NBC Really Blowing this Olympics
You don't usually have to look far to see a story about NBC's failed Olympic coverage. Most sportswriters have already tackled the subject to some degree. But I felt the need to make this painfully apparent to the network execs up there at the peacock.
Yesterday, as most everybody knows, Visa's sweetheard Lindsey Jacobellis lost herself the gold medal by grabbing her board-- and falling-- near the end of an uncontested run, touching off "showboat" arguments from here to Kingston, Jamaica, where presumably they're still riled about their bobsled falling apart at the end of Cool Runnings. Personally, I don't care, let the chick grab her board. Nine times out of ten, she lands the jump and everybody's happy. It's not like she won't be back at it in Vancouver for the 2010 games. But that's not why I'm here.
I'm here because as I was reading that article (on SI.com, in case you were really interested), NBC ran an advertisement in the article pimping their prime time coverage with the following line: "Watch Lindsey Jacobellis go for the gold in Snowboardcross."
If anything, this little parable highlights just how obtuse the network heads are at NBC, thinking that we're going to keep to the "see no Olympics, hear no Olympics" mantra until 8PM that evening, despite the fact that the entire universe already knows what's happening. I ask you, is there any reason to tape delay these events? At all? You'd think they'd actually be losing ratings because of it.
Think of it this way-- would you ever watch an entire Super Bowl if you'd already read the entire game recap ahead of time? What, maybe 3% of your audience who only likes a happy ending, or for hardcore fans of the winners. Maybe there's an in-game brawl that you just can't miss, or an aging pop star bares her nipple, or whatever, but most of the time it's just not going to happen.
And this is the Olympics for God's sake. This is the one time that (literally) the entire country is cheering for one team. This is where we can show the Soviets who's boss, where speed skaters can fake being blocked by those pesky Koreans, where innocent Canadians can fall victim to the crooked French, where we can stick it to Iran and their nukes by whipping them in the Curling competition.
Well, I'm not so sure that last one's happened yet. I haven't really been watching. Have somebody at NBC drop me a line when it's on.
posted by BJC @ 10:38 AM
Your thoughts (6 so far)
6 Comments:
Someone on NBC the other day (yes, NBC did a news story about how stupid NBC's coverage was) theorized that the Internet ratings might actually outstrip the television ratings for these Games.
Is there really any doubt that televisions, radios, cell phones and computers are about to all become the same thing?
And it would be a very complicated gadget where you'd accidentally hang up on someone while trying to email someone else about a TV show.
And did anyone else realize before Saturday that the NBA All Star Game was Sunday? Not me. Not until I saw the 3 point contest Sat night at the bar. Talk about poor promotion and publicity. I heard nothing about it.
I think I read this exact same post from Bill Simmons on espn page 2.
I find myself conciously avoiding anything related to the Olympics during the day so that it's "live to me" at night but so far it hasn't worked. The only thing they're showing at the correct time are the hockey games I'd like to watch but those they put on during the day while I'm at work.
By the way, American Idol is crushing the Olympics, ratings wise. That's a disgusting thought.
Well, Sports Guy had ripped me off a few times so I checked into it--
Simmons wrote (literally) 3 sentences on the subject in a random blog posting. 4 if you count "Don't get me started."
So yes, if that amounts to the "exact same post" then I am guilty as charged. Or, if Simmons is just one of hundreds of writers echoing similar sentiments, then somebody's got some jealousy issues.
I wasn't trying to be accusatory (there's a word for Alison that's probably not correct). Just sounded like an echo of something I'd already read.
It's ok, I'm a little oversensitive about plagiarism claims (whether real or just perceived).
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