Forum Discussion

andyross's avatar
andyross
Roku Guru
2 years ago

Roku Will Be Adding New Video Ads to Its Home Screen

During Roku’s first quarter 2024 earnings call, Roku’s CEO was asked about ad revenue and the home screen. Anthony Wood said:

But to give you some examples of the kinds of things we’re looking at on the home screen, on the home screen today, there’s the premier video app we called the Marquee and that traditionally has been a static ad. We’re going to add video to that ad. So that will be the first video ad in that we add to the home screen. That will be a big change for us.” Wood went on to say, “We’re also testing other types of video ad units, looking at other experiences we can add to the home screen that would be where we can innovate more video advertising. So that’s something we’re looking at.

https://cordcuttersnews.com/roku-will-be-adding-new-video-ads-to-its-home-screen/ 

tv & player features

15 Replies

  • number_one's avatar
    number_one
    Reel Rookie
    2 years ago

    The day I see video ads on my Roku devices will be the day I order a competitor's product.  I WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO FORCED VIDEO ADS.  I imagine I'm not alone.  I'll also likely be helping to replace other family members devices as they begin to complain about the ads.  And even worse, you'll have turned a fervent Roku evangelist into a hater.  I don't know if Roku staff even frequents this forum much, but I hope someone can stop this CEO from shooting his own company in the foot.

    The various tech websites that have reported on this story are filled with users who are angry even at the thought of this type of bad user experience.  I can only imagine how many families with young children are going to end up with traumatized kids when invariably there will end up being some video ad for a horror movie (especially when there are already reports in this community of inappropriate static ads).

    • crafty22072's avatar
      crafty22072
      Channel Surfer
      8 months ago

      Today I disconnected all my Roku devices and transferred my tv subscriptions to my vizio smart tv.  I will be ordering apple devices for my older tvs.  I am done with Roku and it's invasive ads.  The full screen ads before I can even get to my apps and their patent for casting ads to any connected devices (DVD players. Game devices, etc) is the very last straw.  I have been with Roku since the beginning and now I will never use anything made by this greedy, horrible company.  I'm done, and I am taking the information to social media and I am boycotting you. Learn how to treat people Roku.  That's something you used to know.  The damage done by you in this move is not repairable and your stock shows it.

      • jmedarts's avatar
        jmedarts
        Channel Surfer
        7 months ago

        Not that Roku gives a hoot, but i broke down and bought an SD card. The instructions to install it are ludicrous. First off - no pictures. You’ll have to guess which way the SD card faces. Second -  the slot is under the HDMI input, and they tell you to remove the HDMI cable for access. Nice design there. Then they actually type (after they tell you to pull the HDMI cable) that you will see a message on your screen acknowledging the card and asking if you want to format it. Really? How does the video signal get to the TV without the HDMI cable? Stupid.

    • Dwstudeman's avatar
      Dwstudeman
      Newbie
      2 years ago

      Does Roku just want to be an advertisement platform? Many of us pay for premium content in order to avoid ads, Roku lately seems to feel it is perfectly acceptable to force ads onto their customers. This is very Dystopian.

      • MassiveBrainage's avatar
        MassiveBrainage
        Binge Watcher
        2 years ago

        Yes, they do. 86% of their profits come from ad related sales and just 14% comes from sale of Roku devices/hardware. Their priority and main focus is selling the screen that we bought and paid for to the highest bidder. Let's see if they ban, block and delete me here like they did on Reddit.  😕

    • ThisishT's avatar
      ThisishT
      Roku Guru
      2 years ago

      Sorry to be off topic. What is disappointing to me is that "Roku" made the decision to briefly add the 3X3 or 4X4 app tile grid size Show/Hide choice option to my device and then made the decision (several weeks later) to remove the app tile grid size Show/Hide as an option of choice. And Roku also made the decision to replace the "Continue Watching" that was associated with Recommendation rows with what is now called "On Now" which to me is basically the same as the "Live TV" option. Roku makes the decision (good and/or bad) to modify the users' device when and if they choose to do so. The ad revenue income will out-weigh any user experience complaint. 

  • renojim's avatar
    renojim
    Community Streaming Expert
    2 years ago

    I'm sure that will go over well.  🙄

  • Jigsawbones's avatar
    Jigsawbones
    Reel Rookie
    8 months ago

    I just want Roku to know I'll be ditching all 4 of my Rokus due to the forced video ads now playing on the Home Screen. Such a disappointment they chose to go this route. 

    • andyross's avatar
      andyross
      Roku Guru
      8 months ago

      One possible way to stop it is to go to Settings/Accessibility/Auto-play video and set it to Off

      • Jigsawbones's avatar
        Jigsawbones
        Reel Rookie
        8 months ago

        Thanks for the reply, I'll try that in the interim. My Home Screen has gone from no ads at first to an ad on the right when you navigate to your apps. Then it went to a small ad some of the time over my Home Screen space on the bottom left AND to the right. Now I have an ad on the left, right, and above my apps randomly. When is it going to stop? I'll tell you when...when my Fire stick arrives. 

  • jmedarts's avatar
    jmedarts
    Channel Surfer
    8 months ago

    Saw my first video ad today. Can’t tell you how annoyed I am. This is after my device has told me i need to buy an SD card if I want to keep my apps from loading every time I open them. I didnt buy a card, so now Roku wastes my time making me wait for the only 4 apps i use to re-load about 70% of the time i open them. Roku is taking up the space i bought for my apps with ads. Absolute BS. Way too many other options out there for Roku to act like this.