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Media persons invited to cover popstar Justin Bieber’s live show in Mumbai experienced huge difficulties in entering the venue on Wednesday. The media was called to report at 2 p.m. to collect their accreditation at the DY Patil Stadium, and some three dozen journalists had reached there well before time in view of the huge rush.
However, the PR team of Dream & Hustle Media appeared to backtrack on its own commitments at the last minute and the media was abruptly told at around 4 p.m. that only select representatives would be allowed. After nearly a three hour wait, barely a handful of media representatives were allowed entry into the concert area to shoot the show for five minutes.
The rest of the media persons – including journalists from international and national news agencies and some national dailies — were also denied entry.
“A lady PR team member was downright rude and used F-words with the media, telling them to ‘do whatever they wanted’ and refused to listen to anybody,” said one of the media persons.
An Indian news agency photographer was refused entry with the PR sitting in judgement on the credentials of his wire service, while a national news reporter was given the option to cover only the red carpet event, but not the main concert.
Many had travelled long distances from different parts of Mumbai and suburbs to Navi Mumbai but there were not even basic amenities available at the venue.
“There was no arrangements for drinking water or toilets.. in the scorching sun, we stood for hours on the roadside with police and private security offering little help,” said one agency photographer.
Angry over what they termed “total mess-up” by the PR team, most decided to leave the venue.
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