Roku Channel users now have a way to access their favorite Spanish-language kids programming. The free ad-supported TV (FAST) service has launched a new section under its Kids and Family tab especially dedicated to Spanish-language content, according to a report from Andrea Hernandez of KidScreen.
The new section features nearly 1,000 movies and TV series, all free with a few commercials. Titles offered at launch include “Astroblast,” “Pinkfong & Baby Shark’s Space Adventure,” “Gallina Pintadita” (“The Little Painted Hen”), “Stellaluna” and “La leyenda de la Llorona” (“The Legend of the Weeping Woman”). More offerings will be added in the coming months. The streamer already offers a free Spanish-language section for adults called Espacio Latino.
The Roku Channel sees quite a bit of demand for Spanish-language content, according to senior director Ashley Hovey. A recent internal survey found that of the U.S. households who watch the Roku Channel in Spanish, 70% did so more than three days per week. These users are also not signed up for pay TV services, so having more programming options available is crucial.
A report from Horowitz Research earlier this year stated that Spanish-language viewing in the U.S. is up 11% over 2021, and that 38% of Latin-American viewers rely on streaming alone for their TV service. Demand is growing, and media companies have been pivoting to meet that demand.
The $4.8 billion merger of Spanish broadcasters Televisa and Univision brought two new Spanish-language streaming services to the market this year: ViX and the premium, ad-free version ViX+. Both of those services have seen their distribution widen since launch, as both have been added to Prime Video Channels as well as being available as standalone services.
The Roku Channel has been doing some expanding of its own this year, adding dozens of new channels. Its most recent expansion in August included 14 new offerings, including some local news affiliates, programming from Ion, and more.
Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free live TV streaming service that provides 350+ live linear streaming channels and more than 80,000 free movies and TV shows. The library contains entertainment from several different decades, including some major hits.