Spotify Removes 113 Joe Rogan Podcast Episodes

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Facts

  • Spotify reportedly removed 113 episodes of the 'Joe Rogan Experience' podcast over the weekend.1
  • This comes after a compilation video of Rogan and his guests using racial slurs circulated last week.2
  • Rogan apologized on Saturday -- his second apology in a week -- stating that it was 'the most regretful and shameful thing that I've ever had to talk about publicly.'3
  • Rogan has also in recent weeks faced accusations of spreading COVID misinformation through his podcast, with several artists -- starting with Neil Young -- boycotting Spotify over the issue.4
  • Spotify has apologized for the controversies, and begun placing content advisories on podcasts that discuss COVID. The episodes removed were unrelated to the pandemic.5

Sources: 1FOX News, 2Wall Street Journal (a), 3Independent, 4NPR Online News and 5Wall Street Journal (b).

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by MSNBC. Not only has Rogan spread dangerous misinformation about COVID that could endanger people's lives, the compilation of racist slurs confirms why musicians were right to start boycotting Spotify. The streaming service is simply virtue signalling as it continues to put profit over public health.
  • Narrative B, as provided by FOX News. Rogan facilitates a crucially needed public debate and has had guests from various points of view. The compilation is comprised of out-of-context clips, most of which are from over 10 years ago, and Rogan has apologized.