PlayOn banned from Roku due to "legal exposure" risk
updated 12:00 pm EDT, Fri October 29, 2010
Roku no longer offers PlayOn due to legal risk
Fearing legal repercussions, Roku Developer Program Manager Patrick announced on the company's official forums that PlayOn-compatible channels have been removed and can no longer be added. Those who already subscribed to the channel may be able to keep it, though for how long isn't known. Roku says this is because neither Roku nor the developer of the channel are affiliated with PlayOn.
For now, Roku remains as a streaming option on PlayOn's website. PlayOn offers streaming content from Hulu, Comedy Central, Spike, PBS, ESPN, CBS, ESPN3, Nickelodeon, TBS and BET. The first year costs $40, with every year after that priced at $20.
The exact nature of the dispute isn't certain but likely has to center around whether it can maintain the licensing terms.
