In recent days, Joe Rogan and Spotify have been at the center of the media world. Washed-up rock n’ rollers (Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and others) who most under the age of 70 don’t know or thought were dead are pulling their libraries from the popular streaming platform over Joe Rogan.
This podcaster has committed the crime of having conversations with people on his show who do not parrot the talking points of CNN, MSNBC, and the White House.
Spotify did announce that it would add disclaimers to any podcast episodes that discuss COVID-19. Usually, I’d laugh off the absurdity. I still want to. But there’s a part of me that won’t allow it.
That’s especially true after White House press secretary Jen Psaki spoke about the situation this week and said something that should concern any proponent of free speech.
“This disclaimer is a positive step, but we want every platform to continue doing more to call out mis- and disinformation while also uplifting accurate information,” Psaki said in response to a reporter’s question at her regular press briefing.
Notice there still has not been any concrete outrage over what Rogan has specifically said that they would label as “disinformation,” but I digress. “Our view is it’s a good step,” Psaki concluded. “It’s a positive step, but there’s more that can be done.”
That is one of the scariest and most underreported comments from a White House official in modern American history.
We can all have our political differences over what the best policy is in a given economic or international scenario. But for the most powerful in government to be twisting the arm of media companies to censor and shut down speech they don’t like is dangerous.
Thankfully, Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek isn’t falling for the outrage. Specifically said on an earnings call this week, the company is just as much a platform as a publisher, meaning they are a place for the content to be distributed but are not necessarily a creator of it.
That’s a great first step, and I sure hope Ek doesn’t budge off his position. But the mob doesn’t go away after a few comments on one earnings call.
However, given the moment, those in power, and their willingness to publicly support censors of speech they disagree with, what should talk radio stations and hosts be thinking?
I’m not writing this predicting the government will be shutting down talk radio any time soon, but as these free speech debates linger on. Furthermore, the censorship requests are generally only coming from one side of the political aisle; it’s fair to wonder how far this could go, how deep it runs, and who/what is next?
As has always been the case with cancel culture, there’s always something and someone next. There has to be to keep the movement alive. One scalp has never been enough, and history proves as much time and time again.
It’s more critical than ever that regardless of how the CEOs of major media companies feel about any content unless concrete, undeniable facts are being misrepresented, they are protecting the most basic American right we have: the ability to have free and open discourse.
Stand strong with Daniel Ek. Your time is now.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
