It's time to dump Roku
Key takeaways
- 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.
- Fox buying Roku makes complete sense for both companies.
- For consumers, though, the acquisition is yet another sign of media consolidation that could ultimately make our lives worse.
Erman Gunes/Shutterstock 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 You Tube, 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.