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NBC Sucks Again... For NOT covering the Olympic Ceremonies LIVE.

TheBigA said:
Did you read the article? It's not because they're not doing what you want. In fact, the article says Olympic viewing is higher in the west, where you are. The problem is the team isn't winning. No one wants to watch teams from other countries beating Americans.

'A' - I don't want "them" doing anything. I don't watch and I don't care. Saw this article online and thought it upheld what some posters here are saying.

But to address your last sentence.....I thought the whole idea of the Olympics was to watch competition between the worlds best athletes. Are you saying that Americans will only watch if we are dominating the competition? Back in the day the Games used to be a big deal even though countries like East Germany and the USSR used to beat us regularly.
 
NBC has held the American broadcasting rights of the Summer Olympics since the 1988 games and the broadcasting rights to the Winter Olympics since the 2002 games.

In 2011, NBC agreed to a $4.38 billion contract with the International Olympic Committee to broadcast the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 Olympics, the most expensive television rights deal in Olympic history
 
ixnay said:
Is Richmond, VA's Channel 12 still affiliated with the Peacock? (and since oldiesfan brought it up, IIRC one of the Big 3 Richmond market stations is licensed to Petersburg but I believe it's the ABC affiliate [at least that was the case in 2004 when I stayed in Harrisonburg one night])

WWBT channel 12 is still Richmond's NBC affiliate -- the one licensed to Petersburg is ABC affiliate WRIC channel 8.
 
OK, I have had an epiphany. I am a 54 yr. old male. I have a full-time day-time job. I am earning more than I ever have in my life. I am spending more than I ever have in my life. I am NOT in NBC's target audience. I give in. Hulu and Neflix, here I come!
 
TheBigA said:
azumanga said:
But can't they show it live on another channel and replay it on NBC? Or show it online?

Their goal was to build and concentrate that audience for the single prime time airing. It's not a live sports event, it's an entertainment show, no different than American Idol or even the Grammy Awards.

I read back a few days to this one. I think you have it nailed here, A.

NBC has its goals and wishes to use whatever attention can be garnered to promote NBC, their various distributions and products,
and of course, to sell profitable commercial time.

All the yammering, side-light videos, etc. are tied into this same egotism.

Viewwers who choose to watch are already AWARE that they are watching NBC coverage.
It's not possible to ignore.

The media sees it as a media extravaganza event, while the public sees it as an event for the entire world.

The fact is that it's no different from any traveling circus, and all about profit.

Viewers who think the games are so much MORE than just a live sporting event, EXPECT networks to drop the egotism for JUST THIS
ONCE every few years, get the heck and out of the way, and cover it like a journalist instead of a promotions person.

Inasmuch there is nothing amatuer about the games, and it really is just a great big corporation with franchising opportunities,
I'm having a hard time caring much at all.

Such a blatantly commercial aspect is OK now, I suppose, as long we're going to admit it's all just for money,
and not about inspiring any kind of meaningful excellence in the lives of others.

If NBC would like me to take them seriously, they'd behave as though they took the 'lympics seriously.



Wright County Guy said:

Gotta love the Onion. ;D
 
landtuna said:
Are you saying that Americans will only watch if we are dominating the competition? Back in the day the Games used to be a big deal even though countries like East Germany and the USSR used to beat us regularly.

Once again, I'm not talking about fringe audiences. The goal here is to attract mass audiences. To become the Justin Bieber of sports. That's what NBC wants. And if there's a chance of someone the public has embraced winning a Gold Medal, then they will watch in larger numbers than if it's an unknown team playing an unknown sport. People want to see the stars sing the hits. It's been a while since Americans embraced unknown foreign athletes the way they once did Nadia Comaneci. If an American can go toe to toe with someone like that, then it's far more exciting to more people than someone else. We WANT to be the best in the world. We WANT to beat East Germany and USSR, and lots of people are very excited that we have outlasted both countries.

Back in the day, the Olympics actually was an amateur event, far less commercialized than it has become. Now, big money and big business run the Olympics. This isn't the same as it once was. That's why I don't get all this romance about the Olympics. To me, it's entertainment on TV. So that's why I have no problem in certain events being delayed for prime time.
 
landtuna said:
TheBigA said:
To become the Justin Bieber of sports.

A fake? A fraud? Lowering the bar? Yup. No doubt.

That's your opinion. Millions of girls disagree. You asked if Americans will watch only if we dominate. Bieber knows what gets people to watch, regardless of what you think. These athletes all know that if they can tap into that somehow, they won't have to work again.

But as I said, this is business. Amateur athletics happens at high schools on Friday nights. If you're in the Olympics, you have millions at stake. Ask Michael Phelps. He isn't going to duplicate what he did four years ago, and he'll still make millions.
 
TheBigA said:
That's your opinion.

Me and a million other people.

TheBigA said:
Millions of girls disagree.

Millions of girls loved Frank Sinatra in the 40's.

Millions of girls loved Elvis in the 50's.

Millions of girls loved David Cassidy in the 60's.

Need I go on? Ask any of them today and you will get an embarrassed smile in return.

TheBigA said:
Bieber knows what gets people to watch, regardless of what you think.

Bieber has handlers and a couple of big corporations behind him. Just like the teen idols of the past he was picked as a marketing tool. And a tool he is. Talentless. Personality-less. Disposable poster material for boy-crazy tweens.

TheBigA said:
Amateur athletics happens at high schools on Friday nights. If you're in the Olympics, you have millions at stake. Ask Michael Phelps. He isn't going to duplicate what he did four years ago, and he'll still make millions.

Most of the athletes at the Olympics go home with only the memories of their competition. If they are very lucky they will have a medal. If they are from a country with businesses that use athletes as sales tools they will make lots of money. But those are very few.

They are no different than kids who are put on skates at 3 years old and spend the next 17 years trying to get into the NHL. Or figure skaters that spend their entire youth working for one shot at the big time and if they are fortunate and don't fall or get scored low by a political judge they may go on to skate in Disney on Ice.

I honestly have no idea what you are trying to tell me. I understand what the modern Olympics have become and that is largely the reason I don't watch. The other reason is their selection of "sports" which are not really sports. And the athletes who are not much more than lab rats for all manner of drugs, training regimens, sports outfits, water chemistry and a whole host of other money-motivated businesses. Watching the well-honed first world athletes embarrass second and third world countries makes me sick and reminds me of the ugly American.

The idea behind the Olympic Games was great. The execution has been very disappointing and getting worse. American broadcasters have to take some of the blame for that.
 
I'm watching the Olympic Women's Gymnastic Team win the Gold Medal. I don't care whether it's live or ten hours ago. It's a powerful moment to watch. And I'm glad I'm watching it.
 
Now I'm watching the US men's swimming team win the Gold Medal. I know you prefer to be negative, but you're missing a lot of great TV.
 
TheBigA said:
That's your opinion. Millions of girls disagree. You asked if Americans will watch only if we dominate. Bieber knows what gets people to watch, regardless of what you think.

Justin is a Canadian BTW. ::)
 
landtuna said:
TheBigA said:
I'm watching the Olympic Women's Gymnastic Team win the Gold Medal. I don't care whether it's live or ten hours ago. It's a powerful moment to watch. And I'm glad I'm watching it.

That's wonderful. Perhaps you'd also enjoy reading the following:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--badminton-tournament-marred-by-teams-trying-to-purposefully-lose-a-match.html

Hah. The headline should have been: "Badminton players give rulemakers the bird"
 
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