By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former editor of 4 TV magazines. Author of TV Dot Com.
TV Answer Man, I appreciate your updates on television tech stuff. Do you know if Roku still has those private channels that had adult stuff and other cool stuff they didn’t want to tell you about? — Manny, Tampa, Florida.
Manny, Roku offers thousands of channels, both subscription and free, on its streaming devices, which is nice considering that Roku does not require a monthly subscription (except for the subscription services such as Netflix.) The list of free channels includes YouTube, Pandora, CBS News, PBS, PBS Kids, Crackle, Pluto TV, Tubi, WeatherNation, Sky News, Bloomberg TV, CNET, Popular Science, NASA, Vevo, IHeartRadio, TuneIn, and Twitch, among many others. Here’s a link to Roku’s channel page.
What Are Roku Private Channels?
And, at one time, Roku had what it called, ‘private channels.’ They were channels that it did not approve or review (or include in the Roku Channel Store) but were available over the Internet. Programmers made the channel available to Roku’s subscribers by offering codes that would allow you to add it to your list of available channels on the Roku home page.
The private channels were not publicized for various reasons including that some were adult-oriented while others were not ready for prime time, meaning the programmer didn’t want a large number of people to watch them yet. Sometimes the private channels were truly “private,” meaning they were intended for a private event such as an employee meeting or corporate presentation.
Why Did Roku Eliminate Private Channels?
Despite the popularity of the private channels in some quarters, Roku never seemed comfortable with them and they finally eliminated them in February 2022. The company now offers ‘Beta channels’ as an alternative but access to them are limited to just 20 people which makes adult fare and other off-the-wall content not economically viable.
Manny, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
