Some of you don't get that this is one streaming channel. Is it a dictatorship or infringement of freedom of expression that porn isn't on the Disney streaming service. Each service gets to dictated their boundaries. The freedom is that you get to choose what services you want. Want kid shows, get the Disney service. Want porn, get the playboy channel. Everyone just needs to stop wanting to micro manage every company and think that everyone wants what you want.
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Report: Apple TV+ Show Based on Gawker Media Got Scrapped After Tim Cook Intervened
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overall i'm dissapointed in atv+
disney+ and other media providers are kicking atv+ in the pants
disney+ and other media providers are kicking atv+ in the pants
That's true, and I also understand Apple. I'm sure they don't morally support genocide either, but they find themselves in a situation where not upsetting China is just the most straightforward thing to do. It's either that, or cease operations in China, and probably as a result cease being Apple as we know it. And also take one more step towards what may one day become a cold war. For me, it's buying a phone or laptop that I prefer over some other one (which would also be made in China by the way), for them, it's a huge risk and a decision that seems very stupid from a financial point of view...
But still. It's wrong. I have no idea what to do, or what Apple should do. But just like with global warming, we know we're marching towards something terrible, and we kind of know why, but it's just so much easier to do nothing about it. No one wants global warming, no one wants genocide (except the Chinese government) but at the same time we're enabling it. And more companies are doing the same, the more we depend on Chinese manufacturing. In the end, no matter how distant and unthreatening the Chinese government seems to a westerner, their brainwashing and control is going to affect us more and more.
At the very least, Apple should feel some shame in banning content that shows China in a bad light, and shouldn't openly say it as if it was totally normal. They should at least admit to themselves how messed up this situation is.
I'm extremely relieved to hear that Apple will be staying away from hard-core nudity. So many of the best shows on HBO have completely needless nudity just to titillate the audience. I am relieved to finally have a streaming service with HBO quality shows but without the nudity. I want my family to be exposed to high quality drama but not nudity. Kudos, Apple. It's nice to be able to watch without worrying about installing VidAngel, etc.
There was no hard-core nudity, just implied nudity in See. They went as close to nudity as possible but stayed away. I was so relieved to be able to watch the show with my family and not have that as a concern. There was a scene where Baba Voss began undressing his wife and then the scene cut away. Very tasteful.
I don't necessarily agree with Apple here... but I understand it. More than anything, they are protecting their shareholders. By creating content that is highly critical of China, their second largest market and most important growth market, they can destroy their value in one fell swoop. Imagine the affect on the stock price should China choose to close off their markets to Apple products in part or completely.
Honestly, look at pretty much every other Hollywood studio right now. It's the same thing. The new Top Gun has Chinese money invested so the studio removed the flag of Taiwan from the back of Tom Cruise's jacket among other things. Dreamworks drew a map of China's territories in Abominable that were in dispute with other countries just to please them. It's an industry wide issue now... and really an international issue that the UN needs to consider looking into as it's literally holding trade hostage in some cases.
Can you name any Fortune 500 company that doesn't? Tim Cook has decentralized more decision making than just about any other Apple CEO in the past, but he still works for the board of directors and for the company and its shareholders. And one of Apple's greatest assets is its image... why do a project that would damage the company's assets? It'd be like the NFL making commercials being critical of how they handled the players protesting.
And yet in the US, pornography is a massive industry. Prostitution remains illegal, however, so if you want to pay someone for sex, then you have to film it and promise to put it on the internetIt's always funny to see the difference on what is considered taboo between the U.S and Europe in their Film/TV/Commercial productions.
The U.S is very comfortable with hard-core violence but frowns on nudity.
Europe is very comfortable with hard-core nudity but frowns on violence.
Infer what you like from this
I agree, but I don't quite understand why one would need to be nude for a sauna to be better? I tried it in Germany once, and it was a bit gross having to be confronted with all these peoples' flabby saggy bits. Sure, I'm being a bit prude, but I don't see the general population walking the streets doing their shopping nude, so why would a sauna be so special? Everyone uses saunas in their swim suits in my country, and it seems a vast improvement! Oh, and I also noticed that in my country saunas tend to have more younger better looking people wanting to use them, so I'd guess the nudity is off putting for them in Europe? Partly having to see all those old saggy bits, and partly being perved on?
It became uncool to root for Apple when they became greedy, nasty, and evil. A common affliction when people become too powerful or wealthy. Power corrupts. Same thing happened to Google. Their very motto was "don't be evil", and they lived by it, and in fact, it's what made them become big in the first place, since their search engine was the only one not selling search results and returning banner adds (which were horribly slow to download back in those days). Then they became too big and powerful and wealthy, and it corrupted them to the point that they officially abandoned the "don't be evil" motto many years ago. Similarly, Apple used to live by Steve Job's quote "If you keep your eye on the profit, you’re going to skimp on the product. But if you focus on making really great products, then the profits will follow." Apple appears to have abandoned that guidance, and profits now rule. Both Apple and Google still make some great products, so we still want to buy them, but we don't cheer for them anymore, because they are no longer on our side.
No it isn't. There are any number of reasons why Cook would choose not to proceed with such a show, the reactions of people like you to the current situation demonstrating the number one reason, Apple's past interactions with Gawker would paint any such production with a huge brush. Its the smart thing to do to avoid that. Let someone else take it on, Apple has plenty of shows to choose from I'm sure.
Happens all the time in media. Shows get picked up, new leadership comes in, decides they don't want to do the show anymore, shows get dropped. Shows get picked up, someone higher up the chain decides for whatever reason they don't want to do it, shows get dropped. So long as the terms of whatever contracts that were signed are adhered to, its no scandal. Its a business deal, not a lifetime commitment.
Its literally the job of the CEO to be the final word.
Most companies cater to what their customers want - not act like they will only show what they personally like. But Apple routinely sets up systems with little flexibility thinking they know best.
Really? And here I am complaining that Apple isn't behaving enough like a dictator.
But Apple coddles real dictators in China. They don't show anything critical of China - a country that has concentration camps of millions of minority members, that harvests organs from political prisoners, and that is recognized as the top espionage threat to the USA. Apple wouldn't cooperate with the US FBI when they had a terrorist's iPhone. But they do cooperate with China which demands the same kind of access to one and all - in particular those who speak up against the government.
Apple is not a political entity, nor is it Apple’s place to undermine political institutions. Apple can and will talk about the ideals which drive them (such as privacy, equality and environmental responsibility), but it will not weaponise them to issue ultimatums to foreign governments.
Second, it is worth noting that US news does cover political matters in a more black and white manner, which is not necessarily representative of how the rest of the world views things.
Apple is a US country, so I think it is well within their rights to criticise domestic issues like racism. But I wouldn’t want Apple or some other foreign company butting their heads in and interfering with my country’s affairs. It just isn’t their place.
To me, it is better for Apple to remain engaged with China, rather than retreat into some self-imposed bubble. If Apple were to only operate in countries whose beliefs match their own, it would only be able to sell its products in a small handful of countries, and it is ultimately the consumer who loses out by not being able to access the tools which would allow them to do a better job.
Finally, Apple follows the laws of each country they operate in. They are able to stand up to the FBI because US laws allows for it, just as they cooperate with the Chinese government on certain more sensitive matters because that’s what they are expected and required to do according to Chinese law.
That’s why I do make the point that Tim Cook is better position to lead the Apple of today compared to Steve Jobs, because he is charged with leading a trillion-dollar company in an increasingly politically-charged climate, and I will say he has done an admirable job of it.