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Roku begins removing Quibi shows to cut costs

Roku has removed more than three dozen original and acquired series from its ad-supported streaming service as part of a broader move intended to cut down on costs.

Most of the affected shows removed from the Roku Channel were originally part of Quibi, a now-defunct streaming service whose catalog of short-form, mobile-focused programs were acquired by Roku two years ago for less than $100 million.

Other programs removed from the Roku Channel include series acquired from international broadcasters, including “Children Ruin Everything,” a Canadian sitcom that is currently airing on the CW Network.

The full list of shows removed from the Roku Channel this week follows below:

  • Andy Cohen Diaries
  • Barkitecture
  • Benedict Men
  • Big Rad Wolf
  • Children Ruin Everything
  • Cup of Joe
  • Dishmantled
  • Dummy
  • Elba vs. Block
  • Eye Candy
  • Fierce Queens
  • The Fugitive
  • Gaymeshow
  • Gone Mental with Lior
  • Iron Sharpens Iron
  • Let’s Roll with Tony Greenhand
  • Memory Hole
  • Mind/Trip
  • Most Dangerous Game
  • Moving the Needle with Dr. Woo
  • Murder House Flip
  • Murder Unboxed
  • The Newsreader
  • Nice One!
  • Panhandle
  • Poly
  • Reno 911! (2021 reboot)
  • Run This City
  • Tempting Fortune
  • The Sauce
  • Singled Out (2021 reboot)
  • Slip
  • Squeaky Clean
  • The Stranger
  • Surprise, We’re Pregnant
  • Survive
  • Ten Weeks
  • Wireless

Earlier this week, Roku said it would remove content and impose job cuts in an effort to reduce expenses at the company as hardware sales continue to decline, and the advertising market begins to rebound.

Roku said it expected to incur a $55 million to $65 million impairment charge related to the removal of original and acquired content from its platform.

Most of the content removed this week did not have a significant following among users of the Roku Channel, according to a person familiar with the matter. The app is available by default on all newer-model Roku devices and smart television sets, and is also available for devices running Android TV (Google TV) and Amazon’s Fire TV operating systems.

Roku joins a growing list of companies removing content from their streaming platforms. Over the past year, Warner Bros Discovery (Max, Discovery Plus), the Walt Disney Company (Disney Plus, Hulu) and Paramount Global (Paramount Plus) have removed content from their services.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is a nationally recognized, award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience reporting on the business of media, broadcast television, streaming video platforms and emerging technology. He is the founder, publisher, and editor of TheDesk.net, a trusted source for in-depth news and analysis on the evolving media landscape.

Matthew’s reporting has appeared in major industry outlets, including StreamTV Insider, Digital Content Next and KnowTechie, where he covers topics at the intersection of journalism, streaming services, and digital media innovation. Throughout his career, he has held editorial roles at respected organizations such as Thomson Reuters, Tribune Media, the Disney-ABC Television Group and McNaughton Newspapers.

Known for his accuracy, clarity, and deep industry insight, Matthew continues to provide reliable reporting and thought leadership in a rapidly changing media environment. His work is frequently cited by industry leaders, analysts, and trade publications.