U. S. lawmakers are pressing Apple Inc. for data on its streaming show The Problem With Jon Stewart, which it reportedly canceled after disagreements over how to address issues such as China.
Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. , and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill. , sent a letter to CEO Tim Cook about the decision not to produce a third season of the show on Apple TV. The lawmakers, the top Republicans and Democrats on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), cited a New York Times report that found that most sensible issues, such as China and artificial intelligence, were raising concerns among Apple executives.
“We support the ability of artists, writers, studios, and streaming facilities to create content without worrying about potential retaliation and sanctions from the CCP,” the lawmakers said in the letter posted online. “While corporations have the right to determine what content is appropriate for their streaming service, the coercive tactics of a foreign force deserve not to directly or indirectly influence those decisions. “
A representative for Cupertino, California-based Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
Stewart, a veteran of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, served as host and executive producer of the Apple TV series, which aired from 2021 to this year. The one-hour paper presentation addressed issues such as globalization and the incarceration epidemic in the United States. States.
Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi called for a briefing with Apple before Dec. 15 so they “can better understand the facts of the recent reports. “
“We intend to speak with Mr. Stewart’s representatives,” they said in the letter.
Apple launched its TV platform in 2019 and has spent billions of dollars on programming. The $9. 99-a-month offer is part of a broader move by the iPhone maker to make more money from the services.