Let's put things in to perspective. 170,000 people have paid £150 a ticket to go to a pop concert that last for three days. Is that news ?
I wonder how many people go to pop concerts every week. With festivals happening every couple of weeks (Tea in the park, Reading, Isle of Wight, V Festival's), something like Glastonbury really isn't that unique or special.
So why does the BBC and so many other news organisations believe that Glastonbury is the major news item ?
Okay, so it's raining. I gather it is raining over large parts of the country, but that really isn't news is it ?
Why does BBC radio, not just Radio One, but Radio Two, even the BBC Asian Network have to base itself in Somerset ? Why does Glastonbury have to be a feature on BBC News, why does The Independent have it on its front page ?
To my mind, there is some sort of obsession within the media that days we all have to be interested in certain things. It is somehow that British people are lacking in a shared experience, a national identity, so the media has to create this idea that everyone is interested or concerned about Glastonbury/
For the record, I don't care one iota about a bunch of music fans getting wet in a field. Yes, i like some of the music from some of the bands at Glastonbury, so if the BBC wants to play the music, fine. But to pretend that I should be interested in jugglers and health food stalls, the toilet facilities or even what the bands are eating is like asking me what my favourite typing of knitting is. I don't care. Al I want is for the wall to wall coverage to end and for the news media to start reporting on all news, not just a concert in Somerset.
3 comments:
I think Glastonbury should go on tour (the fest not the place obviously, I like the town where it is); but given its coincidence with higher than expected rainfall think of the benefit of holding it in areas where there is a drought or bad harvests.
I love the fact that one of my students on Facebook's status is 'scared of floating poo at Glasto'; theres an advert!
We always used to say the same of our annual North Norfolk Lib Dem fete. It is always the second or third Sunday in August and it always rains. I used to suggest putting it out to tender to some drought impoverished country in Africa. i was sure Unicef or Oxfam would ahve paid us to go out there if it guaranteed some rain.
It is somehow that British people are lacking in a shared experience, a national identity, so the media has to create this idea that everyone is interested or concerned about Glastonbury
You've just defined the whole purpose of the BBC in one. That's why it was created in the first place. And why does the BBC feel the need to over-egg it, well, it needs to justify its own existence doesn't it?
I can't think of a place I would rather not be right now. Now, where's my kettle...
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