The Roku Channel will be the exclusive English-language broadcast partner for the 71st Miss Universe competition, the Miss Universe Organization announced Tuesday.
The live event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“For the first time ever, Americans are watching more streaming TV than cable. With this profound shift in the way audiences watch content underway, we’re thrilled to partner with The Roku Channel
to bring the Miss Universe competition to the streaming world and reach previously untapped audiences across the United States,” said Amy Emmerich, CEO of The Miss Universe Organization.
“The Roku Channel also ranked first in reach amongst AVOD/FAST services in the U.S. and Canada according to TiVo’s most recent quarterly Video Trends Report, and we are elated to be partnering together to find more innovative, new ways to tell the stories of these incredible women,” said Emmerich.
Rob Holmes, Vice President of Programming at Roku, said, “The Roku Channel is thrilled to host the 71st Miss Universe competition to celebrate the achievements of women across the globe and give a platform to their many passions and causes. As more and more marquee events move to streaming, we’re excited to bring these exclusive experiences for free to our audience.”
The international event, which will be held at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, will see nearly 90 women from around the world compete for the coveted title of Miss Universe. The competition, which will feature categories including interviews, evening gown, swimwear and community impact, will culminate with the 70th Miss Universe, Harnaaz Sandhu, crowning her successor.
The televised event will also stream in Spanish on Telemundo.
A Thai company owned by transgender activist Chakrapong “Anne” Chakrajutathib bought the Miss Universe Organization from Endeavor’s IMG division for $20 million in October. She is the first woman to own the pageant, which IMG acquired in 2015 from Donald Trump.
