Concert organizer Mojo will ask journalists who visit the Lowlands festival again next year for a ‘voluntary contribution’ if they want to cover the festival. MOJO reported this on Tuesday. Not only journalists, but also guests, record executives and other dignitaries who pass by must pay the voluntary contribution.
The calculation of the ‘journalists’ tenner’ led to a lot of criticism this year. Various media, including this newspaper, the ANP and the NOS, decided not to report on the festival for that reason. Journalists union NVJ also condemned the ‘charity fee’.
Mojo raised more than 32,000 euros with the initiative this year. The organizer wanted to give this money to three charities: Amnesty International, Oxfam Novib and the Refugee Foundation. The first two organizations rejected the donation because, according to these two bodies, paying for access goes against press freedom.
The Refugee Foundation said it would like to receive the donation. A spokesperson reports on Tuesday that the money has not yet been transferred.
Lowlands cannot say on Tuesday whether the ‘charity fee’ will be a tenner again. “We will make decisions about the details of the fee at a later stage,” said a spokesman for organizer Mojo.
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