Miss Universe Signs Multi-Year Broadcast Deals with The Roku Channel and Telemundo

New York, NY-The Miss Universe Organization (MUO), which oversees the annual MISS UNIVERSE competition, announces new multi-year distribution deals with The Roku Channel and Telemundo, covering the U.S. streaming and broadcast markets in both English and Spanish languages, respectively. The 72nd Annual Finale will occur on November 18, 2023.

The 2023 competition, which is set to take place live in El Salvador, will be executive produced by Sergio Alfaro and his LA-based production company InventTV, as well as Paula Shugart and Anne Jakrajutatip for Miss Universe.

"We're very excited to be moving forward with The Roku Channel and Telemundo for the next few years," said Amy Emmerich, MUO CEO. "To me, this is a legacy brand that people should be watching for what we're going to do next, not what we've done in the past. The women we work with, and the fans who make up our core audience, are an exceptionally tuned-in crowd. We appreciate seeing them show up for us every single year - and our broadcast partners have seen that firsthand."

In January 2023, the 71st Miss Universe finale streamed for the first time on The Roku Channel, becoming the most streamed live program on The Roku Channel on its broadcast date, reaching millions of streamers with the live and on-demand replay of the competition during its broadcast weekend.

"It is a pleasure to build on our partnership with the Miss Universe Organization, and we look forward to exclusively bringing the live experience to The Roku Channel once again," said David Eilenberg, Head of Content, Roku Media. "The success of last year's broadcast, which also marked The Roku Channel's first-ever live event, not only demonstrates viewer appetite for live programming, but also the success that live programming can find in a free streaming environment."

For Telemundo, the finale ranked as the #1 entertainment program in its Saturday night slot across broadcast and cable for adults 18-49, with an average of 875,000 viewers in the 18-49 demo and 2.4 million total viewers on linear. Locally, it was the #1 ranked Spanish-language TV program in its time slot in the Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Dallas, and Chicago markets.

"As the exclusive broadcast home of Miss Universe in the U.S., we are thrilled to bring the competition back to our audience live from El Salvador, a Latin American country full of beauty and rich in culture," stated Ronald Day, President of Entertainment and Content Strategy for Telemundo. "This highly anticipated global event showcases our diverse cultures, while recognizing women who have positively impacted their countries and helped empower others."

This year, women from 90+ countries, covering six continents, will compete for the Miss Universe title and the opportunity to bring their social-impact cause to a global audience. The organization has a storied history of launching women's careers in entertainment, politics, fashion, advocacy, and more. Recent past winners include India's Harnaaz Sandhu, who founded a coalition for menstrual equity, and current titleholder R'Bonney Gabriel of Houston, TX, who has her own sustainable fashion line and has partnered with sustainable initiatives like RCGD Global.

"I'm thrilled to be working with The Roku Channel, Telemundo, and InventTV for our 72nd global event," said MUO President and longtime producer Paula Shugart. "I've known Sergio's work for many years and we're so excited to finally be partnering on a show that will demonstrate our collective passion for women's empowerment."

"Miss Universe is a global organization that needs cross-cultural expertise to thrive," said Alfaro, whose production experience spans the Alma Awards, Emmy Awards, and the Critics' Choice Awards, as well as large-scale live events like the inauguration of President Barack Obama. "I welcome the chance to bridge the English- and Spanish-speaking markets by producing an amazing show for the 165 countries that will view it. I appreciate Paula Shugart and Anne Jakrajutatip trusting me with this endeavor!"

MUO is owned by JKN Global Group Public Company Limited, a major media, content, and commerce holding company (Stock Exchange of Thailand: JKN).

About The Miss Universe Organization

The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) exists to advocate for a future forged by women and good for all. It is a global community that supports women to realize their goals through experiences that build self-confidence and create opportunities for success. Their programs provide an international platform to affect positive change through influential humanitarian and professional efforts for 10,000 women who participate annually. The delegates and titleholders are leaders and role models in their communities; they develop personal and professional goals, and inspire others to do the same. To learn more, visit www.missuniverse.com.

About JKN Global Media Public Company Limited

JKN Global and its subsidiaries provide services and distribute copyrighted content sourced from around the globe, including TV shows, documentaries, and feature films. JKN's content has driven phenomenal ratings on various television stations, including their digital TV channel JKN18. The company also has several goods and product lines. JKN stands for Jakapong Network, derived from the name of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip. As JKN Global Group increases their footprint as a major provider of news and entertainment content in Southeast Asia, they are proud to own the Miss Universe Organization and to help empower the next generation of women leaders.

About Roku

Roku pioneered streaming on TV. We connect users to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Roku TV(TM) models, Roku streaming players, and TV-related audio devices are available in various countries around the world through direct retail sales and/or licensing arrangements with TV OEM brands. Roku-branded TVs and Roku Smart Home products are sold exclusively in the United States. Roku also operates The Roku Channel, the home of free and premium entertainment with exclusive access to Roku Originals. The Roku Channel is available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., U.S.A.

Marks included in press release are trademarks or registered trademarks of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries. Tradenames, trademarks, and services marks of other companies appearing in this press release are the property of their respective holders.

About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises:

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The company serves U.S. Hispanics through its national broadcast network, the cable network Universo, and digital platforms including the Telemundo app and streaming services, such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo Network offers Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 95% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 61 affiliate stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station serving Puerto Rico. Telemundo is the exclusive U.S. Spanish-language home of the world's two most popular sporting events, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games, as well as the Premier League and Mexican soccer team Chivas. The #1 producer of scripted Spanish-language content in the U.S., Telemundo Global Studios includes Telemundo Television Studios, Telemundo Streaming Studios, and Underground Producciones. Telemundo's new Tplus content brand on Peacock features programming developed for the full spectrum of Hispanics. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.