Quibi is in advanced discussions to sell its content catalog to Roku Inc.,
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according to people familiar with the case, as the short streaming service is shutting down after a failed run.
Founded by movie mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, Quibi raised $ 1.75 billion with an ambitious plan to develop high-quality content for cell phones. But the service, which launched in April, never gained traction, and Quibi said in October that it was shutting down.
Roku, which sells the most popular streaming media player in the US, is aggressively pushing content with its own ad-supported app, the Roku Channel, which offers movies and shows produced by other companies. A deal with Quibi would give Roku a list of exclusive programming.
Under the terms the companies have discussed, Roku would acquire rights to Quibi’s library, the people familiar with the matter said. The financial terms of the proposed deal could not be determined. The deal talks can still fall apart.
Quibi’s shows, with episodes lasting less than 10 minutes, feature stars such as Anna Kendrick, Liam Hemsworth and Sophie Turner. Shows include “Most Dangerous Game,” a human hunting show, “Dummy,” a talking sex doll series, and “Murder House Flip,” an amalgamation of home improvement programs and true crime shows. .
Quibi has made deals with producers that will allow Quibi to exhibit their shows on its service for seven years. Some contracts suggest that the content cannot be broadcast on other platforms, say some people familiar with the deal terms. One person familiar with Roku’s view said the contract terms would not prevent the company from displaying the content on its service.
Write to Amol Sharma at [email protected], Benjamin Mullin at [email protected] and Cara Lombardo at [email protected]
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