Rosalía’s ban on press photos on the LUX tour leads to accusations of censorship – journalism associations involve Barcelona’s city council and demand free reporting.
No photos on the Rosalía tour? At least the press is forbidden to take photos at their LUX concerts. The singer has stopped press accreditations for her shows – photojournalists will not have access to her concerts. The performances in Barcelona in particular caused strong criticism of this regulation.
Journalism associations demand the same rules
Several journalism associations – including the “Sindicat de Journalistes de Catalunya”, the “Collegi de Periodistes de Catalunya”, the “Sindicat de la Imatge UPIFC” and the “Grup Barnils” – have submitted a request to the Barcelona municipality to prevent the veto of photojournalists at the Rosalía concerts in Palau Sant Jordi.
The four institutions have positioned themselves together to draw attention to a violation of the right to information, freedom of expression and work. Since the Palau Sant Jordi concert location is publicly owned, the ban violates applicable law. The demand is clear: the same rules for everyone – photo and written reviews of the concerts should be equally permitted.
The photojournalist Jordi Borràs, who initiated the lawsuit, explained in an interview with “Publico”: “It’s as if they don’t give access to the editors and the newspapers only publish the pieces that are served. It’s an act of censorship with all the laws.”
Controlled image instead of independent reporting
Another point of criticism of the LUX tour’s press photo ban is that journalists are offered a pre-selected selection of photos from Rosalía’s team as compensation. In this way, the artist controls the image of the tour. Reports about her performances are no longer neutral information, but rather promotion – with an image that the artist herself determines.
It remains questionable why the audience is still allowed to take photos. According to Jordi Borràs: “The photos taken with the cell phone are published on social networks and have no meaning beyond the image itself, taken ‘organically’ by an audience who will have an experience.” The journalists’ photos, on the other hand, are banned at the express will of the artist. Many influencers are also allowed to record content at concerts and promote the shows – whether this will become the new form of concert criticism is more than questionable.
Not an isolated case – an industry phenomenon
Rosalía is not the first to ban press photography at her appearances. The concert in Barcelona sparked protests primarily because of its reach. Many other artists – including Madonna – have the same regulations at their concerts. According to Borràs, the concert organizer Live Nation has categorically refused to allow photographers to carry out their journalistic work at the Rosalía concerts.
Censorship with consequences for journalism
With this regulation, the musicians are not only engaging in an act of censorship – many photographers are losing their income and their job at the same time. Journalists do not intend to convey a bad image of the artists and their live performances.
The issue now lies with the city council in Barcelona. Jordi Borràs hopes that the regulations will be harmonized, because the result could fundamentally change the future of cultural and entertainment journalism: “First it will be the photojournalists, but then it will be the editors, and there will come a time when the press cannot come to the concerts.”
