News Print & Digital

Daniel Ek: Too Early to Know if Joe Rogan Controversy Will Impact Spotify

Ek spoke to employees, some of whom reportedly pressed him on why the company continues to allow Rogan to host shows that indulge in anti-vaccine/mandate rhetoric.

Published

3 months ago

February 4, 2022

Ryan Hedrick

Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

The controversy at Spotify involving Joe Rogan disseminating alleged COVID misinformation was addressed this week by CEO Daniel Ek.

Ek hosted a town hall event where he spoke to employees, some of whom reportedly pressed Ek on why the company continues to allow Rogan to host shows that indulge in anti-vaccine/mandate rhetoric.

“If we want even a shot at achieving our bold ambitions, it will mean having content on Spotify that many of us may not be proud to be associated with,” he said. “Not anything goes, but there will be opinions, ideas, and beliefs that we disagree with strongly and even makes us angry or sad.”

Ek also addressed investors. He said the company saw a double-digit increase in the number of monthly active users that listened to a podcast during Q4 compared to the prior quarter.

This week, Spotify also revealed that it was going to start placing advisory labels on podcasts that contained content related to the pandemic. Ek shouldered the blame for not acting on this type of thing, sooner.

“We should have done it earlier, and that’s on me,” he said. “We don’t change our policies based on one creator nor do we change it based on any media cycle,” Ek said. “And while Joe has a massive audience, he’s actually the No. 1 podcast in more than 90 markets, he also has to abide by those policies.”

Elk said as far as the Rogan-COVID misinformation controversy that has ensnared the company, it’s too early to tell whether this past week’s event will have an impact on subscribers.

“It’s too early to know what the impact will be,” Ek said. “Usually, when we’ve had controversies in the past, those are measured in months and not days.”

Ryan Hedrick

Ryan Hedrick serves as the Co-Host of the Morning News Express at WFMD. He started in radio at 17 years old, doing sports and news for his high school radio station. He then spent several years at WFMD in Frederick, MD before joining WBEN in Buffalo, NY. In 2016, while working at WIBW-AM in Topeka KS, Hedrick earned the Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB) award for Major Market enterprise reporting. Hedrick grew up in Southern California where he attended Cal State University of Northridge. He can be found on Twitter @SureToCover.

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News Print & Digital

Twitter Introduces Crisis Misinformation Policy

“In times of crisis, misleading information can undermine public trust and cause further harm to already vulnerable communities,” Twitter said in a statement.

Published

4 hours ago

May 19, 2022

Eduardo Razo

When major developing news occurs, such as the Buffalo Mass Shooting last weekend, many jump on Twitter to get the latest information. However, as the details come out, some disinformation surfaces on the platform.

In an attempt to help combat any incorrect details in real-time, the social media platform is introducing a crisis misinformation policy. This global guideline will steer Twitter’s efforts to boost credible information when a crisis moment.

“In times of crisis, misleading information can undermine public trust and cause further harm to already vulnerable communities,” Twitter said in a statement.

“Alongside our existing work to make reliable information more accessible during crisis events, this new approach will help to slow the spread by us of the most visible, misleading content, particularly that which could lead to severe harms.”

Twitter stated that the policy has been under development since last year and will “determine whether claims are misleading, we require verification from multiple credible, publicly available sources.”

Some instances of Tweets that the company may add a warning notification to include:

False coverage or event reporting, or information that mischaracterizes conditions on the ground as a conflict evolves;
False allegations regarding use of force, incursions on territorial sovereignty, or around the use of weapons;
Demonstrably false or misleading allegations of war crimes or mass atrocities against specific populations;
False information regarding international community response, sanctions, defensive actions, or humanitarian operations.

Eduardo Razo

Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.

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News Print & Digital

NY Times Puts Hold on Entire Staff Return to Their Offices

Times prepared to have its entire staff return to the office on June 6th a few days a week, a date which the newspaper had previously moved back as well.

Published

6 hours ago

May 19, 2022

Eduardo Razo

The New York Times staffers were scheduled to return to their offices on June 6th; however, the rise in Covid-19 cases in New York City have caused the newspaper to pause on a return to their offices.

“Based on the city’s guidance and the advice of our health experts, we are pausing the start of our Expected Phase of return to office until conditions improve,” wrote Jacqueline Welch, Chief Human Resources Officer, in a memo.

The Times prepared to have its entire staff return to the office on June 6th a few days a week, a date which the newspaper had previously moved back as well.

Furthermore, the company’s notification to their staff coincided with New York City increasing its Covid-19 alert level to “High” on Tuesday as daily cases in the U.S. have grown near 100,000 per day, a boost from 73,000 new cases daily average last week.

Employees who need to be in the building are encouraged to wear masks in public spaces while in its offices, including elevators, meeting rooms, and restrooms.

Eduardo Razo

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News Print & Digital

FOX Nation to Debut Veteran-Themed Shows Later This Month

FOX Nation will also be extending its “Grateful Nation initiative,” offering all active military members and veterans a free one-year subscription to FOX Nation.

Published

15 hours ago

May 19, 2022

Ryan Hedrick

FOX Nation is set to debut its veteran-themed programming Sunday, May 22nd. In a release, the network said it will air the 38th annual “America’s Top Ranger.” The competition pits some of America’s elite Army Rangers against one another in a grueling 70-mile obstacle course.

On Thursday, May 26th, the network will debut “The Unauthorized History of the Vietnam War” hosted by Bret Baier. The show will document how the Vietnam War left an indelible mark on a generation of Americans and changed the course of human events across the globe.

On Saturday, May 28th, “Heroes Honor Festival” will air from Daytona Beach, Florida. Country star Toby Keith will headline the event along with other musical artists.

On Sunday, May 29th, Bret Baier is back with a look at the most iconic ships of World War II in “Lost Ships of WWII.” The eight-part special will spotlight the director of undersea operations at Vulcan Inc. Rob Kraft and his team aboard the research vessel Petrel.

On Monday, May 30th, “The Story’s” Martha MacCallum dives into a series of stories and heroes you never knew from World War II in “Secret History of WWII.” The special will document America’s “Ghost Army”, Pearl Harbor and Japan’s code

FOX Nation will also be extending its “Grateful Nation initiative,” offering all active military members and veterans a free one-year subscription to FOX Nation.

Fox Nation’s Memorial Day Schedule:

• America’s Top Ranger – Release Date: May 22nd

• The Unauthorized History of the Vietnam War – Release Date: May 26th

• Heroes Honor Festival – Event Date: May 28th

• Lost Ships of WWII – Release Date: May 29th

• Secret History of WWII – Release Date: May 30th