From Ars Technica · · 1m 40s
Artist kills Roku screensaver over Fox buyout
Jim Sachs pulled his Marine Aquarium screensaver from Roku after learning Fox was acquiring the platform, citing the network's controversial approach to news.
In brief
Jim Sachs pulled his Marine Aquarium screensaver from Roku after learning Fox was acquiring the platform, citing the network's controversial approach to news. Artist Jim Sachs ended his lucrative screensaver licensing deal with Roku after Fox's twenty two billion dollar acquisition, saying he could not support Fox's…
Roku users lose beloved screensaver
Roku OS users will no longer have access to the Aquatic Life screensaver after December first. The animation has been available for ten years.
Artist Jim Sachs created the screensaver
Jim Sachs is the creator and copyright holder of Marine Aquarium, which he developed through his company SereneScreen. Roku licensed it through Prolific Publishing.
Fox acquisition triggered the decision
A day after learning Fox was planning to buy Roku, Sachs told Prolific he would not renew the license. The Fox acquisition closed today.
Sachs objects to Fox's philosophy
Sachs said he cannot be part of the Fox world, pointing to Fox News' controversial style of news and entertainment as his reason for ending the deal.
“I can't be part of the Fox world.”
The deal was worth eighty thousand yearly
Sachs said the licensing agreement was eighty thousand dollars per year for exclusive rights to all set-top devices, or sixty thousand per year for non-exclusive.
Sachs faces major financial consequences
The licensing deal was Sachs' primary form of income. He said the decision has major financial consequences and he cannot start projects he had planned.
Sachs hopes another company will step in
Sachs says he has no delusions the move will impact Fox, but hopes another streaming company will offer the screensaver. He would restore the license if Fox changed.
“I'd be happy to restore the license under those circumstances. They could even have it for free.”
At a glance
Artist Jim Sachs ended his lucrative screensaver licensing deal with Roku after Fox's twenty two billion dollar acquisition, saying he could not support Fox's business model.
