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YouTube Says 90-Second ‘Unskippable’ TV Ads Were a Bug and Is Rolling Out a Fix

An interface error made ad timers show much longer waits than the actual mix of ads.

Overview

  • YouTube said the TV app’s “skip in 90+ seconds” display was an interface bug and it is deploying a fix.
  • Viewers had posted screenshots of long, unskippable ad waits on smart TVs and streaming devices, with no similar reports on phones or desktops.
  • Some ad breaks combined a 30-second unskippable spot with shorter skippable ads, but the player showed one long countdown that looked unskippable.
  • The company previously stated it does not have a 90-second non-skippable format and was not testing one, which clashed with what users were seeing.
  • YouTube only recently expanded unskippable 30-second ads on connected TVs, and the confusion has fueled frustration that could push more viewers toward paid Premium tiers.