Roku Inks Deal for Jellysmack’s First Free Linear Streaming Channels, With Lifestyle and True-Crime Shows From 17 Top Creators (EXCLUSIVE)

Todd Spangler
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Jellysmack is diving into free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) in partnership with Roku, with two new channels stocked with curated series from Jellysmack creator partners including LaurDIY, Brad Mondo and Stephanie Soo.

Under the pact, the Roku Channel has launched Jellysmack’s first FAST linear channels, Hello Inspo (lifestyle) and Mysteria (true crime), on the services Live TV Guide. The channels feature packaged series from 17 of Jellysmack’s top creators.

More from Variety

Hello Inspo, covering beauty, style hacks, home makeovers, recipes, DIYs and more, features content from creators including Brad Mondo, Lauren Riihimaki (LaurDIY), Emmeline Mayline Cho (Emmymade), Liz Fenwick, HeXtian, Hellthy JunkFood (JP Lambiase and Julia Goolia), Smitha Deepak, Josh Elkin and Karina Garcia. Mysteria‘s true-crime content comes from creators including Stephanie Soo, Christina Randall, True Crime Recaps (Amy Townsend and Chris Nathan), Killer Bites, Dr. Todd Grande, John Lordan (LordanArts), Brooke Makenna and Danelle Hallan.

“Taking the leap from social media to streaming is the perfect next step for my brand,” Brad Mondo, an influential creator and hair stylist with 36 million followers across social and video platforms, said in a statement provided to Variety. “Getting to launch not one but three shows on the Roku Channel is super exciting. Hair is universal, so the more people I can help and share my passion with, the better.”

Emmy Cho, aka Emmymade, commented, “Launching my own show on the Roku Channel is an incredible place to be, and I’m thrilled to share my love of food with more fans. Big thanks to Jellysmack for helping to make it all happen.” Cho has 9 million followers, including 5.5 million on Facebook.

Launched in 2017, the Roku Channel reached an estimated 100 million viewers in U.S. households at the end of last year. Overall, the Roku Channel features a lineup of more than 80,000 free movies and programs, plus more than 300 free live linear streaming channels in the U.S.

“We are thrilled to provide our audience with content featuring some of today’s most popular digital creators, including Brad Mondo, Lauren Riihimaki, Stephanie Soo, and more through this partnership,” said Ashley Hovey, head of AVOD for the Roku Channel. “The addition of these new channels to our Live TV Guide is the latest example of how we aim to provide our users with access to popular entertainment options for free.”

Programming for Hello Inspo and Mysteria will be refreshed on an ongoing basis; Jellysmack said it will add new creators to the schedule as the channels expand. Jellysmack’s creator roster includes MrBeast, Bailey Sarian, The Try Guys, KallmeKris and PewDiePie.

“Our partnership with Roku is about finding big opportunities for creators and their content,” Stefanie Schwartz, Jellysmack’s head of platform partnership, said. The Roku Channel lets Jellysmack creators reach “a large and growing audience.”

Jellysmack’s creator program uses AI to identify promising creators and optimize content distribution to multiple platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok and more. The program is led by Schwartz, who joined the company last year after heading Viacom Digital Studios as EVP and general manager.

Pictured above (l. to r.): Brad Mondo, LaurDIY, Stephanie Soo

VIP+ Special Report: Inside FAST’s Meteoric Rise

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.