Corporations are always clamoring for the rights to beloved icons whenever they can get their hands on them. One acquisition in particular, however, left quite a few people down in the dumps, afraid that it could signal the end of an era. Recently Apple TV snatched up the rights to several classicPeanutsholiday specials, includingA Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,A Charlie Brown Christmas, andIt’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Fans of these long-running specials were concerned that the acquisition would mean that these films, which typically run on their respective holidays, would be lost to TV andlocked away on Apple’s proprietary service.
As it turns out, that won’t be the case, thankfully, as Apple has confirmed that it will still allow the specials to run on PBS and PBS Kids. Of course that said, Apple still has the rights to the films, and could change its mind in future if they feel they can stomach the backlash. Back in 2018 Apple forged a deal to make originalPeanutscontent in the form of shows, specials, and shorts,which was considered fairly benign. It was their decision to acquire the specials that raised particular concerns with fans.
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Basically anyone who owns a television and grew up after they released has seen these specials. For many families, watching the appropriatePeanutsspecial is as much a part of the holidays as carving a turkey on Thanksgiving or opening presents on Christmas day. So obviously it’s somewhat troubling to think that access to what is undeniably a cultural touchstone could be locked behind a paywall by the highest bidder.
That fear, though quieted, still hovers over thePeanutsspecials, as there’s nothing to stop Apple from doing whatever they want with them. It wouldn’t even be the first time something like this has occurred: when HBO purchasedSesame Streetthey found themselves in the same position. A show that was once made for the purpose of teaching those who may not have ideal access to education found itself at risk of becoming exclusive to those who could afford an HBO subscription. While HBO found a workable compromise to keep the show on PBS, the question of who owns our beloved franchises has become more important than ever before. In the coming years, society will have to start grappling with the difficult question of what it means when cornerstones of our culturebecome bargaining chips in a marketruled by exclusivity.
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