A group of Spotify employees are asking for editorial power over the catalogue of Joe Rogan episodes that have arrived on Spotify, seeking to remove episodes where either Rogan or his guests are perceived to be transphobic.
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Sources told Vice that there have been 10 internal meetings at Spotify already, with numerous employees complaining Rogan’s views make them feel alienated and uncomfortable. Workers have objected to several episodes of the JRE podcast, including an interview with Abigail Shrier, author of the book ‘Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters’.
Apparently this has gone all the way up to the top, though Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has decided the content will stay up:
In the case of Joe Rogan, a total of 10 meetings have been held with various groups and individuals to hear their respective concerns,” Ek reportedly said, according to three anonymous sources who were present in the meeting. “And some of them want Rogan removed because of things he’s said in the past.”
“Others have concerns specifically over a recent episode,” Ek continued. “And Joe Rogan and the episode in question have been reviewed extensively. The fact that we aren’t changing our position doesn’t mean we aren’t listening. It just means we made a different judgment call.
From a business standpoint, this makes sense. The whole reason anyone watches JRE is because people like the direct, unedited style where ideas can be explored openly (unlike more traditional media). In fact it’s pretty arrogant that some people at Spotify think they can decide what the biggest podcaster in the world is allowed to say/think on his own program. I mean is it really transphobic to discuss issues surround trans women in women’s sport? Or concerns around chemically castrating 12 year old boys? Would think those are conversations it should be reasonable to have without being accused of transphobia. Good on the Spotify CEO for putting his foot down on this one.
The Abigail Shrier episode is still up on YouTube as well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtftWcgXjdg&ab_channel=PowerfulJRE
Interestingly, the Alex Jones/InfoWars episodes have yet to be uploaded so who knows what the conversation around that one is behind the scenes.
For a look at Joe Rogan’s new studio and the less-than-positive reaction to it, click HERE.
