By CYRILL YAMBAO
THE media hype over what has been dubbed as “the wedding of the decade” of Prince William and Kate Middleton set for tomorrow has elicited mixed views among young Filipino audience, many of whom believe it has gone over the top.
As if the ongoing coverage of international news networks like CNN, BBC, ABC, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News, AP, and E! Entertainment is not enough, the big local television stations have sent reporters to London and Scotland to cover the April 29 big event.
Nikki Palacios, a 19-year-old journalism student, described the worldwide coverage of the royal wedding as “a bit too much.”
“I feel sorry for Kate because of the colossal spotlight that’s being placed on her; what with the countless magazine covers, entertainment programs and websites they’ve (she and the prince) been put on,” Palacios said. “I think the media is more crazed and excited about it than a large percentage of the audience is.”
Alexis Villafuerte, 20, a broadcast communication fresh graduate, shared the same view although acknowledging that the event deserves to have enough airtime or print space because both William and Kate are prominent persons.
Rachel Relucio, 19, also a recent broadcast communication graduate, observed that minor details about the event need not be reported, such as how the icing on the wedding cake will look like.
Jorica Pamintuan, a 19-year-old intern at Reuters, said while the “media has gone a bit overboard” it is their job to report on what the public wants to know.
“The wedding is a trivial issue considering that the British monarchy doesn’t play a big role in modern-day politics, but at the same time, I understand that media is just mirroring the public interest in the issue,” she said.
Sibyl Layag, a 21-year-old journalism junior, likewise believes that the excessive attention being given to the wedding is just “part of the nature of the event.”
“Royalty is still much admired and many people are still interested in it, thus the many cases in literature and film that focus on the lives of princesses and such,” she explained.
Jedd Hernandez, a 20-year-old journalism graduate, noted that since royal weddings do not happen every day “it is quite understandable that the media is excited.” He added that this marriage will also have implications “socially and politically” in the U.K.
Dawnavie Dadis, a 19-year-old journalism junior, thinks the wedding is “relevant in the international scene because the [members of the] British monarchy are some of the most influential— not to mention symbolic—and popular figures in the world.”
Sara Pacia, a 20-year-old Inquirer journalism intern, said: “This is probably the closest thing to a ‘prince and pauper’ Hollywood romance the world is ever going to get.”
Reuters intern Maye Cristobal, 19, described the royal wedding as a “nice departure from the crime and disaster news we all have been getting these days.” She however said that the Kate Middleton dolls and related paraphernalia are “over the top.”
Jessica Santiago, a 20-year-old incoming journalism senior, said: “I think all the hype from Diana’s wedding crossed over and caused a media frenzy for (her son) Will and Kate’s wedding,” she said. “Diana was a big deal, and by transitivity, her son’s wedding has become a big deal, too.”
Many of those interviewed believe that William and Kate’s marriage would be more successful and lasting than Charles and Diana’s.
“Their chances look good, what with their eight-year relationship prior to the engagement,” Palacios said. “Of course, even the strongest of loves can be unsuccessful later on, and we may not know what happens behind closed doors when the cameras are away.”
Pacia agreed: “I know this reason has been repeated time and time again, but I do believe their long and steady relationship before marriage will help them avoid the mistakes Charles and Diana made in the past.”
Villafuerte observed that “children try to avoid repeating their parents’ mistakes,” which is why William and Kate’s marriage is likely to last. Cristobal said another reason may be because this is not an arranged marriage unlike Charles and Diana’s.
Still, at the end of day, no one knows for sure where this royal wedding will lead.
“I’m just hoping they’ll last (together) even with all the attention from the public, and if they don’t, I hope they’ll end things on good terms and at least after many years as husband and wife,” Santiago said.
“I can only hope that they will be happy,” Pamintuan added.
(The author is a University of the Philippines student intern of VERA Files.)