Roku offers all the hate and conspiracies rampant on One America … – Media Matters for America

Roku’s streaming service is a key part of Robert Herring’s business plans

Roku has over 63 million active users worldwide, and The Roku Channel — which houses its live TV content — regularly ranks within its top five channels by active account reach and streaming hour engagement. In a letter to shareholders,  Roku stressed that The Roku Channel “ranked first in reach amongst AVOD/FAST services in the U.S. and Canada” in TiVo’s video trends report from 2022’s second quarter.

AVOD (ad-supported video on demand) and FAST-TV  (free ad-supported streaming TV) models like The Roku Channel are subsidized by ad revenue, meaning Roku advertisers are unwittingly funding OAN’s extremist programming.

OAN’s inclusion on FAST-TV platforms like The Roku Channel has been a key focus of network founder Robert Herring’s business strategy. In May 2020, Herring stated that “non-traditional television viewing and revenue” would “be a big part of our revenue stream moving forward.” According to a 2022 press release, FAST distribution has enabled OAN to reach over “250 million monthly active users” worldwide.  

Herring’s pivot reflects larger trends within the TV industry. FAST-TV has been a core part of Roku’s strategic plan to crush cable, with the service expanding into the “last foothold of legacy pay TV in the US:” live sports and news programming. A 2021 survey found 61% of users without traditional pay TV watch live news multiple times a week; Roku responded with a “Live TV” widget that made it easier for customers to access live news. 

The unhinged content on OAN Plus: Free with Roku

The Roku Channel lists OAN Plus between Steve Bannon’s propaganda network America’s Voice Live and Reuters. OAN Plus offers such content as interviews with Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate groups, commentary from extremists banned from the U.K., puff pieces about former President Donald Trump, and conspiracy theories.