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Unofficial Mills

Radio 1's Big Weekend Coverage


Jono

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I had hoped to bring you coverage of Radio 1's Big Weekend this year hence the mini-site we'd put together that went online earlier this week. It proved popular and Unofficial Mills has had some of its biggest hits in a long while. But unfortunately it seems I've no confirmed answer about what is happening and things seem to be changing daily. This has meant I have little choice but to remove the content until I know one way or the other what the situation is.

It's a long story - but last year I was told I had got in touch with the Radio 1 press office far too late. So this year I stepped up the mark and contacted them in February, just before Chris Moyles made the Maidstone announcement. I was then asked to make contact in April and so I did so, making an enquiry on the morning of April 1st.

No response was made and so two weeks ago I made contact with others at Radio 1 to find out what was happening. I had been informed my request seemed reasonable and that UM acted as a top priority website.

On Monday I was informed that they could only offer me one press pass but would be sure to try and seek out a second. This was then downgraded down to two Sunday tickets because all of the press want to see Madonna and it's made things over-subscribed and has since then become one ticket to the day of my choice.

I am now not really sure what is happening, but it doesn't look like we'll be able to give the event much coverage.

I had assumed e-mailing this year would bring a more positive outlook, but seemingly not. With the price of transport and accommodation it makes it very difficult to go down for one day and repay Radio 1 when they will want full coverage. Particularly as nothing is yet set in stone.

Unofficial Mills is a website that works for free to publicise Radio 1 all year round, and it seems puzzling that the tabloids, that only appear to be there for Madonna, are given a priority no matter what time they send a request.

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in the eyes of the BBC a small article in the sun on a monday morning will be better publicity than a radio 1 fansite that covers the whole weekend from friday to monday. it's odd thinking but that's probably what they prefer. the reporter can enjoy the weekend, see the gigs, take a few photographs and make up a rumour about madonna for their final article. they'd rather give them both day tickets. if you have been in touch since day 1 then i find it hard to believe they are making excuses for not having tickets though.

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I think this sounds really unfair... its a real shame that Scott himself is on holiday and that people are so short sighted.

This site surely is the kind of thing that R1 and the BBC should be promoting.... (they could make a BBC3 programme about the whole event, and it would be much better than any of the other output on that channel !)

Good luck in sorting it all out properly.

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I would assume this is miscommunication between the bosses who have stated the website is of importance and those dealing with the tickets. it's a shame that they are unable to see us commoners need somewhere to stay and transport and can't just leave at last minute! :| you could always remove your support.

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What you need to remember is the BBC press office are after organisations that do not normally show interest in the event. They'll be happy to throw tickets at the national newspapers, local media and websites that wouldn't normally cover One Big Weekend.

They are likely to offer very little to places like Unofficial Mills who will cover the event regardless of tickets.

They will know as a fan you'll take what is given to you and will know you will cover the event regardless like with previous years.

These people aren't in PR for always being nice people! They're clever, very clever. Take what they throw at you now, because they will only say they have ran out of tickets next week.

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Guest CancerForTheCure
What you need to remember is the BBC press office are after organisations that do not normally show interest in the event. They'll be happy to throw tickets at the national newspapers, local media and websites that wouldn't normally cover One Big Weekend.

They are likely to offer very little to places like Unofficial Mills who will cover the event regardless of tickets.

They will know as a fan you'll take what is given to you and will know you will cover the event regardless like with previous years.

These people aren't in PR for always being nice people! They're clever, very clever. Take what they throw at you now, because they will only say they have ran out of tickets next week.

That's very true. However, what they don't realise is that this IS an unofficial website, which means that we're not biased (not AS biased), we don't have a vested interest to lie, we're not corrupt and we can say whatever we like - they can't force us to say all the good things about BBC, but they can improve our opinion of them by giving out the tickets. And what IS two tickets against the 30 000 that they've got. Also, surely it's not gonna do any harm if they give out 30 002 :) I think there are just too many of them working on it and it's just one big mess.

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That's disappointing - why can't Radio 1 set aside a few tickets for fansites to cover the event? Unofficial Mills did a lot for the Big Weekend last year. They should know Jono would treat it as nothing less than work and I would quite like to have heard what it's really like there!

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They should know Jono would treat it as nothing less than work and I would quite like to have heard what it's really like there!

I agree. We'll let him off with the odd pint of cider;), but I do believe Jono is going to The Big Weekend on behalf of those of us Radio 1 listeners off of UM who aren't fortunate enough to be able to attend.

'To disagree with three-fourths of the British public is one of the first requisites of sanity'.

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Seems to me a bit like an 'own goal' by the BBC if they don't get something sorted out.

If you google R1BW, it's apparent there's a lot of interest here - also proven by the new members coming on board and increased guest activity, specifically brought about by the event. None of this is bad for Aunty Beeb.

So, come on BBC - pull your finger out.

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I think it's vastly unfair in how you've been treated..it sound to me like it's a case of the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing...

If I get a spare ticket Jono you can have that..you can be my plus 1 - you won' get press access but most artists don't hang out in the press tent anyway.....

Actually I once blagged an access all areas pass to a festival years ago...I was interviewing a band for the radio station and I said I wanted to follow them for a bit do a "weekend in the life of.." piece. They loved the idea as they were only a small band and got to the festival said they'd lost one of thier passes and got issued with another which they gave to me...I was hanging out with Moby at the end of the day!

Sometimes here, sometimes not.

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I agree with hannahisgreat - how many times have we heard references on Radio 1 to things that have been discussed on this site? Not only on Scott's show either. I really thought they had more respect for you Jono, you certainly deserve it and I'm deeply disappointed that you've been treated in this shabby way.

UM is a nice place

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This is incredibly bad treatment by the BBC. Shows more of the bureaucracy and stupidity that takes place in the BBC press office.

And after taking a lot of time to create a new area of this site as well as notify them months in advance, Jono deserves far better treatment.

What have they to gain from getting Madonna more press coverage anyway, it's a free festival, it's not like they make more money for the more people who sign up.

The press will be reporting more on Madonna than the event itself. Fans of Radio 1 would gain a lot more from this site than the tabloids.

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to have mentioned UM is a top priority site and then only offer the one ticket is a bit poor. i wonder what organisations did end up with tickets. probably the local newspapers that don't get 4 000 people reading in a month that here gets in a day !

LOVE WILL TEAR US APART

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UH!

Radio 1 should sort their priorities out. It's a "fan" site. It may sound amateur, but these are the people that will bring the real publicity to the event. How many journalists will really be there all day?

Unofficial Mills is recongised by all the DJs, it's not a cheap website.

i agree hannah, it seems to me that jono has gone down the right channels from the start and they are trying to fob him off with very little in return. radio 1 are always lurking on the website and jono always listens to the requests that the staff give him. they could at least do this to return the favour.

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