Podcast host Joe Rogan took to Instagram Sunday to address the controversy brewing around his show on Spotify Technology SA’s SPOT streaming platform.
What Happened: Rogan touched on the broader controversy surrounding COVID-19 misinformation and in particular two episodes featuring Peter McCullough and Robert Malone.
The podcast host said he will “do my best in the future to balance things out.”
“If there’s anything that I’ve done that I could do better, it’s having more experts with differing opinions right after I have the controversial ones,” Rogan said in the Instagram video.
Rogan admitted in the video that he did all the scheduling for his podcast himself. “I don’t always get it right,” he said.
The comedian and actor also touched on the decision of Joni Mitchell and Neil Young to remove their music from Spotify.
“I’m very sorry they feel that way. I most certainly don’t want that. I’m a Neil Young fan,” said Rogan.
See Also: How To Spotify (SPOT) Shares
Why It Matters: Rogan said he wanted to talk to McCullough and Malone because their opinions differ from those of the mainstream narrative on COVID-19.
“I wanted to hear what their opinion is. I had them on and because of that, those episodes were labeled as dangerous and featuring misinformation,” said Rogan.
The podcaster said he agrees with the decision of Spotify to put a COVID-19 disclaimer on his content.
On Sunday, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said in a corporate blog that the platform has 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.”
Earlier in the month, a coalition of 270 doctors, scientists, and others complained to Spotify over COVID-19 misinformation on Rogan’s podcast.
The coalition's letter to Spotify said, “With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, JRE [Joe Rogan Experience] is the world’s largest podcast and has tremendous influence.”
Price Action: On Friday, Spotify shares closed nearly 1% higher at $172.98. The shares rose 0.3% in the after-hours session.
Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
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