**Note: this item may be out of date. Kidscreen is working to update by fall 2023
In a bid to compete with other OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon, Roku is rapidly building up the kids and family section within its streaming service, The Roku Channel.
The channel’s COPPA-compliant kids vertical is focused solely on acquiring finished shows and movies at this point, according to Jennifer Vaux, VP of content acquisition and programming for The Roku Channel. With acquisitions top of mind, she’s looking to diversify the channel’s content slate for two- to 14-year-olds.
“We’re looking to work with distributors with finished product,” she says. “We’re a very lean team and we can’t always have the one-to-one conversations about individual shows, unless it’s a really well-known property that’s complete.”
Among Roku’s library of more than 100,000 pieces of ad-supported content, the kids hub features branded channels such Thomas & Friends, My Little Pony and Cocomelon, as well as paid channels like Hopster, Noggin and ZooMoo.
According to the company’s Q4 and full-year earnings report, usage of The Roku Channel in 2020 grew nearly twice as fast as Roku’s overall platform, and the channel reached an estimated 63 million people in the US. Meanwhile, Roku’s overall platform surpassed 50 million active accounts last year. Vaux notes that more than 28 million people streamed from the kids section, in the US, which has since launched in the UK. While the generalist Roku Channel is available in other countries, its dedicated kids section is only in the US and UK at this point.
Vaux is searching for everything from younger preschool content to tween-skewing titles. A big focus for her is live-action for kids seven and up, and Roku is beginning to explore formats like game shows, she says. The AVOD also wants content that focuses on inclusion and education. Shows that tackle fitness for kids, something Vaux hasn’t seen much of but which families are hungry for, are also on her wishlist.
While the channel’s open to both animation and live-action movies and series of various lengths, it’s not looking for standalone shorts—unless the shorts are compiled together into at least an 11-minute format, says Vaux. The longer the content, and the more episodes a content provider has, the more engagement—and subsequently, monetization—The Roku Channel gains, adds Vaux.
Roku also works with creators who have enough volume to host their own content channels, which are programmed by the creator but hosted by The Roku Channel.
“We have the ability to help strong brands reach a large audience, and because it’s free and ad-supported, our reach is strong.” says Vaux. “Habits are changing towards streaming for the ease-of-use and the value, and that, alongside being a safe space for kids, is the value proposition that sets us apart from competitors.”
Team
Jennifer Vaux VP of Content Acquisition and Programming
Demographic
Kids ages two to 14
Format
2D Animation
3D Animation
CG Animation
Live Action
Mixed Media
How to Pitch
To connect with the Roku team, reach out to: trc-avod-submissions@roku.com
Contact
To connect with the Roku team, reach out to: trc-avod-submissions@roku.com
