For fans who enjoy watching GoPro videos like this biker crossing a bridge, skydiver jumping from space, or the elderly flying a drone, you’ll soon be able to enjoy them on the big screen at home if you have one of Roku’s streaming devices. GoPro announced that it is launching a curated, on-demand channel in the spring.
The channel is similar to its partnership with Xbox, Virgin America, and, most recently, LG, which saw GoPro creating channels for those distribution platforms. It’s part of GoPro’s continuing efforts to expand the number of places viewers can consumer GoPro-related content.
“This is the next iteration of where we are going as a media company, distributing our channel as wide as we can go,” Adam Dornbusch, GoPro’s head of programming, tells us. “Roku is one of the best over the top (OTT) platforms, and it’s a fantastic place to exhibit GoPro content.”
Roku users will get access to GoPro-produced videos – such as this synchronized skydive over Dubai, shown above – as well as user-generated content curated by GoPro. All videos, of course, were shot with Hero action cameras. Users will see featured playlists on a variety of topics, and have the ability to add favorites. Unique to the Roku channel is a “discover and explore” option, which lets viewers find out what products were used to create the video.
“How-to videos, and behind-the-scenes of how people are actually hooking up GoPro cameras, all that’s coming,” Dornbusch says. Not to mention sports programming as well: GoPro recently announced a partnership with the NHL to deliver unique content.
While a lot of media consumption is now online – particularly for the type of videos made with Hero and other action cameras – GoPro still sees these other screens as opportunities for increased viewership.
“YouTube is sort of where we grew up and it’s definitely one of our best marketing platforms. But we wanted to super-serve the audience and get GoPro content in front of people in other ways,” Dornbusch says. “Roku has millions and millions of boxes out there, and viewers want to watch our content on the big screen. Most people watching YouTube are watching on their computers or mobile devices. Roku is naturally meant for 40, 50, 60-inch, beautiful 10-foot viewing experiences.”
Consumers can expect more partnerships to come. And with more places to watch GoPro videos, it’s an opportunity for users to get their work shown.
“We publish new content every day,” Dornbusch says. “It will be increasing for the foreseeable future, we’re staffing up our in-house production teams, we’re acquiring and distributing more and more user-generated content. What I’m most excited about is our user-generated content. Whenever a user’s content performs really well on our network, we pay them. The more we can incentivize them to create amazing content, live their passions, and capture life’s most meaningful moments, and share it with us so we can share it with the rest of the world, it just helps fuel the magic that is GoPro.”
“We are in deep discussion with all the major OTT and out-of-the-home platforms, and locating some of the traditional distribution guys. I’d say this is just the beginning,” Dornbusch adds. “Whether you want to watch it on Xbox, or on a Virgin America flight, or on Roku, or even on traditional television, we’re gonna start serving GoPro content everywhere the viewer wants to see it.”
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