Roku Now Stream Various Canceled HBO, WBD Shows for Free

The day has finally come for many HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shows to live again.

Roku is now streaming many of the canceled shows from HBO and WBD through four new cable-style channels following the company's deal with WBD in January to do so.

Tubi, another ad-supported streaming service, reportedly debuted three of the cable-style channels in early February, per Engadget.

Roku HBO, WBD Streaming Details

Roku's four new cable-style channels come with different content for viewers to watch. The new WB TV Watchlist features fan-favorite shows like the canceled "Westworld" and "Nikita," while another channel, WB TV How To, focuses on showcasing docuseries like "How It's Made," and "How The Earth Works."

Moreover, those into classic movies could go to WB TV At The Movies to satisfy their classical movie binges, while those who wish to see and learn more about baking can switch to WB TV Sweet Escapes to view baking competition series.

These channels, along with ten more, are the result of Roku and Tubi's deal with Warner Bros. Discovery in late Jan. before a planned merger between Warner Bros.' (WB) two streaming services: HBO Max and Discovery+, per Gizmodo and Tech Crunch. While Tubi got the four previously mentioned cable-style channels earlier in February, it took Roku more than a little while to receive them.

Regardless, It's a win-win deal for the companies involved. WBD gets to license out content for streaming on cable-style channels (also known as free, ad-supported television, per Forbes), diversifying its revenue sources in the process as it tries to improve its bottom line.

You may recall that WBD revealed it lost $2.1 billion during the final quarter of 2022 due to various revenue sources failing in 2022, like WBD's TV networks, and studios operations, per Variety.

Meanwhile, Roku and Tubi get to stream many fan-favorite HBO and WBD content, especially "Westworld," "Cake Boss, "Say Yes To The Dress," and others, providing them with positive cash flow. This positive cash intake also solves the problem of many media workers and shows fans demanding WBD to return hours of content after canceling and deleting them from the internet.

Moreover, the previously mentioned cable-style channels and their content are now available for viewers to watch for free on Roku. This means the revenue the company will get from the deal would come from the people signing up for its streaming device just to see their favorite formerly HBO or Discovery+-available content.

What Are FAST Channels?

For those unfamiliar, FAST channels perform much like a traditional cable channel - both are free to watch due to them being ad-supported while playing content in a linear format with a guide. This format apparently became famous in 2020, per Variety VIP+, possibly due to its accessibility when people's livelihoods significantly suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, what people liked about FAST channels the most is their appeal, as it combines the comfort of traditional broadcast cable TV with the convenience of the streaming landscape.