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Winter Olympic Games pull in strong numbers for NBC affiliates


Here is an interesting one and the ratings for the Olympics are with affiliates not owned by the network itself. I would have guessed KNBC/WNBC would rank the highest among NBC affiliates to have the highest ratings for the Olympics. But then again in places where NBC owns the affiliate Peacock is highly promoted in those areas.

During its first week, more people in Fort Myers, Florida and Minneapolis, Minnesota tuned in to NBC’s prime-time coverage of the Winter Olympic Games on their local affiliates than anywhere else in the country, with both stations achieving a 14.9 rating and a 22 share from the Opening Ceremony through events on February 12, the ratings data showed.

When accounting for ties in some markets, all top 20 stations by viewership are outlets not owned by NBC itself, and none of the top 20 stations are in top 10 TV markets.

Tied for 15th place, the top-performing station by market size is KUSA-TV (Channel 9), the NBC affiliate in Denver, according to Nielsen data.
 
The Olympics do better when it's 6 or 7 hours ahead in the USA than if there 12 or 13 hours ahead even if they air live in primetime. I'll watch live or delayed doesn't matter to me as I never compalined when NBC didn't air it live and was on delayed. I'll miss watching the Olympics now that it's over.
 
The 2028 Summer Games will be in LA. Hopefully that means that NBC will air most events involving the US live, and not relegate them to USA Network or (even worse) Peacock. I'm not holding my breath, especially the latter. A lot can happen in two years.
 
The Olympics have become part exhibition and part entertainment (ala Wide World of Sports) with the number of activities in judged events rather than head-to-head competition. And even some of those "competitive" events are so diminutive (biathlon, cross-country skiing, speed skating, bobsled/luge/skeleton, half pipe, ski jumping) and, yes, even figure skating/ice dancing (boring to the max). And the worst of all? Curling.

And NBC contributed to the excitement with special features such as the history of Vespa scooters.

The hockey competition was a bit one-sided (as usual) although I thought the Canadians deserved to win the men's gold as they played a much stronger game for two periods. The hockey competition was a two-horse race and field-filling should be an outdated practice.

Most of the games were about as exciting as watching a golf match or yacht race. Must be really desperate out there in TV land.
 
The Olympics have become part exhibition and part entertainment (ala Wide World of Sports) with the number of activities in judged events rather than head-to-head competition. And even some of those "competitive" events are so diminutive (biathlon, cross-country skiing, speed skating, bobsled/luge/skeleton, half pipe, ski jumping) and, yes, even figure skating/ice dancing (boring to the max). And the worst of all? Curling.

And NBC contributed to the excitement with special features such as the history of Vespa scooters.

The hockey competition was a bit one-sided (as usual) although I thought the Canadians deserved to win the men's gold as they played a much stronger game for two periods. The hockey competition was a two-horse race and field-filling should be an outdated practice.

Most of the games were about as exciting as watching a golf match or yacht race. Must be really desperate out there in TV land.
Sounds like you hate watched it all, which is all NBC cares about.
 
Sounds like you hate watched it all, which is all NBC cares about.
I watched four whole hockey games (both men and women) and partial coverage of several others. The bits and pieces of other coverage was on streamers, not the network - average viewing time probably less than 5 minutes each. My local NBC affiliate is not on my must see list. I virtually never watch them.
 
I watched four whole hockey games (both men and women) and partial coverage of several others. The bits and pieces of other coverage was on streamers, not the network - average viewing time probably less than 5 minutes each. My local NBC affiliate is not on my must see list. I virtually never watch them.
Which teams did you watch? I liked the ice dancing with the costumes and dry ice effects, it was awesome!
 
NBC provided great coverage and the success here likely means they'll continue to bid to broadcast the games for many more cycles.
The overall coverage seemed pretty normal for me but one thing that was very poor was the camera and audio coverage of the hockey games.

The background audio was typically so loud that the announcer's voices could not be understood. I watched two entire games with the only understandable audio was during the intermissions.

Camera coverage was also poor. Too many up close shots which, in hockey, will cause the viewer to suffer effects similar to sea sickness. Because the action of the game is so fast the camera must be located with sufficient distance so that the viewer is not whiplashed constantly.
 
The overall coverage seemed pretty normal for me but one thing that was very poor was the camera and audio coverage of the hockey games.

The background audio was typically so loud that the announcer's voices could not be understood. I watched two entire games with the only understandable audio was during the intermissions.

Camera coverage was also poor. Too many up close shots which, in hockey, will cause the viewer to suffer effects similar to sea sickness. Because the action of the game is so fast the camera must be located with sufficient distance so that the viewer is not whiplashed constantly.
I had no problems with the audio. As for the camera work that all comes from the OBS.
 
I think they have the rights until 2036.
I believe that is right. I also believe the rights for the 2038 and 2040 Olympics will soon come up for consideration so NBCs thoughts regarding the business prospects to continue airing them might come into play somewhat soon.
 
The overall coverage seemed pretty normal for me but one thing that was very poor was the camera and audio coverage of the hockey games.

The background audio was typically so loud that the announcer's voices could not be understood. I watched two entire games with the only understandable audio was during the intermissions.

Camera coverage was also poor. Too many up close shots which, in hockey, will cause the viewer to suffer effects similar to sea sickness. Because the action of the game is so fast the camera must be located with sufficient distance so that the viewer is not whiplashed constantly.
I wonder if it was an affiliate issue. I didn't notice any audio problems.
 
The background audio was typically so loud that the announcer's voices could not be understood. I watched two entire games with the only understandable audio was during the intermissions.
Were you watching on your local NBC station or on Peacock? Sometimes the audio processing used by individual affiliates can greatly change the audio mix being sent by the network.

Keep in mind that the nat sound of the game is provided by the pool feed, and NBC simply adds its announcers on top of that, while intercutting some NBC specific camera shots over the pool video.
Camera coverage was also poor. Too many up close shots which, in hockey, will cause the viewer to suffer effects similar to sea sickness. Because the action of the game is so fast the camera must be located with sufficient distance so that the viewer is not whiplashed constantly.
I didn’t notice anything significantly different from a typical NHL broadcast here in the U.S. as far as camera shots go.
 
Were you watching on your local NBC station or on Peacock?
NBC (channel 12 in Phoenix)
I didn’t notice anything significantly different from a typical NHL broadcast here in the U.S. as far as camera shots go.
Whenever the action took place near the net the camera seemed to zoom in for a close up. That is usually done only in replay/slow motion by US and Canadian TV.
 
NBC didn’t control the main broadcast feed. They are taking what they are given.
I did not criticize NBC. I criticized the broadcast.

The only thing I can comment on is the final product. I have no visibility as to who provides audio or video. IMHO the final product was not up to USA domestic standards.
 


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