Roku Channel becomes next-day streaming partner of The CW
Roku Channel becomes next-day streaming partner of The CW
The free streaming service will soon be the on-demannd partner for The CW’s primetime entertainment.
The parent companies of ABC, CBS, and NBC all have in-house streaming services that stream the networks’ primetime shows on demand the day after they air, while Fox partners with Hulu to deliver the service to fans. But until now, oft-forgotten broadcast network The CW has been left out of the next-day streaming equation. On Wednesday, however, the equation changed; The CW has announced that The Roku Channel will become the next-day streaming partner for its entertainment programming starting later this year.
Key Details:
- New teamup: The CW has chosen The Roku Channel as its next-day streaming partner starting this fall.
- Great content: The deal will encompass CW titles like “Private Eyes West Coast” and “Police 24/7.”
- Old and new: The CW hub on The Roku Channel will also include a library of CW programming on demand.
The partnership between The CW and The Roku Channel will begin with the new TV season in fall 2026, and will embrace hit scripted and unscripted shows from the channel. Titles like the new series “Private Eyes West Coast,” “Police 24/7,” and the board-game adaptation “Scrabble” will be available to stream on-demand on The Roku Channel the day after they air on The CW.
New episodes of “WWE NXT” will also be available to stream on The Roku Channel next day, bringing another sports property to the streamer. Roku Channel also is the exclusive home of Formula E races, pro volleyball matches, and a small selection of other sports as well.
“Partnering with Roku supercharges the reach and accessibility of The CW’s premium entertainment content,” The CW’s president Brad Schwartz said. “By combining The Roku Channel’s expansive audience with The CW’s nationwide linear footprint, we’re bringing together the best of broadcast with the best of streaming to unlock unprecedented scale for our content, our audience, and our advertisers.”
In addition to next-day streaming access to primetime content from The CW, The Roku Channel will get more than 800 hours of CW library programming, including shows like “Wild Cards” and more. Viewers will be able to head to The Roku Channel any time to watch these episodes on demand; content from The CW will be grouped together in a Roku Channel programming hub.
“The CW’s lineup is packed with bold, binge-worthy programming — from the intrigue of ‘Sherlock & Daughter’ to the competition of ‘WWE NXT’ to the long-running magic series ‘Penn & Teller: Fool Us,’” Roku executive Lisa Holme said. “Starting this fall, Roku viewers will be able to stream it the very next day, along with hundreds of hours of library seasons to catch up on. This partnership is all about connecting great storytelling with the millions of viewers who are looking for it.”
Fans will continue to be able to watch this content through The CW app, as well. But at long last, the channel finally has a streaming partner to house its primetime content for on-demand viewing.
Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free, ad-supported streaming service that offers a broad mix of movies, TV shows, live linear channels, and original programming. Available to all viewers — not just Roku device owners — the service features licensed content from major studios alongside Roku Originals, which include exclusive series, movies, and specials previously produced for Quibi, as well as new original projects developed specifically for the platform.