According to Doug Lynch at xda-developers.com:
Android TV owners recently received an update across multiple platforms that have started to display sponsored content with a "Promotional Channels' title in the launcher of the Android TV software. We're currently seeing reports that it has shown up in Sony smart TVs, the Mi Box 3 from Xiaomi, NVIDIA Shield TV, and others. This has been an incredibly off-putting change for a lot of Android TV users. What makes matters worse is people were unable to disable the ads at first, but Reddit user Felisens seems to have figured out how to disable them.
[...] Update: Google's response
A Google spokesperson gave us the following statement:
Android TV is committed to optimizing and personalizing the entertainment experience at home. As we explore new opportunities to engage the user community, we're running a pilot program to surface sponsored content on the Android TV home screen.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday April 05 2019, @02:59PM (2 children)
I take my computer to the SS. Philip and James Catholic Church, ask priest to bless my computer, and to perform an exorcism on it. That's how I got Microsoft out!
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 05 2019, @03:33PM
I took my computer to Jack Lalanne to be exorcised.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 06 2019, @12:17AM
It was the dunking underwater for 2min part of the exorcism which really got the M$ out.