Roku appoints Lisa Holme, a veteran from Hulu and Warner Bros. Discovery, as its new head of content to boost its streaming strategy.
Holme will oversee Roku's global programming, including original content, acquisitions, sports, and partnerships.
The Roku Channel ranks as the fifth most-watched streaming platform in the U.S., highlighting its growing influence.
Holme's appointment signals Roku's commitment to expanding beyond a platform to a content-driven future.
The streaming industry faces challenges with consolidation and the evolving role of content in the AI era.
Roku has named veteran streaming executive Lisa Holme its new head of content, a strategic move to capitalize on the rapid growth of its free, ad-supported Roku Channel. Holme, an alum of both Hulu and Warner Bros. Discovery, will start September 8 and oversee the company’s global programming efforts.
Running the playbook: Reporting to Roku Media president Charlie Collier, Holme will be responsible for the company’s entire content operation. Her purview includes Roku’s original programming slate, content acquisitions, sports, and branded partnerships, as well as the “This Old House” studio.
A storied resume: Holme joins Roku from Peter Chernin’s North Road Co., where she was chief growth and strategy officer. She previously guided content roadmaps for Discovery+ and HBO Max and, before that, was a foundational executive at Hulu, leading the licensing and co-production deals that helped build the streamer into a major force.
Striking while it's hot: The hire comes as The Roku Channel solidifies its position as a major player in the streaming wars. According to Nielsen data reported by StreamTV Insider, the service was the fifth most-watched streaming platform in the U.S. in July, giving the company significant momentum to build upon.
By bringing in a seasoned leader with a track record of building streaming powerhouses, Roku is signaling it's ready to move beyond just being a platform and invest seriously in the content that will define its future.
The wider view: Holme steps in as the industry grapples with its own identity crisis, with some insiders pointing to the human toll of consolidation creating a miserable environment in Hollywood. At the same time, others are questioning the very value of content itself, arguing that as AI makes production cheaper, all media may eventually just become marketing for other ventures.
