In a bit of surprising news a few weeks ago, Apple decided to cancel The Problem with Jon Stewart. Now Congress wants to know why.
It was speculated that the reason decided to part ways with the show was due to the show’s coverage of China. That’s all Congress needed to hear. And they want Apple to confirm whether or not that news was true.
Surprisingly, a bipartisan select committee in the US House of Representatives wrote Apple asking questions about China’s influence in the company and how it might have led to the decision of it canceling Jon Stewart’s show.
In a letter to CEO Tim Cook, the members of the House of Representatives’ Select Committee on Competition with the Chinese Communist Party wrote, “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.”
They wrote, “If Jon Stewart can potentially be impeded from offering commentary on the CCP, what does this mean for less prominent personalities? While there is a chance that a high-profile individual like Jon Stewart can locate another streaming service where he can express his views on PRC-related matters, an aspiring comedian who wants to use satire to make broader points about human rights and authoritarianism faces even bleaker prospects. Respectfully, we believe that this needs to change and responsible creative professionals should be able to freely write and perform on PRC-related topics.”
Now, according to the New York Times, Apple didn’t technically cancel the show. Instead, Stewart walked away from the program over creative differences. Mainly, he didn’t want it compromised by his lack of creative control.
It is hard to get a bipartisan group of anybody together in Congress. It is even tougher for me to imagine them backing Jon Stewart. Hopefully, will hear something from Apple by December 15.
Source: 9to5Mac
