase the company’s ad revenue, even if users are not watching the programs specifically.
The company’s potential shows and films will compete with a huge catalog of originals from other streaming services, such as Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu. But unlike the heavyweights of streaming, Roku sells devices that bring together all services, so while Roku is technically competing with other companies, its users will also be watching WandaVision in a Roku box. This convenient customer experience remains important – even if Roku occasionally clashes with streaming providers.
It is probably worth noting that it may be a while before you actually see a Roku show. If the company has just hired production lawyers, the process is probably still in its early stages. However, it shows how much value Roku sees in bringing original content to the table.