Roku launches ad-supported OTT channel in Canada; a new way for Canadian broadcasters to go direct-to-consumer

By John Bugailiskis

A new way for Canadian broadcasters to go direct-to-consumerTORONTO - Roku is moving into ad-supported streaming in a big way with the launch today of The Roku Channel in Canada. The over-the-top streaming channel, which launched last September in the U.S., is targeted at cord-cutters looking for an easy way to find free movies, TV shows and more on the Roku platform.Saratoga, California-based Roku expects the channel to be a hit with customers since it requires no subscriptions, fees or logins. It also will average about 30% less advertising per programming hour than conventional TV in Canada and won’t repeat...