Report: Fox/Roku deal underscores growing value of TV OS
September 9, 2026



Fox’s planned acquisition of Roku for $22 billion (€18.9m) highlights the strategic value of owning the platform that connects consumers to content, advertising and streaming services, according to a Parks Associates report.

Parks Associates’ Tech Ecosystem Dashboard, which includes data and analysis from surveys of 8,000+ US internet households, shows 43 per cent of US internet households report a Roku device as their most-used streaming media player. Among smart TV owners, 17 per cent report that their primary smart TV runs on Roku OS.


The Fox-Roku acquisition would bring strategic value to both companies. Fox brings premium live content, including sports and news, as well as Tubi, while Roku brings its operating system, The Roku Channel, Frndly TV, Howdy, advertising capabilities, and first-party data. Fox reports that Roku reaches more than 100 million streaming households globally.

“Roku’s strength is its reach across the connected TV experience,” commented Michael Goodman, Research Director, Parks Associates. “Its position across smart TVs and streaming media players gives the platform influence that extends beyond any single hardware brand.”



The combination also strengthens Fox’s position in the growing free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) market. Tubi and The Roku Channel give the combined company two major ad-supported streaming properties, while Roku’s platform provides additional opportunities to connect content discovery, audience data, and advertising across the TV experience.

Parks Associates released its Top Ten US FAST Services (in the US) in May:

Tubi
The Roku Channel
Pluto TV
Samsung TV+
Xumo Play
LG Channels
VIX
Local Now
WatchFree+ (Vizio)
Sling Freestream
“Competition in video is now about who owns the relationship with the viewer,” Goodman added. “Content remains critical, especially live sports and news, but the platform determines how consumers discover that content and how providers engage and monetise audiences. The Fox and Roku combination brings greater control over how consumers access and discover content while expanding opportunities for viewer data, advertising, and distribution.”