Roku adds WealthTV cable channel

Andre Yoskowitz
19 Jan 2011 1:15

Roku will announce this week that it has signed its first cable channel, "WealthTV," to its ever-growing programming lineup.
The company, through director of business development and content partnerships Ed Lee, says WealthTV is just "the first domino to fall," and the set-top box company is already in talks with other channels.

For $2.99 per month, all Roku users get 24/7 access to the WealthTV feed that cable subscribers gets, as well as VOD right for programs.
Says WealthTV founder Robert Herring:

We’re probably the only one in the industry who can do what we’re doing right now. It’s going to be a chance to lead.

PaidContent explains that "the loophole that WealthTV is slipping through is that it doesn’t have affiliate deals with either of the two biggest operators, Comcast and Time Warner Cable . They typically insist for an independent channel seeking linear carriage to sign a contractual clause known as an alternative distribution methods (ADM) clause and/or sometimes even sell some equity in the venture to the operator."

Because of this, WealthTV is currently only in 11 million homes in the U.S.