In choosing Joe Rogan over Neil Young, the company has made its new priorities clear to listeners.
www.theatlantic.com
Young's actions were apparently inspired by this letter:
An Open Letter to Spotify: A call from the global scientific and medical communities to implement a misinformation policy On Dec. 31, 2021, the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE), a Spotify-exclusive podca…
spotifyopenletter.wordpress.com
From the letter:
As I've stated before, I haven't listened to one of JR'S podcasts. However, I get the impression from his critics that he spouts nonsense such as, "Young people don't need to be vaccinated against COVID" (paraphrasing) and allows guests to spout nonsense, while framing it in "Just asking questions" terms.
Whatever NY's reason or inspiration was he should have done his home work if he relied on this "270 letter" to change the world.
1. This letter was pushed by Jessica Rivera who has worked with the Rockefeller Foundation and the Atlantic. Apparently, she is occasionally featured on CNN LOL but not as many times as Mike Avenatti. Hardly neutral organisations. If this letter came from a "right wing" source, Foundation and Magazine it would be immediately dismissed as partisan garbage.
2. "270 scientists, doctors, and other health professionals" is rather misleading eh?
Stated in a different way: @70 doctors with qualified medical degrees who are actual practitioners, @30 non practicing MDs employed by universities, 50 PhD academics, 60 professors, 29 nurses, 10 students, and some science podcasters. Disregarding the non practitioners you get 70, BFD.
Waving this particular letter as a shining example that could sway minds for the better, doesn't. It makes things worse, i.e. it will make fence sitters become more skeptical and will probably increase JR's audience. That's a bad result if the objective is to move more into the vaccinated camp.
Have the highest respect NY the artist, but I would have hoped NY or his paid handlers would have done their homework.
Science podcasters, students, really?