Music Tech

Broadcast TV Gets Interactive with ROXi Music Channel Launch

Credit: roxi.tv (edited)

Key Points

  • ROXi partners with Sinclair to launch an interactive music channel in 31 US markets using NextGen TV technology.
  • The channel offers a 100-million-song catalog from major labels and indie powerhouse Merlin, accessible via TV remote.
  • The launch aims to revitalize broadcast TV by merging it with streaming app interactivity.
  • The service leverages NextGen TV, now available in over 75% of US households, for more interactive broadcast content.

ROXi, in a partnership with broadcast giant Sinclair, is launching its interactive music channel in 31 US markets, using NextGen TV technology to deliver an app-like experience directly over the airwaves without logins or subscriptions.

Remote control revival: Powered by FastStream Interactive’s platform, the service lets viewers use their TV remote to channel-surf through individual songs. The channel features a 100-million-song catalog from every major label plus the indie powerhouse Merlin, searchable by artist, song, genre, or mood.

The bet on broadcast: The move is a clear bid to make broadcast TV relevant in an era dominated by on-demand streaming. The company behind the tech, FastStream Interactive, acquired the ROXi business in May, with Sinclair's investment in the deal showing a deeper commitment to the underlying technology.

Strength in numbers: The rollout is also being supported by Pearl TV, a broadcast business group whose members include Cox Media Group, Gray Television, and Nexstar. The group is key to expanding ROXi's reach beyond Sinclair's footprint, with a wider rollout planned for later this year.

The Bottom Line: This launch fulfills a plan first announced at CES 2024 to merge the ubiquity of broadcast with the interactivity of a streaming app, turning a long-standing promise into a market reality.

Also on our radar: The launch was preceded by a major management buyout that saw Sinclair and other broadcasters take a stake in ROXi's new parent company. This broadcast-centric approach runs parallel to ROXi's other strategy of launching a more traditional downloadable app for smart TVs. The new service arrives as its underlying technology, NextGen TV, now covers over 75% of US households, setting the stage for more interactive broadcast content.