Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says his company is standing by popular podcast host Joe Rogan after videos of him using racially insensitive language surfaced online.
In a memo to employees on Sunday, Ek wrote, “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.
“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,” he continued.
He went on to say that Spotify “had conversations with Joe and his team about some of the content in his show, including his history of using some racially insensitive language.” Following those conversations and “his own reflections,” Ek said Rogan chose to remove some episodes of his podcast.
However, Ek went on:
“While I strongly condemn what Joe has said and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want more. And I want to make one point very clear – I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer. We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope. Looking at the issue more broadly, it’s critical thinking and open debate that powers real and necessary progress.”
His memo comes after videos of Rogan saying the N-word over 20 times surfaced.
In a video posted to his Instagram account on Saturday, Rogan said his use of the word was the “most regretful and shameful thing” he had to address.
“I know that to most people, there’s no context where a White person is ever allowed to say that, never mind publicly on a podcast, and I agree with that,” he continued. “I haven’t said it in years.”