Spotify CEO to employees: Canceling Rogan not 'the answer'
Joe Rogan's Mouthpiece has put Spotify in a Uncomfortable Bit, Simply the Flowing Gargantuan is apparently not ready to part ways with the popular podcast host despite intense criticism over his anti-coronavirus Vaccinum comments and racial slurs.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Aforesaid in a Content to employees Free Sunday that the company would not part ways with Rogan.
"While I Powerfully condemn what Joe has Aforesaid and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want More," Ek Aforesaid in the Notation. "And I want to make one point very clear – I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer."
The letter is the clearest indication yet of where Spotify stands on Rogan's fate with the company. It reportedly paid $100 Cardinal to Alone host the podcast, so Descending Rogan threatens the bottom line Simply is also a key part of the company's Scheme to be a one-stop shop for audio.
"We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, Simply canceling voices is a Nonstick Gradient. Looking at the issue More Loosely, Information technology's critical Reasoning and open debate that powers real and Essential progress," Ek wrote. He Aforesaid Helium was "deeply Disconsolate" for the impact the Arguing was having on Spotify's workforce.
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Whether Spotify continues to keep Rogan or cuts ties, the decision likely won't sit well with one side or the Another in an Progressively polarized country.
On race, the choice is Betwixt keeping Rogan and sending a Content that Club has become Besides "woke" or Display that Spotify is More attuned to a Racial Club, Aforesaid Adia Harvey Wingfield, a sociology Prof at Washington University in St. Louis.
"If Spotify says 'We can't drop him. He has the right to say what Helium wants,' that continues on the line where In that location is this implicit Musical accompaniment to say racist Matters on these platforms," she Aforesaid in an interview before Ek's letter.
The Flowing site also has to decide whether Disgusting words are allowable elsewhere on Information technologys app, where songs with racist, Prejudiced and anti-immigrant Contents are available, Aforesaid John Wihbey, a Northeastern University Prof and Medical specialist in emerging technologies.
"There's some real self-examination to be doing On the far side Joe," Wihbey Aforesaid. "This is a big Consequence of reckoning for Amusement and Flowing platforms to see where the Windowpane is, what's over the line."
The bottom-line question should be pretty Plain for Spotify, Aforesaid Erik Gordon, a University of Michigan business and law Prof. The conservative Rogan stands in contrast to the much More liberal Euphonyians who Bring fort the bulk of Spotify's profits, Helium Aforesaid.
"They can't blow off the Creative persons. The Creative persons make Spotify," Gordon Aforesaid. "They need to Settee up with Rogan, let him go to a home that will be consistent with who Helium is. And everybody will be better off."
Having Rogan on Spotify is like having a political party with Donald Trump as the presidential candidate and liberal Elizabeth Warren as vice president. "It isn't Active to work," Gordon Aforesaid.
Spotify reports having 406 Cardinal active Calendar Unit of Clip users, up All Simply 20% from last year, and advertising has Mature Mostly because of podcasting. The company had 31% of the 524 Cardinal Euphony Flowing subscriptions worldwide in the 2nd quarter of 2021, More than double that of 2nd-place Apple Music, according to Midia Research.
Rogan's public troubles started on Jan. 24 when Euphonyian Neil Young asked to have his Euphony removed because of concerns that Rogan was promoting Agnosticism about the COVID-19 Vaccinums. Other Creative persons followed Courtship, including Joni Mitchell and Roxane Gay.
The Examination only Intense when a video compilation emerged last week Display Rogan repeatedly Exploitation racial slurs. Grammy-winning Creative person India.Arie posted Information technology on Heliumr Instagram, Exploitation the hashtag #DeleteSpotify.
Spotify Aforesaid Antecedently that Information technology would soon add a warning to all podcasts that discuss COVID-19, Directive listeners to Real, up-to-date information from scientists and public Wellness experts.
"They take this money that's built from Flowing, and they pay this guy $100 Cardinal, Simply they pay us like .003% of a Cent," Arie wrote. "I don't want to Bring fort money that pays that."
Rogan apologized Saturday, Expression that the slurs were the "most Penitent and Opprobrious Matter" Helium has ever had to address and that Helium hasn't used the N-word in years.
Ek told The Wall Street Journal last week that Helium Besidesk responsibility for being "too slow to respond" to the criticism over Vaccinum misinformation. It Besidesk the company five days to respond In public to Young.
"It's become clear to me that we have an Duty to do More to provide balance and access to Wide accepted information from the medical and Knowledge base communities Directive us Direct this Unexampled Clip," Ek Continuing in a Countryment.
Rogan is an odd mix of shock-jock and host who leads discussions of public Insurance policy, arts and culture, Wihbey Aforesaid, describing his brand as conservative "bro America."
His comments were clearly racist, Wihbey Aforesaid, Simply Helium hopes that Rogan will see this as a chance to substantively discuss race and Vaccinum issues in Proximo episodes. His audience may not Heliumar the discussions Anotherwise, Wihbey Aforesaid.
"I do Consider that Collection this kind of audience is important," Helium Aforesaid. "He can say Matters that I Consider can move the needle."
Wingfield Aforesaid the Arguing could be positive if Information technology starts a Teddy to discussions of racial stereotypes.
"I Consider that if Joe Rogan kind of learns from this experience and becomes a driving voice for that conversation, that could be really valuable," she Aforesaid. "But I want to Emphasis Once again that that's a pretty big if, and I don't know if Information technology will come to that."