Roku Picks Up The Newsreader for the U.S.

Roku has acquired the Australian drama series The Newsreader to debut as an original on The Roku Channel in the U.S.

Centered around the frantic world of broadcast news in the ’80s, the series follows the unconventional relationship between an ambitious young reporter and the difficult star news anchor. The Newsreader is set to bow in the U.S. on March 18.

Created and written by Michael Lucas (Offspring, Five Bedrooms), the series is produced by Werner Film Productions for the ABC in Australia, with major investment from Screen Australia and the ABC and financed with support from Film Victoria. Anna Torv and Sam Reid star in the lead roles.

The Newsreader originally debuted in its native Australia in 2021 to critical acclaim, earning 16 nominations at the 2021 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards, more than any other program. The show won the Best Drama Series award, among others.

The Roku Channel acquired the series from Entertainment One (eOne), the series’ international distributor.

“Great content comes from all over the world, and we could not be more thrilled to bring The Newsreader to American audiences exclusively as a Roku original,” said Colin Davis, head of scripted originals at Roku. “As we continue to expand our Roku originals slate, it is exciting to bring this type of incredibly well-written, award-winning programming to millions of Roku Channel viewers for free.”

Lucas said, “We were absolutely thrilled when we found out that The Newsreader would make its American debut on The Roku Channel and can’t wait for viewers to see the incredible performances of our ensemble, led by the phenomenal Anna Torv and Sam Reid as Helen and Dale. The Newsreader incorporates many iconic news stories that gripped the U.S. in the ’80s, but more than anything, we hope that the drama and emotion of the series resonate with American audiences.”