Roku Resists Integration of "Pause Ads" Across HDMI Inputs
This week, Roku refuted a widespread social media claim suggesting that the company has begun showing "pausing advertisements" for content streamed from different sources on its smart TVs.
The problem garnered considerable online interest following a streamer sharing an image within a Reddit forum popular among Roku users. The post alleged that a Roku StreamBar Pro unit showed advertisements whenever playback from non-Roku platforms was halted.
A critique of the aftermath by The Desk unveiled that the streamer was viewing material from Discovery Plus, a platform under the ownership of Warner Bros Discovery which includes advertisements during pauses for certain budget-friendly subscriptions. This service can be accessed via Roku’s streaming devices; however, it does not belong to Roku Corporation.
Nevertheless, the post resulted in a report from a site known as Tech Issues Today That was later taken up by the streaming blog Cord Cutters News, which erroneously claimed Those pause advertisements were inundating Roku screens "even during DVD or video game sessions," despite this assertion not being present in the initial social media post.
According to the Tech Issues Today article cited by writer Luke Bouma, Roku’s pause ads utilized automatic content recognition technology to insert commercials across all HDMI connections. This impacted Roku TV owners who watched content via gaming systems and various devices connected to their television sets.
"The launch comes after a successful trial period, during which Roku received favorable comments from advertisers. Pause ads were particularly notable because they fetch higher prices than mid-roll or pre-roll ads thanks to their less intrusive nature," Bouma stated.
However, Roku refutes all of these claims. An executive from the firm stated The Desk via telephone on Wednesday, they stated that the company hasn't run a trial for releasing advertisements across non-Roku platforms, and also mentioned that they have no present intentions to initiate such efforts.
The source, who requested anonymity as they weren’t officially cleared to talk to a journalist, voiced irritation towards several outlets that "published the article without seemingly verifying with anyone involved" whether the assertion posted on Reddit held up.
The executive stated that the firm shows advertisements solely on the main screen of their gadgets and inside The Roku Channel, which is a free streaming television application.
“The source stated, ‘We do not display advertisements elsewhere.’”
On Wednesday, Tech Issues Today revised their article to incorporate comments from a Roku representative. The spokesperson stated that the firm thinks the initial poster on Reddit might have encountered an advertisement break originating from a different service.
Other websites, including 9to5Google , FlatPanelsHD , The Streamable and ZDNet Additionally, they revised their narratives with accurate details from Monday through Wednesday. As of late Wednesday evening, the incorrect Cord Cutters News article was still available online.
Advertising constitutes the largest segment of Roku’s business, making up almost all of its income and aiding the firm in reducing its operational deficit over recent years. Earlier this month , Roku revealed it earned $1.02 billion during the first three months of the year, of which $880.8 million was owed to its advertising and subscriptions business.
As Roku increasingly concentrates on advertising and subscription models, the company has explored various methods to create extra income from the users of its feature-rich, affordably priced streaming devices and smart TVs.
In a previous year, tech reporter Janko Roettgers covered the news that Roku submitted a patent application which could potentially introduce advertisements during pauses in content playback when users connect their devices through HDMI on smart TVs. This article sparked considerable media attention, with many inaccurately asserting that Roku intended to implement such ad features immediately. However, neither Roettgers’s piece nor Roku suggested these ads were imminent; additionally, Roku had not yet secured final approval for its patent application at the time of reporting.
That said, Roku has experimented with delivering ads in other ways, with mixed results. The company began selling sponsorships against its “Roku City” screen saver two years ago, which allows brands to reach consumers when their Roku TVs are inactive for some time.
Early this year, the firm experimented with a novel form of advertisement that initiated a "Moana 2" trailer onDisney+ as soon as users powered on their televisions. caused some controversy among Roku users A representative subsequently explained that the advertisement was part of a small-scale trial involving several Roku streaming devices as they investigate innovative methods for highlighting brands and content while maintaining an enjoyable and straightforward user interface.
This article, Roku disagrees with implementing "Pause Ads" functionality across all HDMI ports. It was initially released in The Desk . Receive stories like these directly in your inbox by subscribing to our free newsletter To send a correction or reach out to us, click or tap here.
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