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 c0lo on Friday April 05 2019, @10:43PM (2 children)
You will still not be a Google customer, but just another subject to extortion.
Pray that Google doesn't alter the deal further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 05 2019, @10:51PM (1 child)
I hope you're not in Europe. Now that the new Copyright Directive has been passed, you're engaging in copyright violation for Star Wars Episode 5. And you know how Disney gets about that stuff.
Let us know when you get out.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 06 2019, @07:17AM
Need to be adopted by each country first.