Readers React To The Podcast Movement Apology

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Many Radio Ink readers were interested in the Ben Shapiro/Podcast Movement controversy from last week. Shapiro spoke about it on his show Friday. Daily Wire contributer Matt Walsh did as well. If you missed the story, here it is again, with all of our reader comments….

According to the popular talk show host and podcaster, he only stopped into the event in Dallas for a short period of time, at the booth in which his company The Daily Wire paid a $10,000 sponsorship for. That was enough to make some people angry and for Podcast Movement organizers to say they were sorry for letting him in.

Shapiro said he stopped by the booth, took a few photos with fans and that was it. He wasn’t on any panels, he didn’t talk about politics with anyone, and he left.
The conservative leaning Shapiro has been hosting one of the most listening to podcasts for years. His radio show is distributed by Cumulus’ Westwood One.

Shapiro even being in the building was enough to make some people feel unsafe. Here’s what the producer of The Lore podcast, Aaron Mahnke tweeted, “Podcast Movement’s apology is a good start. But more needs to be done. Namely, remove the Daily Wire booth and staff from the conference entirely. Their presence made every LGBTQ attendee feel unsafe.”

Here’s the string of apologies Podcast Movement posted to Twitter on Thursday morning.
Not all attendees supported the apology. Podcast Movement was taking a lot of heat from its followers on Twitter. Here’s an examle:

We reached out to Gary Coichy, the CEO of Pod Digital Media who was at the event. Coichy participated in our virtual conference How to Make Real Money podcasting last month. Here’s what Gary had to say about the Shapiro dust-up: “If the podcast industry has made it this far to diversify the content being delivered, expos and conference producers should seriously take the necessary measures to carefully vet sponsors in an effort to confidently represent the industry. As the leader in multicultural podcasting the goal has always been inclusivity and diversification. There were definitively some errors made here that that were insensitive to the communities we proudly represent, however an apology is a small but good start” 

The Daily Wire posted a video on Twitter of Podcast Movement attendees stopping by their booth to take pictures with Shapiro. Watch it HERE:

 

55 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t know what’s better about this thread. The absolutely glorious Poe’s Law level sarcasm in every other comment… or the people so entrenched in a combative mentality that they are attacking people who are mocking their enemies because they can’t see the joke. I hope this shit goes on for WEEKS!

  2. 99% of the country disagrees with Shapiro, so yes it’s OK to be cancelled! Majority rules folks! Get every Republican off the air and bring freedom back to the USA!

    • 99% of the country agrees with Shapiro and thinks you are a worthless PoS who should never be seen or heard from again. Majority rules folks! Get every Democrat and “Let Freedom Ring!” off the air and off the internet and bring freedom back to the USA!

      See? I can pull obviously wrong statistics out of my @$$ too, and make stupid ignorant conclusions based on them as well

  3. Podcast Movement needs to protect their guests. I am glad that moving forward it is known that certain political ideologies are not welcome because they are in fact, mean. I just saw on Instagram, a man who was in tears when he heard about Shapiro walking in the building. He wasn’t sure if Shapiro was there to make fun of him or what was going to happen. Fear has no place in this space and inclusion should be guaranteed.

  4. I do believe that Shapiro could be arrested for much of what he says and calling 911 while he’s broadcasting could be a way to get him cancelled, or even arrested for what he’s saying. Also, record his videos and audio to show the police. Speech is violence and I am glad that America is waking up and noticing it. Podcast movement is right to cancel him and others who have strange opinions.

  5. “When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear…. It is amazing how many people think that they can answer an argument by attributing bad motives to those who disagree with them. Using this kind of reasoning, you can believe or not believe anything about anything, without having to bother to deal with facts or logic.”

    – Thomas Sowell

  6. “The shame caused by allowing a conservative Jew to speak freely will stick with us for some time. The harm from knowing Ben was there, committing wrongthink the whole time, will never be forgotten.” – Podcast Movement

  7. Paying to feel unsafe is wrong and now the mental health of many has been put in danger. PM should consider full refunds for all. Those who ran away in fear will be affected for a long time, and I hope not forever. Why the FCC does not side with inclusiveness by banning Shapiro and anyone like him is also hurtful. I do believe that Cumulus should be fined for airing this garbage, or lose their license. I hope future conventions cancel all invites to people who feel like they can say whatever they want, whenever they want… this is not OK!

  8. Wow, many of the comments here seem to be from deranged liberals. You want to ban any speech you don’t agree with? It was a podcast convention. Shapiro does a podcast. His company paid to be there. What is the problem with that, other than that it appears to have triggered some snowflakes?

    • I am glad that Shapiro was banned. Why are you OK with people running for their safety and crying when Shapiro showed up? Inclusion should be guaranteed, unless your perspective is mean and crazy.

      I have co-podders who will literally need mental health help for a long time because Shapiro thought he owned the event. Hate will not win! Love wins!

    • Larry, just don’t go to Podcast Movement. Me and my co-podders don’t want to hear from people like you. Your voice is irrelevant. Love wins!

    • “Wow, many of the comments here seem to be from deranged liberals.”
      Our social culture is now so degenerate that I honestly no longer can discriminate among trolling, sarcasm, and authentic leftist neurosis.

  9. Matt,
    Obviously, your statement is factually wrong. A true statement would be, “I wish Shapiro didn’t make money with a business model that hurts feelings.”
    That statement, which accurately reflects your view, sounds so uninformed that I had trouble writing it. Again, I wonder if Radio Ink is paying a group to make these absurd comments. Do you even understand the term irony?

  10. Who knows how many people will never go to a radio or podcast convention ever again after Ben Shapiro ambushed everyone. He’s actually trying to run people out of the broadcasting business so he can own the space. People payed big money to go to learn how to voice their opinions but probably left early because it turned into an insane and out of control political rally. FCC needs a national ban on these broadcasters so the future of radio can move forward.

  11. So let me get this right, Constitutional protected free speech is for all Americans unless you disagree with their speech.
    Wokeism destroys their own narrative.

  12. Gloria and Matt, your comments are so ridiculous that I wish, for your sakes, that your comments were satire. Sadly, they are not. Banning speech is as authoritarian as it gets.

    • Maybe we’re just humans with humanity. I just deleted 4 podcast apps who carry Shapiro. I’ll never work for Cumulus if they offer me a job. He literally showed up at a podcast convention to scare people who preach inclusion and free media. Shapiro has no right to be a broadcaster of his wild opinions.

        • How does he have the right when he was banned?! It was factually proven he had no right. Read the social media posts. He’s just lucky he didn’t end up in handcuffs.

        • Nope. No right. He was made to leave. Trespassing is illegal and so are his insane opinions. Sorry you are scared to understand this.

      • If you let ONE MAN scare you….You need to stay home. If you decide to “hide” from him, then YOU are the problem. Not him.

        • He was banned so, he was definitely the problem. Inclusiveness won and hate lost! Those who ran in fear did not deserve to have to make a fight or flight choice. This was a conference about expression and unity, and Shapiro needs to be cancelled so that nobody has to feel this way, ever again. If the FCC won’t do it, then who will?? I hope Westwood One is finalizing the end of his contract today.

  13. “Cumulus should be sued if they keep airing his speech, or the executives of Cumulus should be arrested and convicted of many crimes by paying someone to preach their opinions.”

    You must be a fan of NPR to make a statement like that.

  14. I may disagree with what you say but I will defend to the end your right to say it…

    vs.

    I don’t like what you say- you must leave/all must apologize/you’re cancelled.

  15. So, does Cumulus/Westwood One have to apologize for distribution of the show? This was my last year at PM because I can’t waste time and money on on organization that claims it’s about the organic opportunity to voice your perspectives, and then turn that into a business, but then sh*t all over someone who has done that (effectively), then simultaneoulsy join the butt-hurt brigade by apologizing all over themselves.

    I checked some of the profiles of the loud complainers who said they were offended. Most had under 100 followers, and I could only find one person who actually had a podcast (with 9 episodes). So, PM officially became a victim support group for people who either want to start a podcast, or has a podcast but makes ZERO dollars doing it.

    Also, maybe apologize for selling a worthless booth for 10k. Talk about greed. Adios PM. I’m ashamed I ever spent a dollar supporting your weak and hypocritical cause.

    To the future… open call for someone to create a free-speech, actual movement, in the pod space. But, please don’t beg for forgiveness after jamming people for 10k, then trying to embarrass them because they’re actually successful in the space, except they probably didn’t vote for Bernie Sanders.

    By the way, the next page in the victim support group PR manual is to put out a press release saying that you’re returning the 10K to Daily Wire. Tick Tock….

  16. Wow. Be inclusive by excluding those with whom you disagree? That’s doublethink that would make Orwell proud. Why is anyone afraid of Ben Shapiro? Are they afraid he might make sense? Apologizing for a sponsors attendance is bigoted and embarrassing. Does inclusive now mean including only “woke” ideas?

  17. And these amazingly “talented” podcasting “thought leaders” feel frightened and unsafe for having some part of their thoughts challenged? Truth doesn’t mind being challenged. Lies go to great lengths to not be questioned.

    • Were you there Bill? I was. When I saw the tweets that Shapiro had entered the facility, myself and two of my co-podders ran back to our hotel and stayed for hours. We knew there would be trouble. Maybe try to find an actual account from someone who was really there. There is truly no room for these people in media, and thankfully he is getting banned forever. Hopefully next year will be peaceful and a positive space for freedom of expression and growth.

      • Except nothing happened.

        But thanks for making the case for not being able to tolerate opposing points of view.

      • Why do I suspect that the “positive space for freedom of expression and growth” is mostly a left wing ideologue suck up safe space? If you’re truly for freedom of expression it means FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, even for the people with who we disagree. (And I’m not a fan of Shapiro, btw) I didn’t have to be there to understand that this event likely had little to NOTHING to do with freedom of expression. All I had to read is the “Feeling Unsafe” B.S. to know what’s really going on.

        • Bill, there are people who are still in shock that he was there. Have some sympathy for a change. Our co-podders need our love and humanity!

    • when your being sent texts that ben Shapiro is holding an unscheduled rally then yes it is scary especially if you’re their to learn about podcasts and not be screamed at or even worse beat. today is a victory because we can finally voice our truths without fear. we need to hope he is cancelled at even more radio and podcast events. Inclusivity doesn’t not include danger. Thank you PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  18. In my opinion, Shapiro is a pathetic excuse for a human being and a complete waste of space on the planet.
    I’m sure my opinion offends some people, and if it does, I will consider my comment productive.
    When I began to read the article in question, I thought Shapiro must have walked into the event with a deadly weapon and held the group hostage.
    The reaction to Shapiro’s appearance is an example of an untested and coddled generation of Americans with growing influence who don’t understand the First Amendment. If this comment offends some people, I will consider it productive.
    Every American has the absolute right to say things that offend each other and that right extends to everyone, and especially to anyone stupid enough to pay $10,000 for a booth.
    Hopefully, I have offended everyone involved with my comments, and if so, my comments have been instructive.

    • I will now be in full support of Podcast Movement because I do not believe that anyone who has the opinion of Shapiro has the right to voice it. He should be terminated and possibly jailed for his hurtful stance. Who knows how many people he has forced into darkness by his words. The sad thing is that we will never know the damage, trauma, possibly critical injuries he has caused people. It’s not a joke. We need more groups to ban people like Shapiro and his beliefs as they are un-American. Cumulus should be sued if they keep airing his speech, or the executives of Cumulus should be arrested and convicted of many crimes by paying someone to preach their opinions.

      • So, first of all, thank you for stating opinions that support my arguments against your one-sided and willfully ignorant view of free speech.
        Next, I totally disagree with your statement that turns logic inside out and upside down. So, what action should I advocate against you?
        If I were to accept your view, I would tell Radio Ink to delete your comments and ban you in the future, except for your comments that agree with my world view.

        • You don’t have a world view, you have an anti-world view. Radio ink won’t delete my comments because they are true. Shapiro gets banned because he does not speak the truth. Podcast Movement supports truth and peace, not emotional violence which has led many into darkness. Who knows how many people have called 911 while listening to or watching the evil Shapiro, just to have the police ignore them. Finally, someone has stood up to evil. Your comments may bet deleted because you aren’t speaking with truth… how do you not see the difference?

        • Hey Fred, You don’t get the right to make money while your whole model is to hurt feelings. Hope we continue to ban people like Shapiro, for their crazy opinions. Being a millionaire while making people sad is just flat wrong.

          • Matt,
            Obviously, your statement is factually wrong. A true statement would be, “I wish Shapiro didn’t make money with a business model that hurts feelings.”
            That statement, which accurately reflects your view, sounds so uninformed that I had trouble writing it. Again, I wonder if Radio Ink is paying a group to make these absurd comments. Do you even understand the term irony?

        • I am a unifier who is pro-expression and inclusivity. We all have a voice to be heard. We can’t share our voice with people like Shapiro who want to dominate the the conversation. I’m surprised your comment isn’t getting deleted for throwing around insults and name-calling. Love wins!

  19. Let me get this straight. Some people didn’t feel “safe” by Ben Shapiro’s presence?
    Big bad Ben scared them?
    GROW UP and stop acting like little children.

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