Glastonbury’s Media Frenzy

The lead up to this year’s Glastonbury Festival has seen unprecedented newspaper coverage, while the BBC has allotted more time for live coverage than in previous years.

The UK and at times the global media have been fascinated over how long The Rolling Stones will play, how much of the set the Beeb will screen live, and how the act ever got to play Glastonbury in the first place.

Like one national treasure sticking up for another, Glastonbury chief Michael Eavis told Radio Times that the BBC’s rivals have frequently tried to sway him in their directions.

“All through the years, we’d have people phone us from Sky and Channel 4,” he explained. “‘Can we do it, we’ll do it better, we’ll pay you more money.’ And I said, ‘Well, we’re not interested in the money. We want to support a national institution that benefits the whole wide world for free. OK? That’s it. Period.’”

Eavis also told Radio Times that the Rolling Stones were the last band on his original wish list of 20.

The list had also included David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and U2.

“The Rolling Stones were the only ones that were left,” he said.

He also denied rumours that the reason the band hadn’t previously played his world-famous festival was because he wouldn’t pay enough money.

“It’s supposed to be a big money thing. But in fact they weren’t at all greedy,” he said.