Apple canceled Jon Stewart’s show, and now lawmakers want to know if it was due to China’s “coercive tactics.”

Jon Stewart. Zach Gibson/Getty Images

US lawmakers are pressing Apple for information about its direct offering The problem with Jon Stewartwhich was reportedly canceled after disagreements over how to handle topics such as China.

Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin, and Raja Krishnamurthy, a Democrat from Illinois, sent a letter to CEO Tim Cook about the decision not to produce a third season of the show on Apple TV+. The lawmakers — top Republicans and Democrats on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP — cited a New York Times report that said topics related to China and artificial intelligence had caused concern among Apple executives.

“We support the ability of artists, writers, studios and streaming services alike to create content without fear of potential retaliation and punishment from the Chinese Communist Party,” the lawmakers said in their statement. the message, which was published on the Internet. “While companies have the right to determine what content is appropriate for their streaming service, the coercive tactics of a foreign power should not directly or indirectly influence these decisions.”

An Apple representative based in Cupertino, California, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Stewart, a war veteran Daily show At Comedy Central, he served as host and executive producer of the Apple TV+ series, which aired from 2021 through this year. The hour-long talk show addressed issues such as globalization and the prison epidemic in the United States.

Gallagher and Krishnamurthy requested a meeting with Apple by December 15 so they “can better understand the facts leading up to the recent news reports.”

“We also expect to speak with Mr. Stewart’s representatives,” they said in the letter.

apple Launched launched its TV+ platform in 2019 and has spent billions of dollars on programming. The $9.99 per month offer is part of a broader push by the iPhone maker to generate more money from services.