Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
For the first time, Roku has found itself in a heated carriage dispute that’s very familiar to cable providers, but less often associated with tech companies. Yesterday, the conflict between Roku and Fox spilled out into the open, with Roku emailing customers to announce that all of Fox’s standalone channels would abruptly be going away on January 31st.
With virtually no notice, Roku has kicked Fox Now, Fox News, and Fox Sports (among others) off its hugely popular platform. The removal comes just days before Super Bowl 2020, which Fox is broadcasting this Sunday night. After Roku’s email, Fox responded with a contentious statement that accused Roku of using its customers “as pawns” in negotiations and reminded viewers of other ways to…