This will be a busy summer for streaming. There is a new NFL streaming app expected to be launched in July, and now Lionsgate announced that they expect premium service Starz to be spun off by the end of the summer.
Starz which is both a pay TV service and standalone streaming service has turned out to be a loss leader for Lionsgate and it is ready to move on.
Who will pick it up? There are a number of potential bidders including Apollo Global, but the most intriguing one could be Roku, which has been aggressive in scooping up content for its free Roku Channel. Should streamers expect Roku to buy Starz and stream its content for free? I doubt it. Though it could drop some of the network’s older content on the ad-supported option. More likely, Roku would choose to position the streaming app front and center on its platform. Roku is already entering a partnership with Lionsgate, that will allow it to stream multiple titles on the Roku Channel. So it would not be a giant stretch to see more.
