Press pass

[astrowerks]

Ask a stupid question - but are the press passes free? Obviously the BBC staff don't pay for theirs, but for everyone else. 

I know someone who thinks she has got one through her student newspaper. 

[incident]

31 minutes ago, e_p said:

Ask a stupid question - but are the press passes free? Obviously the BBC staff don't pay for theirs, but for everyone else. 

I know someone who thinks she has got one through her student newspaper. 

An actual press-pass will be free, yes. But they're reportedly like gold dust - a lot of media folk will be on Hospitality tickets, including some who are "reporting". So she should check the specifics as to what she's being offered.

[Neil]

1 hour ago, e_p said:

Ask a stupid question - but are the press passes free? Obviously the BBC staff don't pay for theirs, but for everyone else. 

I know someone who thinks she has got one through her student newspaper. 

press passes are free, but they're not an entrance ticket.

the press office does issue some tickets (free), but not many - i'm pretty sure that most press passes are upgrades to punter tickets.

[Ayrshire Chris]

Arnt a lot of hospitality tickets distributed to the media and artists? At a cost. 

Edited February 21, 2024 by Ayrshire Chris

[Avalon_Fields]

1 hour ago, Neil said:

press passes are free, but they're not an entrance ticket.

the press office does issue some tickets (free), but not many - i'm pretty sure that most press passes are upgrades to punter tickets.

Yes, you’re right, they’re an ID pass not a ticket.

[Suprefan]

Yeah, media passes are not tickets to the festival. Normally youre given both but of course Glasto is something else.

[astrowerks]

Be interesting to see what media outlets get free tickets, and what just get a press pass.  Not really sure what the benefit of the press pass would be if it didn’t include a ticket?

[paulshane]

5 minutes ago, e_p said:

Be interesting to see what media outlets get free tickets, and what just get a press pass.  Not really sure what the benefit of the press pass would be if it didn’t include a ticket?

Orgs like the BBC get 'free' tickets, so staff can go as punters, this would alos include people who need 'press pass' access because they are working using their free ticket, eg photographers who need stage access etc, so they'd get the press pass as well.

[eatingglitter]

Can't speak for Glasto because nobody I know (and that's including international and national journalists) have ever been given a press accreditation. But personall I don't think I ever got media access to any festival that wasn't also a ticket? I've been to a fair amount and you normally go to the box office, get your accreditation which doubles up as your ticket. Photog passes are a different affair as they are normally incredibly strict and reduced to a certain amount of time in the pit for sets etc. Glasto is probably different as I said, but I would imagine any media area (so internet access, tables to file your copy etc) would be deep inside the festival itself?

[rwhitehouse13]

I wouldn’t be surprised if media are asked to make a charity donation for a pass, that’s certainly what happened at Boardmasters the few times I covered it.

[ilovelanegan]

I got a press upgrade last yr - it was an add-on to already purchased ticket. Includes hospitality camping, access to certain bars across site and the best/most useful part, being able to use the interstage cut-through between Other and Pyramid stages. There's a press tent there where you can charge your laptop/ phone etc if you're working onsite.

I didn't use the camping (went in gen pop with my mates) and only popped into the bars for an occasional loo trip. The interstage short cut was great for avoiding crowds (esp. for Elton) but I didn't hang around inside, too much fun stuff elsewhere.

As others have said, BBC etc get full ticket/passes but us smaller fry need to get lucky on T-day and then request the upgrade.

NB - my colleague had a photo pass as well (allowing him into pit for certain acts, not all) which was an additional upgrade to his regular ticket.

Edited February 22, 2024 by ilovelanegan
Extra info

[Ayrshire Chris]

33 minutes ago, ilovelanegan said:

I got a press upgrade last yr - it was an add-on to already purchased ticket. Includes hospitality camping, access to certain bars across site and the best/most useful part, being able to use the interstage cut-through between Other and Pyramid stages. There's a press tent there where you can charge your laptop/ phone etc if you're working onsite.

I didn't use the camping (went in gen pop with my mates) and only popped into the bars for an occasional loo trip. The interstage short cut was great for avoiding crowds (esp. for Elton) but I didn't hang around inside, too much fun stuff elsewhere.

As others have said, BBC etc get full ticket/passes but us smaller fry need to get lucky on T-day and then request the upgrade.

NB - my colleague had a photo pass as well (allowing him into pit for certain acts, not all) which was an additional upgrade to his regular ticket.

Did you have to go to hospitality ticket exchange to get a wristband for the interstage, camping etc area? 

[ilovelanegan]

20 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Did you have to go to hospitality ticket exchange to get a wristband for the interstage, camping etc area? 

Yes - with accreditation letter, ID etc - including my ticket! Which I did not realise/ wasn't on the email and I had left at my tent on the other side of the site. They eventually took pity on me after some pleading - it was a hot day 🤣 

[Ayrshire Chris]

1 hour ago, ilovelanegan said:

Yes - with accreditation letter, ID etc - including my ticket! Which I did not realise/ wasn't on the email and I had left at my tent on the other side of the site. They eventually took pity on me after some pleading - it was a hot day 🤣 

Thanks for that, was told photo ID was essential and the ticket exchange was at the bronze gate, as you say, across the site. 

[ilovelanegan]

5 hours ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Thanks for that, was told photo ID was essential and the ticket exchange was at the bronze gate, as you say, across the site. 

I'm not 100% sure if it was the 'hospitality ticket exchange' but I was directed to a portacabin within the Pyramid compound ('stage left' side) after I had done my usual ticket / wristband thing at gate A. Wasn't at all obvious - eventually I just walked up to a security guard at a gap in the fence and they let me through when I said what I was looking for!

[Ayrshire Chris]

21 minutes ago, ilovelanegan said:

I'm not 100% sure if it was the 'hospitality ticket exchange' but I was directed to a portacabin within the Pyramid compound ('stage left' side) after I had done my usual ticket / wristband thing at gate A. Wasn't at all obvious - eventually I just walked up to a security guard at a gap in the fence and they let me through when I said what I was looking for!

Ta! We’ve got hospitality tickets and have to exchange them for wristbands at a booth at the bronze gate in hospitality parking. 

Edited February 22, 2024 by Ayrshire Chris

[stereodista]

I feel like there's a chunk of misinformation here, so here are my 2c on the subject: 

Press tickets are not ‘free’. Covering the festival, in any capacity, isn’t so easy, so it’s work however vaguely it’s approached. There is no payment involved, no obligatory charity donation, and the majority of people there to cover the festival aren’t on ‘punter’ upgrades. They are there because they have something to offer in return, have earned it on reputation, et cetera. 

You’re given a Hospitality pass, which gets you in. It’s a long one which can be made to feel that bit longer when you’ve got to have your head screwed on even loosely, so a minor perk can be welcome. There is a press tent within the interstage area, where you can pick up a pass which grants readmittance to said tent across the course of the weekend. Again, where people are working throughout the thing. You get access to the interstage, the campsite, and that’s more or less it beyond the rest of the festival. 

They’re incredibly accommodating, as Glastonbury is with everything in my experience. 

[eatingglitter]

Yes 100%! I realise I may have sounded glib beforehand, but yes, you are working for sure.

There's nothing quite like rocking up with a festival with a bunch of expensive kit when it's muddy, a list of people you need to try and catch and interview that suddenly aren't anywhere to be found,  all the while trying to take photos and to "experience" it while also formulating what you're writing about/how it'll read etc. One festival I was covering for about three outlets at once, different levels, different mediums and different content requirements (and I had my toddler and a 5 year old with me, thank f**k for my husband and mates!!!)

Also, the amount of people who randomly contact you in the run up to any festival asking if you can "get them a free ticket". My sister did this to me last year for a festival that was literally £30 for the day she wanted to go to.

I did love covering festivals, but I'm definitely glad to be going as a punter now rather than press!

[Neil]

12 hours ago, e_p said:

Be interesting to see what media outlets get free tickets, and what just get a press pass.  Not really sure what the benefit of the press pass would be if it didn’t include a ticket?

gets access to the places needed for live reporting like the press tent, and also for photo access at the stages (not pyramid & other).

[Neil]

33 minutes ago, stereodista said:

Press tickets are not ‘free’.

in previous years the press office has had a small number of entrance tickets which they allocate to people and sometimes there's been a payment option ( a few peeps working for efestivals have had free tickets from the press office on occasion).

(all of that is after making a case for why you should be given press access).in the past I've noticed a few people with press access who do no coverage from it.

8 minutes ago, eatingglitter said:

I did love covering festivals, but I'm definitely glad to be going as a punter now rather than press!

i know what you mean, working as press at festivals is hard work, frustrating and time consuming.

[Neil]

1 hour ago, ilovelanegan said:

'm not 100% sure if it was the 'hospitality ticket exchange' but I was directed to a portacabin within the Pyramid compound ('stage left' side) after I had done my usual ticket / wristband thing at gate A. Wasn't at all obvious - eventually I just walked up to a security guard at a gap in the fence and they let me through when I said what I was looking for!

that will have been the webs ash press cabin. first year i had passes there i couldn't find it.

[Neil]

47 minutes ago, stereodista said:

I feel like there's a chunk of misinformation here

as someone who has had glastonbury press passes for 25 years, i've just re-read the posts, and am not spotting misinformation, there might be a bit of confusion with what is meant by various terms used. but mostly its accurate.

[Neil]

12 hours ago, eatingglitter said:

but I would imagine any media area (so internet access, tables to file your copy etc) would be deep inside the festival itself?

yeah, in the press tent in the interstage area.

[Neil]

51 minutes ago, stereodista said:

They’re incredibly accommodating, as Glastonbury is with everything in my experience. 

they're also shambolic and chaotic (impossible to communicate with), and very different to most festival press operations.

[Neil]

11 hours ago, rwhitehouse13 said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if media are asked to make a charity donation for a pass, that’s certainly what happened at Boardmasters the few times I covered it.

when a press pass is also a festival ticket (which it isn't at glasto) charity donations, are pretty standard (reading always used to do it).