If Fox can't grow its own streaming platform, buying Roku is fine

After trying out its own news-and-sports-focused platform, Fox will now have the third-largest streaming service in the United States.

By Drew Gillis  |  June 15, 2026 | 11:33am
Graphic courtesy of Roku
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If Fox can't grow its own streaming platform, buying Roku is fine

The pending, probable merger of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance has at least one more merger following in its footsteps. Fox announced this morning that it will purchase Roku, making the combined service the third largest streaming platform in the United States, behind YouTube and Netflix. It’s not immediately clear how long this deal has been in the works, but CNN reports that with the WBD-Paramount merger on the horizon, Fox’s purchase of Roku became “more urgent.” The merger is valued at $22 billion.

Fox has been dabbling in streaming for a few years, purchasing Tubi in 2020 and eventually launching its own service, Fox One, after a disastrous attempt to launch the Venu sports streamer with Disney and Warner Bros. in 2024. Fox One is mostly focused on sports and news (well, Fox News specifically) with some other entertainment programming thrown in. (A quick glance at Fox One’s current homepage plugs Master Chef beside the news and sports.) By purchasing the Roku platform, all of that Fox content will be able to reach “more than 100 million households globally,” according to Roku founder Anthony Wood, which is more than a little chilling. 

Of course, the potential deal still needs to be approved by Fox and Roku shareholders, and will need to be federally approved (even if that seems like a mere formality these days). Fox maintains that it will keep Roku an “open, partner-friendly platform.” The deal is expected to close early next year.

 
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