What if you could skip the gatekeepers?
What if “getting on TV” didn’t require Hollywood connections, six-figure budgets, or a dev team? What if your videos, your shows, your brand — were right there between Netflix and HBO?
That’s no longer a fantasy. That’s 2026.
And the numbers prove it.
The Future You’ve Been Waiting For Is Already Here
In May 2025, streaming didn’t just grow — it conquered the entire television landscape. For the first time ever, streaming captured 44.8% of all U.S. TV viewership, overtaking the combined share of broadcast and cable.
Source: Nielsen, June 2025
On top of that, Roku — the #1 Connected TV platform — now reaches over 90 million streaming households.
Source: Roku Press Release, Jan 2025
Translation:
The audience is already on the couch. The demand has never been higher. And the tools to launch a streaming channel have never been more accessible.
This is your ground-floor moment to launch your own streaming network.
Why 2026 Is “Day One” for Independent Creators on TV
1. Streaming Is Now the Default — Not the Future
For years, the narrative was “streaming is growing.” Now the narrative is: streaming has won.
In four years, streaming usage soared by 71% while cable and broadcast crumbled. Audiences are no longer channel surfing. They’re searching. They’re streaming. They’re choosing niche content on demand.
If you’ve built anything on YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, Instagram, or even your own website, you’re already halfway to being a TV network owner.
2. Roku Is the Fastest, Easiest Path to Living-Room Reach
Roku’s footprint is absurdly huge:
- 90+ million households
- The most widely adopted TV OS in America
- The leading platform for FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV)
- More households than cable companies ever dreamed of
When you launch on Roku, you’re not building an app for a niche. You’re stepping onto the same digital shelf as Netflix, HBO, Disney+, and YouTube — the biggest TV networks on Earth. And you can do it without Hollywood, without a tech department, and without begging for anyone’s approval.
3. The FAST Gold Rush: TV Reinvented for Creators
FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) is booming — and you can see why:
- Viewers get free channels
- Creators get ad revenue
- Everyone wins
It’s the digital evolution of cable — but without the insane barriers:
- No contracts.
- No airtime restrictions.
- No gatekeeping.
- No approval from an exec in a suit.
FAST is where small creators can become big networks — and where niche channels outperform traditional TV. If you’ve ever said “I wish I could run a TV channel for my niche,” FAST is literally the answer.
What This Means for You (Yes, YOU)
Here’s the real shift:
Power no longer belongs to networks. It belongs to content owners.
If you have:
- A YouTube archive
- A podcast catalog
- Courses or tutorials
- Sermons or motivational talks
- Film content, documentaries, interviews
- A niche community, or brand identity, or story worth telling
…then you have everything you need to launch a Roku channel in 2026.
You don’t need a film studio. You don’t need a six-figure budget. You don’t need a team of engineers. You don’t need a design department. You don’t need a Hollywood handshake.
The gate is open. The tools exist. The timing is perfect.
All you need is the decision to step through.
Why Most Creators Still Don’t Make the Leap
Even now, in the golden age of streaming, most creators get stuck on outdated assumptions:
- “Isn’t launching a Roku app expensive?”
Historically, yes — $15k to $60k+ for custom development. Many dev quotes still sit in that ballpark. - “Isn’t streaming only for studios?”
That used to be true. Not anymore. - “What if my audience is too small?”
Connected TV rewards niches better than YouTube does. Some of the highest-performing FAST channels are hyper-specific. - “It feels… too big.”
That’s exactly why you should do it.
The Biggest Mindset Shift of 2026
Stop thinking like a creator.
Start thinking like a media owner.
Creators chase algorithms. Networks own distribution.
Creators ride trends. Networks build permanence.
Creators post videos. Networks build empires.
It’s time to make the shift.
Your Content Deserves a Living-Room Audience
If even 1% of you has ever dreamed of a bigger stage…
If you’ve ever wanted your brand to sit next to the giants…
If you’ve ever wanted your content to escape the chaos of social algorithms…
2026 is your moment.
The market is ready. The audience is ready. The platforms are ready.
You don’t need permission.
You just need a path.
— Your Future Self, Live on Roku