Lately, the streaming service Spotify has been on the headline news for the wrong reason, because of controversial podcaster Joe Rogan. After all, every bad publicity is good publicity for any brand.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek in a memo published by the Hollywood Reporter, Ek announced that the streaming will invest $100 million in the development, licensing, audio content and marketing of music from previously marginalised and underrepresented creators.
The move comes after Joe Rogan’s use of hateful racial slurs in previous episodes of his podcast, ‘Joe Rogan Experience’. To date, over 70 of these episodes have been removed from the platform, Spotify.
“I want to make one point very clear — I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer,” Ek wrote to Spotify staff.
He adds, “We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but cancelling voices is a slippery slope. Looking at the issue more broadly, it’s critical thinking and open debate that powers real and necessary progress.”
“One of the things I am thinking about is what additional steps we can take to further balance creator expression with user safety,” Ek wrote. “I’ve asked our teams to expand the number of outside experts we consult with on these efforts and look forward to sharing more details,” Ek concluded.
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