Spotify says it will add content advisory to podcasts that discuss COVID

Spotify Technology SA will add a "content advisory" to any podcast episode that includes discussion about COVID-19, chief executive officer Daniel Ek said, after coming under fire from rock and folk legends for giving voice to misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.

"This new effort to combat misinformation will roll out to countries around the world in the coming days," Ek wrote in a blog post published Sunday. "To our knowledge, this content advisory is the first of its kind by a major podcast platform."

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan also expressed their concern to Spotify about COVID-19 misinformation on its platform and are committed to continuing to work with the company, a spokesperson for their Archewell foundation said on Sunday. read more

The advisory will direct listeners to a COVID-19 hub that contains facts and information from medical and health experts, as well as links to trusted sources.

The move comes after singer-songwriters Neil Young and Joni Mitchell announced they are removing their music from Spotify in protest that the popular streaming service has allowed the airing of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. read more

Young objected to his music being played on the same platform as Joe Rogan's top-rated podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience." A prominent vaccine skeptic, Rogan has stirred controversy with his views on the pandemic, government mandates and vaccines to control the spread of the coronavirus.

Earlier this month, 270 scientists and medical professionals signed a letter urging Spotify to take action against Rogan, accusing him of spreading falsehoods on the podcast.

In a tweet on Saturday best-selling author Brene Brown -- host of the Spotify-exclusive podcasts "Unlocking Us" and "Dare to Lead" -- said she would "not be releasing any podcasts until further notice."

Brown could not immediately be reached for comment.

Spotify is also publishing platform rules for its creators, according to Ek's post.

"We know we have a critical role to play in supporting creator expression while balancing it with the safety of our users," he wrote. "In that role, it is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor while also making sure that there are rules in place and consequences for those who violate them."

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Spotify removing Neil Young's music after his Joe Rogan ultimatum

Neil Young's music is being removed from Spotify's streaming service after the singer-songwriter objected to his songs playing on the same platform that offers Joe Rogan's podcast, the company and the musician said on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, Young had released a letter addressed to his manager and record label, Warner Music Group, demanding that Spotify no longer carry his music because he said Rogan spreads misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.

On Wednesday, the "Heart of Gold" and "Rocking In the Free World" singer thanked his record label for "standing with me in my decision to pull all my music from Spotify," and he encouraged other musicians to do the same.

"Spotify has become the home of life-threatening COVID misinformation," he said on his website. "Lies being sold for money."

The Swedish company said it worked to balance "both safety for listeners and freedom for creators" and had removed more than 20,000 podcast episodes related to COVID-19 in accordance with its "detailed content policies."

"We regret Neil's decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon," Spotify said in a statement.

Rogan, 54, is the host of "The Joe Rogan Experience," the top-rated podcast on Spotify, which holds exclusive rights to the program.

He has stirred controversy with his views on the pandemic, government mandates, and vaccines to control the spread of the coronavirus.

Earlier this month, 270 scientists and medical professionals signed a letter urging Spotify to take action against Rogan, accusing him of spreading falsehoods on the podcast.

Young, 76, said Spotify accounted for 60% of the streaming of his music to listeners around the world. The removal is "a huge loss for my record company to absorb," he said. 

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Spotify gets exclusive deal on Joe Rogan, most popular US podcast

NEW YORK -- Spotify has obtained exclusive rights to "The Joe Rogan Experience," the most downloaded podcast in the United States, the Swedish online streaming giant said Tuesday.

Spotify did not say how much they paid, but according to the Wall Street Journal they plunked down more than $100 million in a multi-year licensing deal, which will be available to both paid service subscribers and users of the platform's free version.

"It will remain FREE, and it will be the exact same show," Rogan, 52, told fans on his Instagram account, adding that the deal goes into effect at the end of 2020. "It's just a licensing deal, so Spotify won't have any creative control over the show."

The exclusive rights include both the podcast and the filmed version on Rogan's YouTube account, which routinely has more than one million views per episode.

Rogan began his show in 2009, in the early days of podcasting, and over the years built a loyal audience.

"The Joe Rogan Experience" is a free-flowing show, often going on for more than three hours, during which the animated host has an open-ended conversation with his guest.

In 2019, Rogan's show was the most downloaded podcast on Apple devices.

Rogan is unique in the podcasting world: a comedian, a former kickboxer and taekwondo champion, his guests run the gamut from mixed martial artists to entrepreneurs, scientists, athletes and health advocates to celebrity actors.

For a little over a year, Spotify has slowly been moving into the podcast world.

In early 2019, it bought the podcasting company Gimlet Studios for around $230 million, as well as the production interface Anchor for more than $100 million. 

And in February, Spotify acquired The Ringer, a sports and entertainment production studio, for between $141 million and $195 million, depending on several variables.

Agence France-Presse