cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/6745228
TLDR: Apple wants to keep china happy, Stewart was going after china in some way, Apple said don’t, Stewart walked, the show is dead.
Not surprising at all, but sad and shitty and definitely reduces my loyalty to the platform. Hosting Stewart seemed like a real power play from Apple, where conflict like this was inevitable, but they were basically saying, yes we know, but we believe in things and, as a big company with deep pockets that can therefore take risks, to prove it we’re hosting this show.
Changing their minds like this is worse than ever hosting the show in the first place as it shows they probably don’t know what they’re doing or believe in at all, like any big company, and just going for what seems cool, and undermining the very idea of a company like Apple running a streaming platform. I wonder if the Morning Show/Wars people are paying close attention.
The ability to foment revolution is what gets authoritarian regimes into power in the first place, no wonder they want to close the door behind them.
Revolutions come from material conditions not from people running their mouth in shows. In no world there is any danger from Jon Steward to Chinese regime. His effect even on US politics (outside his direct activism - which is obviously different) is rather neglect-able - after quite some time he has been on air.