Surprise package for media
Media got a big surprise last Sept. 26. Miss Philippines, Precious Lara Quigaman, bagged the Miss International 2005 title, besting more than 50 statuesque beauties from around the world. No member of the Philippine press was able to capture the precious moments of Precious’s exciting win.
The late newscasts of GMA-7 (Saksi) and ABS-CBN (Insider) last Sept. 26 broke the news of Precious’s win, with scanty details as to how the competition went. There were no video clips of the contest held in Tokyo, Japan. Reportage of major newspapers the following day was not any better.
But after the initial shock, local media quickly recovered and came up with sufficient background on Precious and the country’s past records in international beauty pageants. This was presented as a “good news” story, a breather from the country’s numerous problems. As Insider’s Dong Puno said during the Sept. 26 newscast: “Mag-umpisa naman tayo sa mabuting balita. (This time, let’s start with good news.)” GMA’s 24 Oras had a similar treatment of Precious’s win, which, along with the medals pocketed by three Filipino boxers in international competitions, made up the headline stories of the station’s October 4 newscast. The good news ate almost half of the news broadcast.
Local media scrambled for the chance to get the best angle, the best story as soon as the new Miss International arrived from Japan. At the homecoming coverage, both local and foreign media outfits were well represented, according to 24 Oras (Oct. 4). The newly crowned beauty queen became the most-sought-after personality overnight.
Most newspapers had Precious’s picture on page 1. The Philippine Daily Inquirer issue of September 28, however, stuck out like a sore thumb. Its giant photo of Precious—splashed over almost the entire front page—showed the swimsuit-clad new Miss International in an angle that was more becoming of a starlet being promoted in an up-and-coming sexy movie.
Most of the photos used by other media outfits, including advertisements, presented an elegant Precious in her nightgown and costume, among others.
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