Apps & viewing

[Suilebhain]

Considering the Roku App Store features fascist propaganda outlets like OAN (multiple versions), Real America's Voice, Newsmax, Fox News, and Right Side Broadcasting, why do we not have access to C-Span, where we can watch our government at work without the biased input of some talking head?

[renojim]

For the most part, Roku doesn't create the apps.  There's nothing stopping C-Span from creating a Roku app, so your question is better directed to them.

[OTAoriginalTV]

I did ask C-SPAN for a Roku app, and they are waiting for Roku to make the move. Here's a bit of the response from C-SPAN's customer service: "I would suggest letting Roku know that their viewers are interested in getting C-SPAN programming to help make sure they are coming to the table eager to offer our channels." Looks like there are a few of us, at least. Maybe a poll (Roku) is not a bad idea, to see if there is enough interest?

[atc98092]

That is a cop-out by C-Span. Roku has nothing to do with any 3rd party provider for developing apps for their platform. They provide the software tools and functions for developers to build apps for the Roku platform. But they take no action to encourage/discourage a provider from building an app. As long as the app meets the terms of service requirements, Roku will gladly place their app in the Channel Store for users to install.

[OTAoriginalTV]

My read is C-SPAN isn't willing to create an app for Roku without some data from Roku on Roku viewer interest. C-SPAN has developed an app already for smartphones. I gather that cannot be used on Roku as-is. 

[atc98092]

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@OTAoriginalTV wrote:

My read is C-SPAN isn't willing to create an app for Roku without some data from Roku on Roku viewer interest. C-SPAN has developed an app already for smartphones. I gather that cannot be used on Roku as-is. 

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No, an app for a different platform will not work on Roku devices. Smartphones run either under Android or Apple iOS, neither are the same as the RokuOS, which is a highly modified version of Linux. Yes, Android is based on Linux, but still completely different OSs. Apps for Roku devices are written in a completely different programming language.

Roku cannot provide that information to C-Span. If they want to gauge user interest, they are the ones that need to ask their users.