Roku Adding 16 New Channels for Free This Month

The Roku Channel is expanding yet again. Amid a whirlwind year that has seen dozens of newly added channels and free movies, the company announced Tuesday that it has added 16 additional free live channels to kick off April. The lineup of new channels, now available for free on The Roku Channel, means viewers now have easy access to over 275 live linear channels.

The latest channel roundup includes a little something for everyone. Amid an increased focus on films and movies hailing from Asia, Roke Channel has added AsianCrush, a channel offering "the most diverse catalog of premium Asian content in the digital space," including top Korean, Chinese, and Japanese TV dramas, according to the Roku Blog. OnDemand China, meanwhile, allows streamers to watch movies, series, and specials from the OnDemand China library, which is "dedicated to providing viewers in North America with high-quality Chinese and Asian content." New KMovies, meanwhile, is home to all-time Korean box-office hits and premium, iconic, genre-defying Korean films of the last decade.

The lineup also includes a trio of FilmRise channels. FilmRise Anime offers the hit sagas Bakugan and Beybladei, with FilmRise Black TV, offering Black-led movies and TV shows starring legends like Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson and more. FilmRise British TV, airs hits like Doc Martin, Coronation Street, Peak Practice, and Peep Show.

The roundup of new additions also includes friendly of kid-friendly options, including Kartoon Channel!, "a family entertainment destination delivering fun, safe, and engaging content full of humor, adventure, and discovery!" That channel is available for streaming alongside the newly added Strawberry Shortcake channel, which aims to inspire girls to make the world a better, sweet-smelling place, where every berries effort can make a difference.

Other channels being added include Caught in Providence, Cinevault Classics, Deal Zone, Gomeful, LIV TV, Perform. The lineup also includes The Dick Van Dyke Show, allowing streamers to the all-time classic American sitcom, and Torque, a channel highlighting custom rides to thrill rides that is perfect for those who love a high-octane world.

The 16 new channels are now available for free on the Roku Channel. The additions come as Roku plans to roll out a major software update. Set to be available in the coming days, Roku OS 11 will bring a number of new features to supported Roku devices, including Photo Streams, new sound modes, and a refreshed mobile app.