Podcast superstar Joe Rogan has been using his popular podcast on Spotify to spread lies about the COVID-19 vaccines. That is what a large group of doctors and scientists believe about the information being spread on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast.
A few weeks ago, a group of 270 doctors and scientists signed a public letter demanding that Spotify - the home of the Rogan podcast - update and publish new rules on managing the misinformation coming from Joe Rogan and described his podcast as “dangerous.” After the original letter was released over a thousand additional medical professionals have signed onto the demand.
“The Joe Rogan Experience” attracts about 11 million listeners per episode and 11.8 million subscribe to Rogan’s YouTube channel, which posts cuts from each podcast. Rogan has used his huge platform to promote skepticism in the COVID-19 vaccines and has also promoted disproved or unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about the vaccine and the virus.
Last week, rock icon Neil Young gave Spotify an ultimatum: either cancel the Joe Rogan podcast or I will pull all of my music from the streaming source. Spotify - which recently paid $100 million to carry Rogan’s podcast exclusively - refused to cancel it, and Neil Young followed through on his promise to pull all of his music. As of today - a few Neil Young songs remain while the process of removing all of his music continues - but his biggest hits - “Old Man” and “Heart of Gold” have been removed from Spotify.
Young said of his ultimatum - “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading false information about vaccines - potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them [Spotify] - they can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”
Spotify made the decision to choose Joe Rogan over Neil Young. Following Neil Young’s announcement about removing all of his music from the streaming service - Spotify were down 12% or $4 billion last week - but have gone up 4.6% in early trading.
Fellow rock icon - Joni Mitchell joined Neil Young in announcing that she wanted all of her music removed from Spotify. Frontman for the rock band - Disturbed - Dave Draiman congratulated Spotify for “not capitulating to the mob.”
On Sunday, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announced that the company will adjust rules and address “the lines drawn between what is acceptable and what is not.” Ek went on to say - “we have an obligation to do more to provide balance and access to widely-accepted information from the medical and scientific communities guiding us through this unprecedented time.”
Joe Rogan has now apologized to anyone who may be “p***ed off” and vowed to “try harder to get people with differing opinions on right afterward” and he will do his best “to make sure I have researched these topics, the controversial ones in particular, and have all the pertinent facts at hand before I discuss them.”
I have consistently expressed support for social media and streaming sites holding contributors to accountable to the facts and the truth - much like editors and news directors hold print and broadcast entities to facts and the truth. However - Joe Rogan should have the freedom to express his feelings about something controversial - like the COVID-19 vaccines.
In the quest for the truth and facts, the question is who decides. There are doctors who have differing views on the vaccines and the virus - but the overwhelming consensus is that the vaccines do work to keep people out of the hospital and to prevent deaths.
The ultimate responsibility lies in the people who listen to podcasts or watch the opinions of content-driven shows. Joe Rogan is - by trade and definition - a comedian. He once hosted the network reality show - “Fear Factor.”
No one should ever mistake Joe Rogan for a doctor or a medical expert - therefore the opinions he pushes on COVID and vaccines or anything for that matter - should be seen more as entertainment than advice.
Neil Young and Joni Mitchell demanded that Spotify cancel Joe Rogan or lose all of their music on the streaming service. Spotify chose Joe Rogan. Now - British singer-songwriter James Blunt - who wrote and sang the 2005 hit - “You’re Beautiful” - is now threatening Spotify saying that if the streaming services does not cancel Joe Rogan then he will be releasing more of his music!
Now that might do more to push Spotify to cancel Joe!
