Expectations for Meghan’s career in the media have never been higher when she launched her podcast, Archetype, in August 2022.
But recent PR troubles are a reminder that Meg has a long way to go if she wants to be the next Oprah.
Even before the controversy surrounding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s car chase erupted, the couple’s efforts to become media celebrities generated mixed reactions.
For example, Prince Harry’s memoir was a huge commercial success, but revelations in the book appear to be a major factor in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent decline in approval ratings.
Another high-profile project in Sussex is now being called a ‘costly failure’ following some surprising industry news.
Spotify has announced plans to lay off 200 employees, but many say it wouldn’t have been necessary if the $25 million deal with streaming giant Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had yielded more favorable results. people are thinking
“We are expanding our partnership efforts with leading podcasters around the world, with an approach optimized for each show and creator,” Sahar Elhabashi, head of the company’s podcast business, said in a statement.
“This radical shift away from a more unified proposal will allow us to better support our creator community,” Elhabashi continued.
“But that will require adapting … As a result, we are undertaking a strategic restructuring of the Group, reducing our Global Podcasts division and other functions by about 200 people, which is 2% of Spotify’s workforce. I made the necessary decisions.”
It’s the company’s second layoff in 2023, with 6 percent of Spotify’s workforce unemployed in January.
El-Habasi’s statement acknowledged that the recent cuts were the result of Spotify’s decision to invest more in podcasting.
But that doesn’t mean Meghan is to blame.
After all, she’s just one of a handful of celebrities who recently received a hefty paycheck from Spotify.
Joe Rogan has reportedly signed a $200 million deal to bring his wildly popular podcast to the platform.
Logan seems to be drawing as big an audience as ever, which is why he hasn’t received as much criticism as Meghan.
But that doesn’t mean Spotify is enjoying the kind of return on investment it hoped it would with its Logan deal.
In fact, it is quite possible that this move caused a large loss.
Either way, there’s no denying that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s foray into the American media landscape hasn’t gone smoothly.
Of course, the Sussexes will almost certainly keep trying.
But it may be time for the couple to regroup and consider new strategies.
