Spotify’s Rogan problem is a cautionary tale for other tech platforms

Enlarge / Spotify is in the middle of a transformation-it just may not realize it. (credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Spotify probably didn't realize it, but it ceased being a tech company a few years ago.

It was excelling at all the tech startup things-attracting users and losing money-but like most businesses, it eventually wanted to make a profit. The company was having a tough time doing that simply by streaming music, which proved to be expensive since the labels demanded a hefty fee to access their catalogs. Without another product to sell alongside music, Spotify was hemorrhaging money.

So the company started looking afield, searching for a product that would complement its existing music offerings. It found one in podcasts.

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