Nbc

[LA84]

I am somewhat impressed with this years coverage. Seems like NBC has finally gotten the groove that ABC had with Jim McKay. Less sob stories - Bob Costas is not nearly as annoying as he has in the past. And the ratings so far are way over what Athens' were.

[baron-pierreIV]

And the ratings so far are way over what Athens' were.

Oh, the TV ratings are the highest ever for an Olympics, home-soil or not.

And that's because these are much better Games than the ones 4 years ago.

[NY20??]

One thing that really bothers me is that they've resorted to cover their beautiful aerial images with their sponsors’ big corporate logos.

Better not be the case in Vancouver.

[LA84]

One thing that really bothers me is that they've resorted to cover their beautiful aerial images with their sponsors’ big corporate logos.

Better not be the case in Vancouver.

As much as they paid for Bejing and Vancouver - it will be.

[jim jones]

As much as they paid for Bejing and Vancouver - it will be.

I love it because people have this idealist allusion that the IOC is all powerful when it is General Electric and their Broadcast Company NBC Universal that pull the Stings of the IOC. Actually these are not the highest rated games yet but the numbers are a huge improvement from Sydney and Athens.

from top rated to bottom I have the list for the summer games since 1968 for the United States Ratings Right now Beijing 2008 has a 17.7 rating and a 30 share for the first week that would place it at fourth place for ratings and for fifth for share. Share in the 1970's and 1980's will always be higher as the options were fewer. Beijing 2008 will be highest in the 24 hour news cycle and sports specialty channel era for games held outside of the US but Atlanta will still be king for share for basically the same type of TV landscape. Ironically new media instead of having people leave tv is actually producing great word or Email of mouth and increasing prime time viewing compared to Sydney and Athens. NBC's website is getting half as much for web views as the total viewer numbers on TV. NBC's Stage management of the games running Swimming and Gymnastics in the Beijing morning is helping too.

An exclusive for those two key venues in real time in prime time in the US is producing the ratings as well.

Tape delay of those events that interest Americans did not produce the results in neither Sydney or Athens. Running those events per 9pm to 11pm Eastern Time from Asia is nothing New . Seoul 1988 actually did it and that is probably why Seoul had a much better rating and Share then Sydney.

Munich 1972 29.0 rating 45 share

Montreal 1976 21.3 rating 46 share

Los Angeles 1984 16.3 rating

Atlanta 1996 14.5 rating 34 share

Barcelona 1992 11.4 rating 30 share

Seoul 1988 11.2 rating 28 share

Mexico City 1968 10.8 rating 26 share

Sydney 2000 8.9 rating 20 share

Athens 2004 7.0 rating 20 share

LA84 again American Capitalism Rocks and provides them major of the cash to the IOC. considering India paid a mere 3 million dollars for Beijing 2008 rights , South Korea is about 15 million and much of asia via a Broadcast union is only 17 million it is very evident who pays the vast majority of TV rights being NBC at over 900 million . 75 percent of all IOc revenues come for TV rights which the States dominates the balance books. 3 dollars per capita is what Americans pay for the Games TV rights , The entire EU it is 65 cents per Capita. Not hard to figure out why NBC has great influence

Jim Jones

[mr.x]

For Canada, we payed $90-million for 2010 and $51-million for 2012.....certainly much more than a dollar per capita for both.

[NY20??]

NBC's Stage management of the games running Swimming and Gymnastics in the Beijing morning is helping too.

An exclusive for those two key venues in real time in prime time in the US is producing the ratings as well.

Tape delay of those events that interest Americans did not produce the results in neither Sydney or Athens. Running those events per 9pm to 11pm Eastern

Actually, all of NBC's Live Primetime coverage of Swimming and Artistic Gymnastics has started at around 10:00 PM ET and it didn't end (on some days) until around 1:00 AM ET.

[The_Torch]

How much money does the IOC actually accumulate and where does the money go?

Secondly, even though NBC pay the largest sum of money for television rights, why should they be allowed to effect the integrity of the Games themselves. ie. having the Swimming competition schedule completely changed, so that the swimmers are racing their finals to coincide with US Primetime?

The simple response cannot be..'..oh because NBC bankrolls the IOC'

If NBC can get one event schedule changed, what's to stop them from putting pressure on the IOC to change other events? It's wrong. Plain and simple.

[mr.x]

How much money does the IOC actually accumulate and where does the money go?

Secondly, even though NBC pay the largest sum of money for television rights, why should they be allowed to effect the integrity of the Games themselves. ie. having the Swimming competition schedule completely changed, so that the swimmers are racing their finals to coincide with US Primetime?

The simple response cannot be..'..oh because NBC bankrolls the IOC'

If NBC can get one event schedule changed, what's to stop them from putting pressure on the IOC to change other events? It's wrong. Plain and simple.

Considering NBC bought the 2010 and 2012 rights for $2-billion, the only way they'll ever give that much is if the IOC allows them to do things that will bring them back a profit.

[Quaker2001]

How much money does the IOC actually accumulate and where does the money go?

Secondly, even though NBC pay the largest sum of money for television rights, why should they be allowed to effect the integrity of the Games themselves. ie. having the Swimming competition schedule completely changed, so that the swimmers are racing their finals to coincide with US Primetime?

The simple response cannot be..'..oh because NBC bankrolls the IOC'

If NBC can get one event schedule changed, what's to stop them from putting pressure on the IOC to change other events? It's wrong. Plain and simple.

Don't forget.. NBC asked for the start times to be changed on 5 sports, similar to the concessions they got for the Olympics in Seoul. But while they got swimming and some of the gymnastics, the IOC denied their request to move the start times for track & field, diving, and the basketball final. Yes, it's bad for other countries, but it's happened the other way around before.. In 1996, much of the gymnastics competition was contested in the afternoon, in part to have it shown during primetime in Europe. Obviously NBC shouldn't be the sole voice in determining start times, but there weren't as many complaints over the gymnastics as there were over the swimming. Most of the complaints there were the argument that swimmers are used to swimming their preliminary heats in the morning and the finals at night and the change would throw off their training. Well.. it's not like Phelps was the only person who set World Records, so you can throw that argument out the window.