The Olympics on NBC

[dhett]

WMBF is the first station built from the ground up all HDTV---yes, its news will be 100% HDTV.

I'm going to REALLY pick nits here -- WMBF is *not* the first station built from the ground up for HDTV -- KOHD in Bend, Oregon beat them to it.

What about KRMU in Durango CO, which became the first DTV-only station when it signed on in 2004?

 

[kenglish]

If they showed the Olympics live there would still be just as many (probably more) people complaining then too. People would be unhappy that they're missing all of the good action while they're at work during the day. Watch it online if you really MUST see it live. Otherwise, on with the show!

Wht can't the FCC just make the Olympics weeks one long national holiday in the US?

 

[TheRover]

If they showed the Olympics live there would still be just as many (probably more) people complaining then too. People would be unhappy that they're missing all of the good action while they're at work during the day. Watch it online if you really MUST see it live. Otherwise, on with the show!

Wht can't the FCC just make the Olympics weeks one long national holiday in the US?

When the UN takes over control (of the World), then I guess that will happen....

As to live programming.... right now, NBC is broadcasting the Women's USA-Japan Vollyeball Match.
Watching the USA team members pat each other on the buttocks... is kinf of exciting, in a way I don't fully undertand... ;D

 

[w9wi]

WMBF is the first station built from the ground up all HDTV---yes, its news will be 100% HDTV.

I'm going to REALLY pick nits here -- WMBF is *not* the first station built from the ground up for HDTV -- KOHD in Bend, Oregon beat them to it.

What about KRMU in Durango CO, which became the first DTV-only station when it signed on in 2004?

Was KRMU high-definition from the start? (I doubt it, but maybe it was?)

 

[bpatrick]

While I'm glad Florence/Myrtle Beach now has its
own NBC affiliate (and wish Panama City would get
its own CBS affiliate), I wonder how longtime residents
(especially in Myrtle Beach) feel about losing WECT, since
it's been the de facto NBC affiliate there since 1954.

Back to the issue of the Olympics live vs. tape: I'd
rather see the events live, but there is a little thing
NBC has to contend with that's not quite as crucial
to the CBC: ratings. Naturally, NBC wants the marquee
events in prime time, just as ABC wanted that U.S.-USSR
hockey showdown in prime time in 1980--it was the big
story. They've paid a fortune and expect to make it back.
One problem: if you're watching your local ABC, CBS, or Fox
affiliate, or ESPN, you're liable to get the results before NBC's
prime-time telecast begins (ESPN has the results of men's
gymnastics this afternoon before NBC showed it). So watch
those channels at your own risk if you don't want to know the
winners in advance.

Now an opinion question: Do you think that, should ABC get
the Olympics back after 2012, it has the announcing strength
it had in the '70s? And who would anchor ABC's coverage?
Mike Tirico is the only name that comes to mind at this point.

 

[neo11]

As someone else pointed out, if ABC/ESPN's coverage of the Olympics would be anything like their coverage of other sports today (e.g. their atrocious NBA coverage)....I'd rather stick with NBC.

Not to stray too far off topic, but just as an example of how ABC covers sports nowadays: anyone see the national TV schedule for NBA basketball on ABC next year? They're literally going to show just 8 teams....6 teams five times or more, and two other teams once or twice each. 22 other NBA teams will have no ABC coverage, including teams that made it far into the playoffs. Pathetic.

 

[dhett]

So far, not bad coverage, but one complaint. Can someone please tell the swimming announcers that in China, the family name comes first, then the individual's name? The graphics get it right, but the announcers don't seem to understand that.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Apparently, I went to CBC's Website, and it is unavailable at this point. Northernmost cities (Like Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo) are quite lucky to pick up CBC and many other Canadian broadcasting channels, and they're the lucky cities to watch it LIVE.

You can pretty much wipe Cleveland off that list, except for folks who live right on Lake Erie with big antennas pointed northwest at Windsor. CBET/9 has been off the local cable systems in Northeast Ohio for years, and I'm pretty sure it no longer airs on cable anywhere here.

The closest you can get and have CBC on cable here is out in the Sandusky area, where Erie County Cablevision (a division of Toledo's Buckeye Cablevision) carries CBET, as does its parent system in Toledo.

Time Warner Cable only carries CBET in the area south of Toledo, from Bowling Green down to Findlay.

I wish it were otherwise. I'd love to have CBC on my cable system (Cleveland TWC)!

In another Canadian TV on U.S. cable oddity, people in places like Alpena MI get Montreal-based English-language CBC outlet CBMT on cable. Why? I don't know.

 

[TroyG]

Come to think of it, Most of the key events are played between 6-11P Beijing Time-Which happens to be like 4A-9A in Chicago. American viewers will have to wait until their Prime Time. Meanwhile, Coverage of These Olympic Games happens to be an Intellectual property of NBC Sports, in which their telling their affilliates to keep a mum on the results until prime time. Not even SportsCenter can give you the latest Olympic News & Results-in which case it has a gag order from NBC.

 

[Whale]

Not even SportsCenter can give you the latest Olympic News & Results-in which case it has a gag order from NBC.

Umm care to source that one? ESPN has always given the live results and news from the events, usually with photographs instead of video (obviously). How can NBC give ESPN a gag order??

 

[TroyG]

Let's get right to the point; Not only ESPN can't show any video highlights of The Summer Olympics, but it also applies to CNN. FSN, FNC, and the other 3 major broadcast networks. Apparently, The local news before Prime Time usually bypasses ALL the olympic news & results AFTER the coverage on NBC ends (Usually at 12 Midnight E/11P Cent)-BUT only NBC stations & their affilliates can show these video highlights.

 

[Nock]

But you can click on yahoo and get up to the minute results?

Nock

 

[KTU_Fan]

Didn't ESPN have their agreement amended in order to let Madden go to NBC?

 

[justthenumbers]

Expect The Peacock to show most of the coverage on tape-like it does in the past. NBC's coverage still continue to suck-like it has been. Many sports fan would love to see the games shown LIVE-as it happens. Consider today, 8-8-8 your lucky day. The Flame lighting ceremony starts at 8:08PM Beiijing time; 6:08AM in Chicago, & 7:08AM out on The East Coast. Viewers here in the states will have to wait tonight to watch this amazing spectacular. What Gives?

Rating$ and ad dollar$. There are a lot more viewers -- and subsequently, a lot more money to be made -- by showing tape-delayed coverage in Primetime than live coverage at 7a ET/4a PT.

And, according to the article linked below, this year's opening ceremonies garnered the most viewers for any program since the Super Bowl, and it is the highest-rated opening ceremony telecast for any Olympics that has taken place outside of the U.S.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/olympics/articles/2008/08/09/20080809nbcratings-ON.html

 

[justthenumbers]

By the way, NBC's Olympic contract goes through 2012, and ABC/ESPN and Fox are also in the running for future Olympics. If ESPN and Fox's coverage of other sports is any indication, I would rather see them on NBC.

Agreed. With regards to NBA basketball (the one sport I follow closely), I feel like that NBC did a much better job from 1990-91 through 2001-02 than ESPN/ABC has done since. NBC has a way of adding a dramatic element to their coverage - something I haven't seen with ESPN/ABC.

PLUS, I noticed that NBC has resurrected the classic "NBA on NBC" theme music for their U.S. men's basketball coverage in these Olympics! Never thought I'd hear that on TV again...what a very pleasant surprise!

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I noticed that NBC has resurrected the classic "NBA on NBC" theme music for their U.S. men's basketball coverage in these Olympics! Never thought I'd hear that on TV again...what a very pleasant surprise!

Indeed, I noticed this too ... and like having a few less plays of Olympic Fanfare (much as I love that bit of orchestration)

 

[RicoGregg]

Have you noticed all the empty seats at most events? Ticket sales have been less than hoped-for by the Chinese hosts.

Sales have been particularly slow at archery and shooting events. Especially those seats behind the targets.

 

[justthenumbers]

I noticed that NBC has resurrected the classic "NBA on NBC" theme music for their U.S. men's basketball coverage in these Olympics! Never thought I'd hear that on TV again...what a very pleasant surprise!

Indeed, I noticed this too ... and like having a few less plays of Olympic Fanfare (much as I love that bit of orchestration)

Because the song is played primarily when heading into a commercial, I kinda wish that these games were NOT "presented with limited commercial interruption".

 

[Whale]

Because the song is played primarily when heading into a commercial, I kinda wish that these games were NOT "presented with limited commercial interruption".

You're probably the only one who would wish that. It's refreshing to watch a game without constant stoppage for ads.

 

[djj]

Let's get right to the point; Not only ESPN can't show any video highlights of The Summer Olympics, but it also applies to CNN. FSN, FNC, and the other 3 major broadcast networks. Apparently, The local news before Prime Time usually bypasses ALL the olympic news & results AFTER the coverage on NBC ends (Usually at 12 Midnight E/11P Cent)-BUT only NBC stations & their affilliates can show these video highlights.

Thus, I pose this question
(assuming you cannot get CBC or other video highlights, internet or otherwise)...

Would someone be happier:
a) watching "tape-delayed" coverage on NBC?
OR
b) listening to "live" coverage on network radio, if it were available?

P.S. - I wish I could remember that TBS announcer's name who said on a 1990 Goodwill Games
promo, "Coming up, LIVE - on TAPE...!" ;D
--jay