Fox's $22 Billion Acquisition of Roku is a Consumer Nightmare

I'm done with Roku. I was already on the fence after seeing how the company transformed from being a simple set-top box provider to a money-making machine driven by ad sales and data collection. I've been wary of its right-wing leadership for years, especially after Roku added Alex Jones' conspiracy-riddled Infowars channel after it was blocked by YouTube, Apple, Twitter and Facebook (Roku later reversed course after users complained). And I've grown tired of Roku's simplistic OS, which still can't let you easily jump between different apps. Fox's $22 billion acquisition of Roku is the last straw for me.

If the deal is approved (and it likely will, given the Trump administration's lax regulatory attitude around conservative media), it will make Fox a far bigger player in the streaming world. Roku claims its ad-supported Roku Channel reaches 145 million people, a large swath of users who would be a prime target for Fox's news and sports content. Fox also bought the ad-supported streaming service Tubi in 2020 (a deal which ironically involved selling off its 5 percent stake in Roku), and it currently runs the streaming services Fox One and Fox Nation.

Fox buying Roku makes complete sense for both companies. Fox is desperate to own a larger slice of the digital media world, especially after it sold off its movie studios and cable channels to Disney in 2017 (content that now helps to power Disney+). And after Roku hit $1 billion in revenue in 2025, an acquisition would be a quick payoff for investors and the company's executives. In many ways, the $22 billion deal would also serve as a major jewel in the crown for Lachlan Murdoch, Fox's CEO and Rupert Murdoch's most conservative nepo-baby. I bet it makes daddy proud.

For consumers, though, the acquisition is yet another sign of media consolidation that could ultimately make our lives worse. And that's especially true if you're actively trying to avoid the reach of conservative media. It's only a matter of time until the Roku Channel is flooded with Fox News content and ads. Roku City, the company's cheesy screensaver background, could easily turn into a MAGA backwater. I wouldn't be surprised if Lachlan Murdoch would happily sacrifice a large swath of anti-conservative users to make Roku more Fox-friendly. (I'd also bet it's only a matter of time until we see "limited edition" Roku devices draped in the American flag and patriotic glory.)

Personally, I plan to exercise my limited consumer rights. I won't buy more Roku products; I'm going to throw away the single Roku Streaming Stick I own and use that TV's built-in apps; and I'm going to turn off network access on my two Roku TVs (which will keep them from monetizing my attention). For those sets, I'm going to pick up a used Apple TV 4K and dig up my older 1080p Apple TV. I'm also pretty sure I can live without seeing The Roku Channel ever again, a service I only used once to watch the Weird Al biopic.

If you feel similarly grossed out by the Fox acquisition, I'd recommend you make similar moves. Instead of a Roku Stick, you could use the Google TV Streamer or Apple TV 4K, both of which offer more modern interfaces than Roku's. And sure, the $139 Apple TV 4K is a much bigger investment than a $50 Roku Stick, but it's worth it if you watch a lot of TV. It's not filled with ads, tVOS is wonderfully zippy and it integrates with all of Apple's devices seamlessly. If you're truly hardcore, you could also explore ways to create your own streaming server.

Amazon's Fire devices are also an option, but I figure anyone with moral qualms against Fox may have similar issues with anything tied to Jeff Bezos. (I also find Amazon's ads to be particularly annoying, but that may just be personal taste.)