Disney Adds Roku Channel, Streams Free Short Videos
In a big win for Roku, Disney has created a channel available in the Roku Channel Store. Roku users can now stream hundreds of short Disney videos for free, including music videos, movie trailers, and more.
While the Roku Channel Store already includes hundreds of options, most of the channels represent online properties. The addition of a Disney channel, even if it's not streaming full-length movies, is a major name for the store, and helps Roku define itself as more than just an inexpensive way to access Netflix.
For Disney, this seems to be largely a marketing play, offering quick clips to advertise its TV shows and movies for free. Still, it's a significant move for a major Hollywood movie studio to create its own channel for a set-top box.
The Disney channel will feature popular characters like Winnie the Pooh and Lightning McQueen, and Disney-created teen stars like the Jonas Brothers and Selena Gomez.
"We are excited to extend our extensive library of short-form videos from Disney.com onto Roku for more families to enjoy," says Kyle Laughlin, vice president of product development for Disney Interactive Media Group. "We look forward to working with Roku to roll out more content and new features in the months to come."
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