Apple sticking to family-friendly video efforts to avoid offense from viewers
Apple's original content efforts for its long-rumored video streaming project will consist of programming without excessive violence, sex, or political elements, a new report claims, under the belief that the company stands to lose more from users being offended and not buying Apple devices as a result of what they view.
Apple is taking a different approach for its slate of original programming than its competitors, in that the content must not affect its "pristine brand image," reports the Wall Street Journal. After spiking the Dr. Dre scripted TV show 'Vital Signs' for being too violent, the company has apparently made it clear to producers and agents that its shows must be high-quality, but relatively family friendly.
This differs greatly from the original production catalogs of other platforms, such as HBO's 'Game of Thrones' and 'Westworld,' or Netflix's 'House of Cards' and 'Orange is the New Black." The platforms are known for having edgier content compared to normal broadcast television, which they capitalize on regularly.
News of the conservative approach surfaced last year, with a report claiming Apple executives did not want kids "catching a stray nipple." The latest report suggests this may be an attempt to prevent the content from causing an issue with the company's other revenue streams.
Former NBC and Fox programming executive Preston Beckman suggests Apple is extremely exposed if it produced risky content, due to being a consumer product company. While on objection to content on Netflix may lose the service a subscriber, Beckman notes "With Apple, you can say, 'I'm going to punish them by not buying their phone or computer."
The need to keep content safe for all has contributed to delays inits release, agents and producers suggest, with it postponed twice and currently anticipated for launch in March. However, one producer working on some Apple projects believes the final launch date could be pushed back even further into the future.
Apple is said to be spending around $1 billion on the original content push, and could easily spend more to start more productions or to acquire rights for more shows. Most recently, it picked up the straight-to-series 'Defending Jacob,' starring Chris Evans and based on a novel by William Landay.
Apple is taking a different approach for its slate of original programming than its competitors, in that the content must not affect its "pristine brand image," reports the Wall Street Journal. After spiking the Dr. Dre scripted TV show 'Vital Signs' for being too violent, the company has apparently made it clear to producers and agents that its shows must be high-quality, but relatively family friendly.
This differs greatly from the original production catalogs of other platforms, such as HBO's 'Game of Thrones' and 'Westworld,' or Netflix's 'House of Cards' and 'Orange is the New Black." The platforms are known for having edgier content compared to normal broadcast television, which they capitalize on regularly.
News of the conservative approach surfaced last year, with a report claiming Apple executives did not want kids "catching a stray nipple." The latest report suggests this may be an attempt to prevent the content from causing an issue with the company's other revenue streams.
Former NBC and Fox programming executive Preston Beckman suggests Apple is extremely exposed if it produced risky content, due to being a consumer product company. While on objection to content on Netflix may lose the service a subscriber, Beckman notes "With Apple, you can say, 'I'm going to punish them by not buying their phone or computer."
The need to keep content safe for all has contributed to delays inits release, agents and producers suggest, with it postponed twice and currently anticipated for launch in March. However, one producer working on some Apple projects believes the final launch date could be pushed back even further into the future.
Apple is said to be spending around $1 billion on the original content push, and could easily spend more to start more productions or to acquire rights for more shows. Most recently, it picked up the straight-to-series 'Defending Jacob,' starring Chris Evans and based on a novel by William Landay.
Comments
Maybe Apple doesn't really care about the "streaming wars" as you call it. Just because you can't see sexual or hear inappropriate language in a show doesn't mean someone can't make good content. You don't need swearing and sex to make good content.
There is plenty of soft porn and violence on any streaming service already. I commend Apple and Tim Cook for this. It's a very rare occasion when I actually praise Tim Cook.
Apple should get out of- and stay out of- content.
I used to live in Germany and saw it years ago.
Americans are so hung up on their bodies. Go to a spa and watch the Americans try not to stare.
Disney is the lone-exception to this rule, but their craft is heavily scripted, produced and massaged over long periods of time. That sounds like Apple but it is much much more difficult to do durable sanitized media well.
Disney is one of the biggest distributors of violent content and nudity in film.
Describes Tim Cook
But heaven forbid one of their upcoming snooze fest TV shows has a little bit of violence or shows a boob.
I ageee. They should not get into content. Build great devices. Write great software. Stay focused. Unfortunately that’s not Apple anymore.
- There is a difference between producing content and having a streaming platform which distributes content produced by other companies/studios.
- Apple Music right now is a streaming platform which distributes other company’s/studio’s music content.
- Apple TV has software which distributes video content produced by other companies/studios.
* What is new in this article is that Apple will be producing its own video content.
- That is the difference from all the other content Apple has distributed before.
- Apple will be making its own content and will become a movie / TV studio.
- To claim that content made by other companies is = to Apple creating content is a strawman.
Someone motioned Bones as an example of good TV. I agree with this except that Bones contributed to the "clean ending" phenomena. where all is right and clean at the end. The real world is not like this. Sometimes the good guys get it wrong regardless of their morals or viewpoint and it is never gets cleaned up!