Channel Issues & Questions

[D007]

When HBO Max launched in May and wasn't available on Roku I gave Roku the benefit of the doubt and figured AT&T was more to blame in the dispute.  I even contacted AT&T to complain.  But now we're in July - still no HBO Max on Roku - now Peacock isn't available either.  What gives Roku?  I understand this is about ads, sharing profits, user data, etc. but at some point you have to be flexible and give a little.  We purchase Roku devices to be able to access different streaming channels.  While I love Roku devices, I'm not going to be able to justify continuing to use them if they don't carry multiple, major streaming channels.  Please negotiate with AT&T and NBC in good faith and find a way for your devoted users to access these channels.

[lawest2]

Dear Roku,

Do not let HBO Max and NBC or any other channel owner charge you to use your platform. Stand up for yourselves and charge them for your services. They think they own you, the don’t. Let find a way to get their app out there. If you have to, charge them and that’s it. Make sure it benefits you $100%. Not the other way around. 

[C_I]

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@lawest2 wrote:

Dear Roku,

Do not let HBO Max and NBC or any other channel owner charge you to use your platform. Stand up for yourselves and charge them for your services. They think they own you, the don’t. Let find a way to get their app out there. If you have to, charge them and that’s it. Make sure it benefits you $100%. Not the other way around. 

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         You are aware that you can subscribe to these premium services through the Roku Channel, right?  And these premium services charges you, the customer NOT  Roku. 

[Avalon1024]

You cannot get HBO MAX or Peacock through Roku right now and the question we should all be asking ourselves is "why"? If new premium subscription services do not want to play nice with Roku, WE suffer the consequences not Roku. Roku already has my money for the 6+ sticks I have bought in the last two years. I dont think I'll be buying anymore because they do me no good if I cannot access what I want.

[AKThunder]

Dear Roku,

You have been a constant in my life for over a decade. I have given you to multiple family members, purchased many myself, and always recommended you when I had a new friend join the world of streaming. I love your easy to use interface, and the small amount of ads when compared to the Fire TV. However starting this year with the Fox app before the Super Bowl, disputes have made Roku no longer the one stop shop for streaming. Recently HBO Max has been left off the platform, as well as the upcoming Peacock. While it takes two to tango, and the public will never know the whole story, many, like myself feel that the cable companies have been replaced by new tech masters. Roku should be the one stop shop for things streaming. I recently bought a Roku TV to replace an old one, and despite my initial enthusiasm, I keep finding disappointment with every new app you don’t carry. We all left cable due to disputes, and I guess we should have seen this coming. After a decade maybe I need to move to an android box or a more open source option in the future. Thanks for the good years!

[optikhog]

Like Google, Roku profits via advertising. They are not a philanthropic organization. 

Peacock made a deal with Google for Android TV in which both gather advertising data about you. They have not made one with Roku yet which shares this data, but they will because both stand to profit. It always has, and always will, come down to $.

[Zoroth]

Agreed. I loved my Roku players for years but I'm done buying them. I'll be switching to a different brand shortly. 

I realize you're trying to leverage your user base to make money, but please be aware that it's also turning formerly happy customers into unhappy former customers. 

[rovel0]

In fact, I have an old Apple TV unit that I'll be switching to as of Aug 1 if Roku continues to not offer HBOMax (I also get a Premier League Pass which will be only on Peacock next season, so I care about that, too).  I've been using my computer and other devices, but that's not acceptable for family viewing.  And once I've gone through the bother of setting up all my accounts for all of my streaming services, it's unlikely that I'm going to want to switch back again very soon.  If Roku pays any attention to these threads I hope they'll get this resolved.

[NemesisJack]

It's beyond infuriating. I bought a Roku TV because I didn't want to deal with multiple remotes or apps on my phone. Now more than half my content I have to cast from my phone. 

[Zoroth]

Yep, that's exactly what I'm doing—using an old AppleTV. And now I'll be buying an AppleTV 4K instead of a new Roku device.