by Craig Colby
“They can have Rogan or Young. Not Both.” Neil Young wasn’t kidding. His music was pulled off Spotify to protest misinformation about COVID vaccines being spread on the Joe Rogan Experience, the most popular podcast in the world. It was a big deal for Young. He said that Spotify represents 60% of the streaming of his music. Joni Mitchell followed Young’s lead.
To no one’s surprise, Spotify backed Rogan, graciously. It was the obvious business decision, handled well.
Rogan’s response on Instagram was even better, revealing the virtues and vices of the podcast age.
“The podcast started out as just fucking around with my friends.”
Like many podcasts, the Joe Rogan Experience started out as something new and fun to try. Rogan didn’t prepare much because podcasts are a low cost, low risk enterprise. That’s a big part of their beauty. Anyone can be a broadcaster, creating and hosting programs then seeing if they find an audience.
Joe Rogan found one, big time. That’s where his current problems start. Authors, celebrities and people with intriguing ideas campaigned to get on the show. If it was interesting, Joe booked them. And why wouldn’t he? That was the goal of the show.
“I’ve never tried to do anything with this podcast other than have conversations and talk to interesting people. I didn’t plan it. I can’t believe it’s successful as it is. It was never really an idea.” Rogan admitted.
Rogan just kept doing it and let it evolve. Eventually, the content got away from him. And that’s the problem with podcasts. A slick one can look and sound like a responsiblie source of information. However, when a podcast gets a big audience, the lack of training and perparation that go into shaping the content can turn it into a dangerous source of misinformation.
“Out of control juggernaut that I barely have control over.”
So, Rogan is making his show, gaining followers, then he wakes up to find out that doctors are saying his show is bad for people and beloved musicians would rather lose money than share a platform with him. Rogan’s name had become synonymous with misinformation. That was never what he wanted.
“I’m interested in telling the truth. I’m interested in finding out what the truth is.” Rogan said on Instagram.
To Rogan’s credit, he’s taking steps to balance his program. He’s agreed to run a disclaimer before controversial material encouraging people to talk to their doctors and that the views expressed run counter to the consensus of professional opinions. He also plans to schedule experts who represent the consensus opinions following guests with alternative viewpoints.
Rogan said, “It’s a strange responsibility to have this many viewers and listeners and It’s nothing that I prepare for and it’s nothing that I ever anticipated.”
Perhaps not, but it’s nice to see he’s now taking the responsibility seriously. As Andrew MacDonald, a Facebook friend of mine who works in the media, put it when he shared Rogan’s Instagram video, “It’s cute seeing him figure this out as he goes.” MacDonald meant it as a compliment, but there’s a bigger lesson here.
The blowback to his show would have been avoided if he’d followed some basics of broadcasting and journalism. You need to provide context for the information you’re providing. It’s common practise to balance dissenting views, although that is a tricky wire to walk for even the best organizations.
He can take a few more steps that will save him some aggravation. Rogan says he books all the guests himself. In newsrooms, assignment editors book the stories. Someone who has studied journalism could line up guests, and Rogan could maintain final approval.
Rogan says,” “I have no idea what I’m going to talk about until I sit down and talk with them and that’s why some of my ideas are not well prepared or fleshed out.” Researchers and producers provide information packages for on-air interviewers, so they’re ready for an interview. Rogan would benefit from that preparation.
Finally, Rogan should hire a producer with a background in journalism. All the changes Rogan is making to his program are ideas taught in journalism school and practiced in newsrooms everyday. Rogan shouldn’t have to figure all of this out as he goes. He should be learning from the people who figured this out a long time ago.
“I’m not mad at Neil Young. I’m a huge Neil Young fan. I’ve always been a Neil Young fan.”
Rogan may have things to learn from the media, but there are things we can all learn from Rogan’s response to this criticism.
If he was stung, it didn’t show. Rogan praised Neil Young’s and Joni Mitchell’s music, even if he mistakenly credited Mitchell for Ricky Lee Jones’s Chuck E’s in Love.
Rogan didn’t lash out at his other critics either. “It’s good to have some haters because it makes you reassess what you’re doing and put things into perspective. And I think that’s good too.” Rogan said on Instagram. In science this is called peer review, where your work is published, and evaluated by your colleagues. In the media, we have editors.
“Do I get things wrong? Absolutely. But I try to correct them”
Rogan’s willingness to listen to criticism, treat it as feedback, and use it to make his show and himself better, is laudable. We should all aspire to Rogan’s grown-up response. The world needs more of this.
Rogan wrapped up by saying, “If I pissed you off, I’m sorry and if you enjoy the podcast thank you. I’m going to do my best. “
Sure, Rogan made mistakes. However, in this age of diss tracks, flame wars and internet trolls he got the big ideas exactly right.
Craig Colby is a television executive producer, producer, director, writer and story editor. He runs a storytelling consulting and production service for businesses.
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