Posted on 02/07/2022 4:42:38 AM PST by blam
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has apologized to the company's employees in an internal memo where he said he "strongly" opposes Joe Rogan's use of the 'n-word', but that "silencing Joe isn't the answer."
Ek added in the memo to staff obtained by the Hollywood Reporter that "cancelling voices is a slippery slope", and clarified that Rogan himself had decided to delete the 70+ episodes removed from the streaming service on Friday due to the use of 'the n-word' or other offensive content. Many of the other episodes removed from Rogan's massive catalogue were taken down not long after Rogan signed his deal with Spotify.
The decision to keep Rogan's show on the platform was made to "elevate all types of creators", Ek claimed (although, as we and others have explained, the show is a major moneymaker for the service, commanding a minimum ad buy of $1M with other sign-on perks including requiring advertisers to also buy ads on other Spotify podcasts.
“I want to make one point very clear - I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer,” Ek wrote.
“We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope.”
To try and paper over the anger from some Spotify customers, Ek said Spotify would be committing to an "incremental investment of $100 million for the licensing, development, and marketing of music (artists and songwriters) and audio content from historically marginalized groups” to boost creators from underrepresented backgrounds.
"While some might want us to pursue a different path, I believe that more speech on more issues can be highly effective in improving the status quo and enhancing the conversation altogether,” Ek said.
Rogan issued an apology of his own on Saturday - his second such apology video in the span of a week - when he frankly told his audience that the compilation video of him saying the 'n-word' looked "f**king horrible", even to him. He apologized unreservedly and said that he had changed his view on use of the 'n-word' and hadn't uttered it at all "in years".
Of course, while Ek acknowledged that some employees might not be happy with the company's decision, he hoped they could all move forward together. Of course, letting go of Rogan would likely mean that Spotify would have to let go of more than a few members of its staff as well.
Read the full letter below:
Spotify Team,
There are no words I can say to adequately convey how deeply sorry I am for the way The Joe Rogan Experience controversy continues to impact each of you. Not only are some of Joe Rogan's comments incredibly hurtful - I want to make clear that they do not represent the values of this company. I know this situation leaves many of you feeling drained, frustrated and unheard.
I think it's important you're aware that we've had conversations with Joe and his team about some of the content in his show, including his history of using some racially insensitive language. Following these discussions and his own reflections, he chose to remove a number of episodes from Spotify. He also issued his own apology over the weekend.
While I strongly condemn what Joe has said and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want more. And I want to make one point very clear - I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer. We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope. Looking at the issue more broadly, it's critical thinking and open debate that powers real and necessary progress.
Another criticism that I continue to hear from many of you is that it's not just about The Joe Rogan Experience on Spotify; it comes down to our direct relationship with him. In last week's Town Hall, I outlined to you that we are not the publisher of JRE. But perception due to our exclusive license implies otherwise. So I've been wrestling with how this perception squares with our values.
If we believe in having an open platform as a core value of the company, then we must also believe in elevating all types of creators, including those from underrepresented communities and a diversity of backgrounds. We've been doing a great deal of work in this area already but I think we can do even more. So I am committing to an incremental investment of $100 million for the licensing, development, and marketing of music (artists and songwriters) and audio content from historically marginalized groups. This will dramatically increase our efforts in these areas. While some might want us to pursue a different path, I believe that more speech on more issues can be highly effective in improving the status quo and enhancing the conversation altogether.
I deeply regret that you are carrying so much of this burden. I also want to be transparent in setting the expectation that in order to achieve our goal of becoming the global audio platform, these kinds of disputes will be inevitable. For me, I come back to centering on our mission of unlocking the potential of human creativity and enabling more than a billion people to enjoy the work of what we think will be more than 50 million creators. That mission makes these clashes worth the effort.
I've told you several times over the last week, but I think it's critical we listen carefully to one another and consider how we can and should do better. I've spent this time having lots of conversations with people inside and outside of Spotify - some have been supportive while others have been incredibly hard, but all of them have made me think.
One of the things I am thinking about is what additional steps we can take to further balance creator expression with user safety. 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.
Your passion for this company and our mission has made a difference in the lives of so many listeners and creators around the world. I hope you won't lose sight of that. It's that ability to focus and improve Spotify even on some of our toughest days that has helped us build the platform we have. We have a clear opportunity to learn and grow together from this challenge and I am ready to meet it head on.
I know it is difficult to have these conversations play out so publicly, and I continue to encourage you to reach out to your leaders, your HR partners or me directly if you need support or resources for yourself or your team.
Joe needs to do a better job of defusing this. Apologizing only gives advertisement and limelight to the nobodies attacking him. It is like the village idiot challenging to a duel the faster shooter of the day. The suicidal Joker village idiot has nothing to lose and wants the limelight.
And now remove all songs that use the N word and violence against women.
I'll wait.
Spotify: Cancelling Voices Is A Slippery Slope.
Woksters: You bet it is! Now, get to slidin’!
The extreme left freeloaders can’t handle the truth.
It is a direct attack against cancel culture, which classifies any speech they disapprove of as "harmful" and "violence".
A huge win. If Rogan stays on, the entire censorship project becomes more and more difficult.
Elk will be out in a week with that anti-communist BS.
It seems like Rogan is self censoring which is what the Marxists want most of all. That gives them their cake and they can eat it, too.
Rogan needs to stop apologizing. But I think Jordan Peterson is right — Spotify only wins if they keep Rogan. Rogan wins this thing no matter what. Rogan will be even bigger next year, he just needs to wait and he can’t lose. Spotify loses big time if they drop him. Rogan can go elsewhere and still thrive and Spotify knows it.
But the apologies are stupid. Just do what you do.
“Marginalised” voices but won’t hold my breathe that we get black, brown, yellow or LGbTXYZ Rogans. Somehow the “marginalised” voices will repeat the Pfizer, Twitter and Lockheed Martin talking points. Amazing that.
The Spotify CEO is showing weakness to the forces of woke on his own payroll. Not a good sign.
Many older people see the Rogan n-word apology as a sign of weakness. I also suspect, the same people don't listen to him and their views of him are based on Gateway Pundit articles. They haven't reviewed original source material.
However, Rogan's core audience - people (chiefly guys) under 40 - don't see it that way. They LISTEN to a Rogan's podcasts, know he isn't a racist, understand he works blue, read his Instagram posts, and are likely to view his apology the same way Limbaugh's fans saw his "slut" apology.
I get the "weakness" thing. Many people go on an apology tour, and never return as the same person.
But remember, Americans have a big heart. There was a "celebration" in Buffalo after they lost Super Bowl XXV. When kicker Scott Norwood came to the podium, who many blamed for losing the game, they gave him a standing ovation. Before he died, Bill Buckner was also given a standing O at Fenway.
People are imperfect, people are human. Rogan's apology likely will be viewed by his core audience in America for its redemptive qualities. And they will likely be more loyal than before, and people sitting on the fence will give him a listen. Meanwhile, Haters will find any reason to continue hating.
...but the next move is Rogan's. To quote FReeper Paal Gulli, Which way his future popularity trends will depend entirely on how he manages the crisis he's created for himself.
So what they won’t cancel him. Rogan has already been destroyed as he now self censors.
He’s already already on that slope by deleting some of Rogan’s podcasts.
EK: Bla Bla Bla, Bla Bla Bla, Bla Bla Bla;
“So I am committing to an incremental investment of $100 million for the licensing, development, and marketing of music (artists and songwriters) and audio content from historically marginalized groups.”
I read it as completely the opposite of your comment.
CEO statement was a mishmash of HR woke speak.
Rogan apologized, they deleted “problematic” episodes which is straight up censorship, and now Joe, saying how he’ll do things “differently” is seen as being on a leash. Self censoring.
Pitiful all around.
Wait…what?
Old people see groveling and consequential canceling as …what?
Young people will save Rogan by being open minded?
And Spotify is where? Spotify CEO groveling to staff hoping the cancelers will sympathize with his, “it would be a slippery slope to cancel Rogan” will save Rogan and Spotify because old people are closed minded? Oh. Because the don’t listen to Rogan?
I don’t get your point.
I keep hearing that Rogan has been calling black people names.... but the articles have been reeeeal light on context. Actually, the context has been nonexistent unless I have missed something.
That’s always suspect. Now I want to hear what they’re talking about lest it’s just a tempest in a teacup.
Which, if true, would make apologizing even dumber.
Rogan's n-word apology appeals to people under 40 and anyone who ever sinned.
The prideful see confession as weakness, unless ya know your last name is Limbaugh and the girl was a slut.
If Rogan takes this post-confessional gift of attention and followers and remains bold, the sky is the limit.
If he takes the Neville Chamberlin path, he is doomed.
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