A nasty war of words between Big Day Out CEO Adam Zammit, Fairfax music editor Peter Vincent and writer Chris Johnston has erupted on twitter this afternoon (with a quick cameo from Soundwave boss and newly minted Big Day Out stakeholder AJ Maddah), as Zammit responds to a piece written by Johnston for Fairfax about the future of their festival.
The Big Day Out CEO has questioned the ethics of the journalist and editor in question following a piece that claims industry insiders are tipping Big Day Out will fold next year.
@PeterVthatsme almost but not quite as many rumours bout further redundancies 4 bored journos at Fairfax! @bigdayout already planning 2015!
— Adam Zammit (@AdamZammit) October 21, 2013
He hypothesises that Johnston may have been refused accreditation at one stage, which is quickly refuted by the writer.
@PeterVthatsme bored w- writing bout actual music &artists perhaps then? Or maybe Chris J got refused a special shiny pass @bigdayout once?
— Adam Zammit (@AdamZammit) October 21, 2013
@AdamZammit @PeterVthatsme @bigdayout I was always well looked after back in the day adam.
— Chris Johnston (@mrcjohnston) October 21, 2013
Maddah has remained somewhat uncharacteristically muted on the article this afternoon, the extent of his input reserved for an actually quite hilarious joke about the situation.
@AdamZammit @PeterVthatsme @mrcjohnston Bring rent cheque. Hang on, I just read in SMH that you're fucked. I want 6 months up front!
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) October 21, 2013
The Fairfax employees maintain they offered sufficient time for Big Day Out to respond to claims they had been fed from insider sources, but received no response. Despite this, Zammit has questioned the ethics of the media personnel.
@AdamZammit @PeterVthatsme @bigdayout LOL. gave you several days to clarify but nothing happened.
— Chris Johnston (@mrcjohnston) October 21, 2013
@PeterVthatsme @iamnotshouting @mrcjohnston c now u aren't able 2 try to be funny w- lies mate. BDO tickets worth lot more than your ethics
— Adam Zammit (@AdamZammit) October 21, 2013
@mrcjohnston @PeterVthatsme @iamnotshouting yes it's all fun and games till someone loses an ethic.
— Adam Zammit (@AdamZammit) October 21, 2013
Big Day Out's 2014 dates are below.
