TORONTO — Oasis has lifted restrictions for photojournalists covering the band's world tour just as it prepares for a series of shows in North America.
Earlier this summer members of the News Media Coalition, an international industry group that represents outlets such as The Associated Press and The Guardian, said they would not send photographers to the concerts because Oasis's management sought to impose a time limit on the use of the agencies' own photographs.
Andrew Moger, CEO of the coalition, said the band's representatives initially told the outlets they could only use the images for one month, and later extended the term to one year.
"It goes against the tenets of copyright ownership, of moral rights, and as equally important, goes against the way that news organizations consider using content in a live environment," Moger said Friday.
Media will often reuse and repackage photos that are relevant to the news of the day, he said.
"That's simply the way that we use content for the benefit of news consumers."
A representative for Oasis did not respond to a request for comment, and Moger said he hadn't heard from them either.
A photo release form sent to media including The Canadian Press this week, ahead of Oasis's shows in Toronto, does not include such a restriction. It limits at what point in the show the photos can be taken, and restricts commercial but not editorial use.
"We already cede the point that the material that is being shot is for editorial use. It's not to then be pushed out directly or indirectly to create T-shirts and mugs — and in the case of Oasis, bucket hats and other memorabilia," Moger said.
There's also a limit on how long photographers can stay at the show. They're only allowed to capture images of the first three songs, an industry standard that Moger said is palatable but not ideal.
"But the good thing is that the duration of use limit has gone. There's no question of the band demanding copyright."
After Oasis changed the terms on Thursday, Moger said Coldplay followed suit and removed a "duration of use" restriction on news photos at its tour, starting in London on Friday night.
"That's a second area where I think common sense has prevailed," he said.
Oasis will play the Rogers Stadium on Sunday and Monday.
The tour kicked off in Cardiff in July, and Toronto marks the first stop on the Gallagher brothers' North American leg before they head overseas again.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2025.
Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
