ヘンリー王子夫妻、スポティファイと契約　ポッドキャスト制作へ

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英王室を離脱したヘンリー王子と妻メーガン妃がスウェーデン音楽配信大手スポティファイと契約した。ポッドキャスト番組を制作し、「励みになる話や楽しい話」を配信していくという。スポティファイが15日、明らかにした。（写真は英王室を離脱したヘンリー王子＜右＞とメーガン妃。ロンドンで）
　この発表を受けて、スポティファイの株価は同日朝、２％上昇した。１億４４００万人の有料サービス会員を擁するスポティファイは、契約金額には言及しなかった。
　ヘンリー王子とメーガン妃は、「ポッドキャストで気に入っているのは、少し時間を取って、しっかり聴くことを思い出させてくれる点だ」とコメントした。
　王子は予告編の中で、「やあみんな、ヘンリーだよ」と自己紹介。自分たちのポッドキャスト番組について、「みなさんがこれまで聞いたことがないようなさまざまな考え方や意見を、前面に出していく」と述べた。
　メーガン妃は、「（ポッドキャスト番組で）優しさと思いやりを広めていく」と語った。
　第１回目のエピソードは今月公開されるクリスマススペシャルとなり、来年には最初のシリーズの全エピソードが出揃う予定。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/12/16-09:02）

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have signed a deal with Spotify to produce podcasts that tell uplifting and entertaining stories, the audio streaming service said Tuesday.
Since ceasing royal duties and moving to California this year, the couple have launched various creative ventures, and begun legal actions against British tabloids over privacy violations.
They signed a deal with streaming giant Netflix in September to produce impactful films and series, while Markle, a former television actress, narrated a wildlife documentary on Disney+.
Shares in Spotify, which has 144 million subscribers, jumped 2 percent on Tuesday morning after the news broke.
It has previously signed celebrity podcasters including Barack and Michelle Obama, and Kim Kardashian West.
The company did not say how much the deal with the royals was worth.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement that what we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen.
In an introductory trailer, the prince introduces himself: Hi guys, I'm Harry.
He says their podcasts will bring forward different perspectives and voices that perhaps you haven't heard before.
Markle adds that the podcasts will celebrate kindness and compassion.
Spotify was launched in Sweden in 2008 and describes itself as the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service.
Spotify's chief content and advertising business officer, Dawn Ostroff, said in a statement: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may live in California, but the power of their voices rests in their status as citizens of the world.
The company said Harry and Meghan will release a holiday special this month featuring stories of hope and compassion from inspirational guests.
Their first complete series will be available next year.
The couple said the challenges of 2020 made it particularly important to hear everybody's stories, to be reminded of how interconnected we all are.
So many people have been through so much pain this year, Harry said.
The duchess wrote a first-person opinion piece in The New York Times in November about miscarrying her second pregnancy.
The couple will host and produce podcasts through Archewell Audio, their recently created company.