The Royal Wedding Media Frenzy – 26 April 2011

With just over two days to go until the Royal Wedding (or #rw2011 for you Twitter-types), London is swarmed with journalists and camera crews from all over the world.

“I was the programme editor on the [2010 general] election and I thought that was big, but in terms of a UK broadcast event, the scale of the wedding will be unprecedented.”

— Ian Rumsey, director, ITV Daybreak

As a lad fascinated by media (through a family friend I’ve bagged myself a work experience placement at Virgin Media this summer – sorry Nick), I find it genuinely interesting – perhaps more than the impending wedding itself. I envy the people who are being paid to cover the events – I’d do it for free, Helen! That said, a tremendous responsibility lies on them. They are reporting the biggest wedding in history to the eyes and ears of an estimated two billion people across the globe.

THE EYES OF THE WORLD_Where most of the 2 billion spectators will be watching from. Sort of.

I saw a great piece by the BBC’s excellent Nick Higham discussing the multitude of makeshift studios that have popped up around the capital. The most prominent of these (and with the best backdrop) are in front of Buckingham Palace. The BBC’s booked four of the studios for itself, but smaller European broadcasters are booking 20 minute slots in a shared one. Still, it’s not surprising they can’t afford a whole one – at £60,000 a pop, they’re not cheap. Strangely, the BBC’s allegedly even planning to allocate one to its radio people, and its audience don’t even get the view!

WHAT A VIEW_The best seats in the house, for the TV channels.

It’s an exciting time for all; I just can’t wait to see what our faithful Beeb brings us on 29 April!

Andrew Burdett

Andrew Burdett is a twenty-something from Maidenhead in Berkshire, working for ITV News.