YouTube rolls out giant ad in its TV user interface

YouTube is rolling out a giant ad in its TV user interface that pushes the content out of the picture. The company intends to "announce more innovations coming to the TV screen early next year."

Ads front and center
While Apple, Netflix, and Disney are offering ad-free video subscription services, Google is heading in the opposite direction with YouTube.

The latest initiative is a giant ad in its TV user interface. It is called 'Masthead' and it pushes the content almost completely out of the picture.

- "So today, we’re bringing our most prominent placement, the YouTube Masthead, to the TV screen. This means advertisers can now reach audiences right when they open the YouTube app on their TV—as they discover new content in the home feed," said YouTube.



After a few seconds, the Masthead ad will automatically expand to a full-screen view. With the change, YouTube has also made it clear that ads will be "front and center" when using YouTube on a TV in the future.

- "Additionally, the Masthead will auto-play for viewers after a few seconds on all compatible devices. This, coupled with the home feed placement, means brand creatives will be front and center of the YouTube app experience on TV screens," it said.

The company says that additional innovations will be coming to the TV screen early next year. This is a reference to ads rather than new user-facing features.

- "This is just one example of our commitment to building out the most effective TV screen experience for advertisers. We are excited to announce more innovations coming to the TV screen early next year."

Android TV users have also started seeing ads appear on the home screen. In 2020 and 2021, Google is planning to expand its "ad offerings" and further "expand monetization options" on Android TV, according to a leaked document detailing plans for Android TV development.

- Source: YouTube