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Future of TV TiVo Marketing

TiVo pre-roll ads to be served before viewers can watch content

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By Imogen Watson, Senior reporter

September 22, 2019 | 2 min read

The digital TV recording company TiVo is to introduce pre-roll ads before viewers can watch digital video recorder (DVR) recordings.

TiVo launches pre-roll ads on DVR service

TiVo launches pre-roll ads on DVR service

Launched back in 1999, TiVo is a DVR that provides an on-screen guide of scheduled broadcast programming television programs. Although the way people consume television has dramatically changed since TiVo first began, it still pulls in a few million subscribers.

TiVo's decision to apply pre-roll ads before viewers can watch their TV recordings, it contradicts its original positioning as a device to let you fast forward through ads.

The ads will be skippable and go out to all users with the latest TiVo Experience 4 software. It will even affect those with a lifetime subscription plan.

While a number of customers might be annoyed by the decision, a TiVo statement contended that "advertising is an important part of every media business and TiVo is investing in new advertising experiences.

"We have designed our new DVR advertising units with the ability to ‘skip’ ads anytime a customer hits ‘skip.’ This is part of our ongoing commitment to bring our users the best media discovery experience possible.”

The decision follows a string of changes for the recording device, as it acts to solidify its future. In 2020, its dongle hardware device will enter the market. It will attach to the back of TVs and work with the android TV platform.

In October last year, the company launched 'TiVo Plus' - a digital service that is free for TiVo product users.

Future of TV TiVo Marketing

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