Roku, the popular streaming platform, has entered the paid streaming service space with its new ad-free streaming service, Howdy. Launched on August 5th, Howdy is priced at just $2.99 a month, making it the cheapest major general entertainment ad-free streaming service available.
Howdy will offer around 10,000 hours of content from Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise, including popular titles such as Mad Max: Fury Road, The Blind Side, and Weeds. Additionally, the service will feature select Roku Original titles.
In an interview with the company’s CEO Anthony Wood, it was stated that Howdy is designed to complement, not compete with, premium services like Netflix and Hulu. With ad prices rising 23% over the past two years, the service aims to attract price-conscious customers who are looking for a seamless viewing experience without ads.
Roku’s move into the paid streaming space is seen as a strategic way to diversify its revenue streams and better monetize its platform traffic. The company has already reported solid growth in platform revenue, with a 18% year-over-year increase in its most recent quarter.
Analysts believe that Howdy will appeal to customers who want to watch classic programming without ads, while also providing Roku with an opportunity to bundle the service with other offerings such as Frndly and The Roku Channel.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/roku-cheapest-ad-free-streaming-service-howdy-1236341827