Spoti-fiasco... Spotify’s getting heat for "The Joe Rogan Experience," aka: the world's largest pod. In December, Rogan interviewed Covid vaccine critic Dr. Robert Malone. Cue: 270 medical experts called on Spotify to curb misinfo on its platform. Then, Neil Young demanded that Spotify remove his tunes or remove Rogan — Spotify nixed Young. The streamer reportedly paid $100M to make JRE Spotify-exclusive, as pods play a growing role in its growth (FYI: it reports on Wednesday). As its pod biz booms, Spotify could face more pressure to define its moderation policies.
Yellow Cab meets Jetsons... Electric flying taxis (think: futuristic helicopters) are taking off. Boeing-backed startup Wisk just sealed a deal with Blade’s urban mobility network to fly autonomous taxis in the US. Earlier this month, Toyota-backed Joby said its prototype completed a high-speed flight. ETA for passenger service: 2024. Houston, LA, and Orlando have announced plans to establish air taxi “skyports.” But first, flying taxis need the FAA’s greenlight to fly commercially. And companies still face several hurdles — from air traffic control challenges, to public support.