Apple TV+ originals won't be dictated by the company

Humza

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In context: Reports had spread earlier about Tim Cook visiting sets of various creators for Apple's TV+ streaming service, hinting that executives from the company may be influencing the shows as to keep them family friendly and not too over the line. Eddy Cue, Apple's SVP of internet software and services, has rubbished those claims in an interview given to GQ Britain, saying that they've never passed one note on scripts to the creators.

Back in March, Tim Cook was reportedly giving feedback to producers of its Apple TV+ originals: Don't be so mean. Creators were apparently finding it difficult to work with Apple whose executives were being careful that the shows coming out of its streaming platform align well with Apple's family friendly corporate brand.

In a recent interview with GQ Britain, Eddy Cue, who's leading the company's streaming efforts besides Apple Music, Maps and the Apple Card, says that the company isn't instructing creators on how to approach originals. "I saw the comments that myself and Tim were writing notes on the scripts and whatever,” says Cue. “There’s never been one note passed from us on scripts, that I can assure you. We leave the folks [alone] who know they’re doing."

Previous reports of Cook's interaction might have gained traction because of how Apple operates. The company is famous for its obsessive attention to detail, vertical integration and liking to take control wherever possible, raising concerns that since it became a content creator too, the shows it'll produce would likely suffer as a result.

Regarding Cook's "Don't be so mean" note, Cue said "I can assure you that was 100 percent false" and that Cook "didn't say anything about a script," further noting that Apple TV+ will have shows for "everyone" including small kids and mature adults.

An example of a non-family friendly show, Cue says, is "The Reese Witherspoon-Jennifer Aniston show. It’s a show about women in the workplace and some of the issues that happen to them are definitely not appropriate for you to watch with an eight-year-old."

With Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, JJ Abrams, Jennifer Aninston and Steve Carell on board, among other big names, Apple TV+ looks forward to making a solid entry in the streaming space. Albeit its budget of $2 billion for original programming is eclipsed by Netflix's $15 billion for this year alone, the latter who'll now be spending it more carefully going forwards.

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I can honestly say with the 30-50 people I know only one has APPLE TV. Does anybody own one? I thought it was dead by now.
 
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