As controversy surrounding Spotify and COVID-19 misinformation promoted by Joe Rogan’s podcast continues to circulate, several notable musicians and public figures have spoken out against the podcaster and the platform itself, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Now, as Newsweek reports, the couple, (who have a deal with Spotify and are set to have their own podcast), might experience a delay in its release, if it is released at all.
Last week, the couple released a statement via their foundation Archewell calling on Spotify to express their “concerns” about ensuring “changes to its platform are made to help address this public health crisis” since Spotify doesn’t have a clear policy that prohibits COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. Although the two didn’t mention Rogan by name, this statement came in light of controversy surrounding his podcast and COVID misinformation spread on the platform in general.
The former royals have a multi-year partnership between Spotify and Archewell Audio as the two announced in December 2021 that they were set to host and produce original podcasts “all with the goal to build community through shared experience, narratives and values,” according to a press release. In December 2020, they released a holiday episode discussing and reviewing that tumultuous year, but haven’t shared any other content since.
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As revealed on February 2nd, royal watcher Kristen Meinzer told Newsweek podcast The Royal Report that she believed the couple’s qualms with Rogan may have been a factor in the hold up.
“Some of the conversations I’m hearing around this now are, ‘oh, that makes sense,'” said the show’s co-host. “Maybe that’s why Harry and Meghan have not released anything beyond their one holiday episode of the podcast up until now […] maybe they’ve been in conversation with Spotify, maybe that’s what the hold up is with all of this.”
“Some folks seem to be sympathetic to Harry and Meghan but others out there are saying you can’t necessarily play it both ways,” they continued, with Newsweek Royal Correspondent Jack Royston, saying he believed the couple should not cut the partnership.”It’s going to be the most substantive long term thing that they’ve set up in their post-royal lives, assuming it goes ahead, he said. “So I think they should 100 percent plough on with this. I think they did have to say something.”
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Menzier notably added that she thinks if the podcast is released, that the couple would address the Spotify-Rogan-misinformation debacle directly in an episode. “I don’t think they’re going to hold back,”she said. “I would not be surprised if there is actually one of their episodes when they do start recording their show or releasing it where they address the importance of COVID information vs misinformation and doing the right thing and controlling the narrative.”
Gimlet Projects, Spotify’s partner, announced that it will hire three producers on six month contracts to work on a weekly show for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, suggesting that we might be able to hear their podcast sooner than we think. Harry and Meghan continue to face criticism from British press over their deal with and statement to Spotify, so when and if the podcast makes its debut is still unclear.
