A new report from Parks Associates is putting into context the effect of Fox Corporation’s proposed $22 billion acquisition of streaming hardware and connected TV platform developer Roku, and what it could mean for the reach of the media products from both companies.
The firm’s data shows Roku accounted for 43 percent of streaming media player purchases during the first quarter of 2026, compared with 30 percent for Amazon. Four years earlier, Amazon led the category with a 37 percent share, while Roku held 31 percent.
Roku also leads in device usage: Among streaming media player owners, 43 percent identified Roku as the operating system on their most-used device, ahead of Amazon Fire TV at 34 percent. The company has a significant hold in living rooms as well, with 17 percent of consumers saying their primary smart TV is powered by the Roku operating system.
By controlling the interface consumers use to discover and access content, Roku occupies a key position in the streaming ecosystem, creating opportunities in advertising, content promotion and audience development.
Parks Associates also pointed to the complementary nature of Fox’s streaming assets and Roku’s platform business: The market intelligence firm’s data shows Fox’s streaming portfolio, including Tubi, Fox Nation and Fox One, reached 32 percent of U.S. internet households during the first quarter of 2026, up from 26 percent two years earlier. Roku’s own content portfolio, which includes The Roku Channel, Frndly TV and subscription service Howdy, reached 17 percent of internet households.
While those audiences overlap, the combination would give Fox a direct path from content creation and advertising sales to content discovery and viewing on connected television screens.
The acquisition would also provide Fox with ownership of one of the largest connected TV platforms in the country at a time when media companies are increasingly seeking greater control over distribution, advertising inventory and consumer relationships.
Roku’s scale, continued growth and position at the center of the connected TV experience help explain why the company commanded such a significant valuation, Parks Associates said on Monday. To read more of the company’s report, click or tap here.
Fox said it expects the transaction to close next year; it remains subject to certain regulatory and shareholder approvals, though the boards of both companies have approved the deal.
