This is a bad look for Apple: it shows that there's basically no editorial independence at Apple TV, something that has been a well-established feature at for-profit newspapers and television channels for decades. This clearly demonstrates that Apple TV cannot be trusted when it comes to serious news.
“According to The Hollywood Reporter, ahead of its decision to end The Problem, Apple approached Stewart directly and expressed its need for the host and his team to be “aligned” with the company’s views on topics discussed. Rather than falling in line when Apple threatened to cancel the show, Stewart reportedly decided to walk.”
The least surprising thing possible to any Jon Stewart fan.
I can’t imagine any manager who’s dense enough not to know what Stewart’s reaction would be to that sort of line, and whoever suggested a meeting about it should be ashamed.
The day he runs for president (and wins) will be a day that people full of bullshit will remember as the beginning of the end…
This is disappointing of Apple. You hire someone like Jon Stewart and you have to expect him to do hard hitting journalism! Apple is one of the biggest companies in the whole world, they can afford to support their journalists. I’m sure HBO has gone to bat for John Oliver for worse.
What did you expect? Tim Crook and his gang always wanted to please China. Money is everything they care (to be fair to Apple, this issue affects probably every single company).
I am very neutral on this in general. Honestly, Stewart does not need Apple at this point pretty much at all.
But man, to have been a fly on the wall in that meeting. I've seen Stewart's "disappointed in you and not particularly worried about it" face and it's weapons grade old dad disappointment. There were definitely sweaty outlines on many of those chairs by the end of it.
Good on him for sticking to his ideals. I don’t always see eye to eye with Stewart, but he’s smart, principled, and articulate. Very interesting to hear how Apple is so married to China and AI. I wonder how much we don’t hear because companies and media are afraid of angering the CCP. Thankfully Biden is continuing Trump’s policies of decoupling from China. We can’t do business with genocidal dictatorships and expect to walk away unscathed.
I appreciate that this is a forum for Apple enthusiasts, but as someone who is not particularly enthusiastic about any big tech company but loves Jon Stewart, I consider this good news. Hopefully he'll keep it going somewhere else.
Canceling Apple TV over this, knew they were spineless, but this is pathetic since it’s one of the few shows I watch on it. Growing really tired of all these service subscriptions as it is.
Thank god it was cancelled… people would have discovered that china uses ai for controlling their citizens (and possibly others).
Something that is totally not known to anyone
Apple also makes original content for Apple News+, they have some podcasts. I wonder if their original work there is subject to the same policy. If so, that really undermines their credibility as a news source.
Honestly, I don't get why he didn't just go on YouTube full episodes instead of apple. I would love to watch his show, but I don't want to pay apple a subscription.
Why does he need a contract. He can just make a YouTube channel and start making money from ad revenue (I know it's not much), sponsors, patreon, memberships and so on.
already in the news: Apple is dumping China as fast as they can without majorly impacting their products. Manufacturing switching to other countries already.