Roku has rolled out an update to its publishing platform that makes it easier than ever for content creators to launch a streaming video channel within its ecosystem.
Roku Direct Publisher, a new tool within the Roku Publishing Platform, allows content creators and publishers to create a streaming channel in just a few steps without having to write a single line of code.
Participants will still be responsible for finding a host for their content (the service is compatible with third-party online video platforms such as Brightcove, Ooyala, Kaltura and JW Player) but otherwise, it sounds like an incredibly simple process.
Several major publishers have already used the tool to create channels including Mashable, Rolling Stone, Cracked, Us Weekly and Great Big Story (a personal favorite of mine) in addition to some lesser-known entities such as Above Average, Baeble Music, Comedy Dynamics, FailArmy, Super Deluxe, UPROXX and XLTV by XLrator Media.
Channels created with the new tool can also automatically participate in Roku's search and discovery system which makes it easier for users to find their channel. The publishing platform also includes performance dashboards for each channel that provides detailed metrics such as the number of installs / uninstalls and how many minutes viewers have racked up watching their channel.
Roku says its platform now reaches more than 10 million households and that through the first six months of this year, customers have collectively streamed more than four billion hours of video and music compared to just 5.5 billion hours for all of 2015.