DirecTV, The Trade Desk plan to develop custom version of Ventura TV OS
Illustration by Dave Cole / Getty / The Current
DirecTV is teaming up with The Trade Desk on a custom version of its Ventura TV OS, in the first major alliance for the new operating system.
The custom version of the OS, which will integrate DirecTV’s streaming user interface, marks a major investment in expanding DirecTV and Ventura’s reach.
The custom OS is designed for integration across OEMs, retailers or hospitality partners, providing a framework that enables ongoing revenue streams. Customers with this version of Ventura will be able to access DirecTV’s services, from its FAST service, MyFree DirecTV “Genre Pack” channel lineups like MySports and top streaming apps all on the Ventura TV OS app store.
DirecTV Head of Product Vikash Sharma believes this will give consumers even greater flexibility, choice and control. “This collaboration sets a precedent for the future of smart TVs as DirecTV and The Trade Desk work with OEMs to set a new standard for the consumer streaming experience,” Sharma said in a press release.
The Trade Desk’s SVP of Ventura TV OS, Matthew Henick, says this won’t be the only custom version of the OS the company announces. It’s currently talking with other companies about additional partnerships.
Each partnership will be unique to the specific companies’ needs. As Henick says, “We built Ventura to be customizable.”
This customization allows each business to tailor Ventura to its needs, whether that’s integrating its logo and branding or full user interface. Retailers, for example, can connect their own first-party data — such as loyalty program information or other retail data — into the OS to extend their customer relationships, according to Henick.
“The most important thing for us is flexing Ventura’s strategic difference of being customizable,” Henick tells The Current. “There are OEMs who will say, ‘We want trusted software. We want a great user interface, and we want a commercial model where we don’t have to think about selling the ads ourselves.’ And this solution from us and DirecTV can fit really well.”
Liftoff for the TV OS
Henick points to hotels and airplanes as likely use cases for the custom TV OS, where collaborations with video distributors like DirecTV could help bring the system to market.
Ventura was unveiled in November 2024 as a way to bring greater transparency to the streaming ecosystem, from OEMs to advertisers and publishers. The platform is positioned as a means of opening new revenue channels for OEMs while making connected TV supply more efficient.
“[This collaboration] is a vote of confidence in our vision for a cleaner ad supply chain,” Henick says. “And it’s a vote of confidence in the software that we’re building to help power and expand their business. It’s also a reflection of the amazing user experience, programming offerings and ad business DirecTV has already built.”
Henick, who recently said trust is the biggest challenge he’s faced in selling Ventura’s vision, believes the integration of a major player like DirecTV will be a springboard to expanding.
“The Trade Desk shares our vision for ease and simplicity, and this integration with the Ventura TV OS will further streamline the process to help brands connect with CTV viewers,” Amy Leifer, DirecTV’s chief advertising sales officer, said in a press release.
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