Spotify CEO Says Man He Gave $100 Million Does Not Represent Values of His Company

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek wrote a memo to employees on Sunday about the controversy surrounding podcaster Joe Rogan, who removed over 100 episodes of his show over the weekend that reportedly contained racial slurs. And frankly the Grammy Awards should consider giving out a trophy for this kind of corporate fence-sitting.

Ek simultaneously argued Rogan shouldn’t be “canceled” for his use of the n-word and that The Joe Rogan Experience doesn’t represent the values of Spotify, according to the memo, first obtained by Peter Kafka of Recode Media.

“There are no words I can say to adequately convey how deeply sorry I am for the way The Joe Rogan Experience controversy continues to impact each of you,” Ek wrote in his memo that was addressed to the “Spotify Team.”

“Not only are some of Joe Rogan’s comments incredibly hurtful—I want to make clear that they do not represent the values of this company. I know this situation leaves many of you feeling drained, frustrated and unheard,” Ek continued.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/spotify-ceo-says-man-he-gave-dollar100-million-does-not-represent-values-of-his-company/ar-AATyE3g

[durablend]

1. cough cough bullshit

"He doesn't reflect our values but we DAMN WELL looooooooooooove that money rollin in"

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. Gosh, sorry folks, but bottom-line, we gave him a $100M contract, soooooo ... yeah

He stays

[lagomorph777]

11. Pretty sure that what you are paying for tells us what you value, pal.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

12. Seems like a good indicator indeed (nt)

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. The comments are not "hurtful"

They are nakedly racist, made by a racist, on a show hosted by a racist, who has racist guests, and on a network that is racist for tolerating all the above.

Stuff "hurtful".

[Scrivener7]

4. Oh, sweetie. Joe Rogan IS your company now.

[relayerbob]

5. Well, it's true.

Rogan is a full-fledged and open asshole, whereas Spotify’s values are based on hypocrisy and stealing from your customers.

[onecaliberal]

6. Clearly he DOES reflect your values or you would have dumped him. The problem is your values $

We all see you.

[PittBlue]

7. So glad that we cancelled Spotify.

Thank you, Neil Young.

[Ferrets are Cool]

9. You bought that shit, lock, stock and smoking barrel.

[lame54]

10. No kidding - it's only a tenth of a billion dollars

[Demovictory9]

13. 100 million to attract racist sexist incel listeners

[gratuitous]

14. Ek is making a carefully calculated business decision

He's betting that Joe "Stinkbutt" Rogan will continue to generate revenue for Spotify, enough to justify paying him $100 million. That's the beginning, middle and end of this. All Ek's protestations of being "deeply sorry" or acknowledging that Stinkbutt's comments are "incredibly hurtful" are just so much eyewash.