U.S. lawmakers question Apple over cancellation of Jon Stewart flop
U.S. lawmakers, citing concerns that content related to China was behind the cancellation, asked Apple to explain the abrupt end of political comedian Jon Stewart’s television show on its streaming service, according to a letter made public on Wednesday.
Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina for Reuters:
The New York Times reported last month that Stewart’s show on Apple’s streaming service was ending, the result of creative differences. The newspaper said Stewart told members of his staff that potential show topics related to China and artificial intelligence were causing concern to Apple executives.
MacDailyNews Take:
How to save face when your low-viewership flop is finally canceled (after a bonus season gifted by Apple)? Drop the threadbare “creative differences” into the complicit press and let the echo chamber do the work. pic.twitter.com/GgBVGCREeE
— MacDailyNews (@MacDailyNews) October 20, 2023
“While companies have the right to determine what content is appropriate for their streaming service, the coercive tactics of a foreign power should not be directly or indirectly influencing these determinations,” the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives’ Select Committee on Competition with the Chinese Communist Party said in the letter to Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook.
The letter asked representatives of Apple for a briefing on its concerns by Dec. 15, 2023. And said it also exected to speak with representatives of Stewart.
“To reassure the creative community in light of these reports, we also respectfully request that Apple publicly commit that content that could be perceived as critical of the CCP or the PRC is welcome on Apple TV+ and other Apple services,” said the letter, signed by the panel’s Republican chairperson, Representative Michael Gallagher, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the panel’s ranking Democrat.
MacDailyNews Take: The thing was cancelled because not enough people watched it. “The Problem with Jon Stewart” has been a flop since it debuted and, even after reworking it and an extra season gifted by Apple, it still couldn’t be saved – likely because Jon Stewart passed his sell-by date a decade ago.
See also: ‘The Problem with Jon Stewart’ on Apple TV+ is that it’s a flop – April 18, 2022
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