US lawmakers have written to Apple CEO Tim Cook demanding an explanation for the cancellation of Jon Stewart's political comedy show on Apple TV+, citing fears that Chinese influence may have been a factor.
The Republican and Democratic leaders of the House select committee on competition with the Chinese Communist party sent the letter, released on Wednesday, after The New York Times reported last month that the show ended due to creative differences. The newspaper said Stewart told staff that potential topics related to China and artificial intelligence worried Apple executives.
“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 letter said. It asked Apple for a briefing on its concerns by 15 December 2023, and also requested that Apple publicly commit that content critical of the Chinese Communist Party is welcome on its platforms.
The letter was made public ahead of a dinner where top US business leaders were to dine with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The House committee has focused on China's media controls, and US lawmakers have long expressed concern about self-censorship by studios seeking access to the Chinese market.
