NBC Olympic broadcasts: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 12:39, 11 September 2008
The Olympics on NBC is the branding for the Olympic Games coverage which is produced by NBC Sports and airs on their parent broadcast network, NBC's Spanish language network Telemundo, and many of NBC Universal's cable networks in the United States. The telecast runs for 17 days primarily in the evening and weekend afternoons on NBC, with varying times on the other networks (after the close of the stock market day on CNBC for instance, the early mornings on MSNBC, and overnights on the USA Network). The Winter Olympic Games are normally televised in February in non-leap, even years, next in 2010. The Summer Olympic Games are normally televised in August in leap years, next in 2012.
History
NBC made their Olympic television debut when they showed the 1964 Summer Olympics from Tokyo, marking its Olympic TV debut. They did this with the aid of the Syncom 3 satellite for direct broadcasts.
Meanwhile, NBC first televised the Winter Olympic Games in 1972[1]. The 1964 Summer Olympics were the first Summer Olympics televised by NBC[1].
NBC had won the U.S. broadcast rights for the 1980 Summer Olympics, but when the United States Olympic Committee kept U.S. athletes home to honor the boycott announced by President Jimmy Carter, the telecasts were greatly scaled back. In the end, what had been 150 hours of scheduled coverage, shrunk to just a few hours. Highlights were fed to local NBC stations for use on local newscasts. Many affiliates however, refused to show the Olympic highlights on their local news. They also refused to clear airtime for the few hours of coverage NBC did present.
NBC then bid for, and won, the rights to show the 1988 Summer Olympics. Network officials convinced the organizers in Seoul to stage most of its gold-medal finals in the afternoon, which is primetime of the previous night in the U.S. Bryant Gumbel was the host that year.
Just as his mentor Roone Arledge had before over at ABC, Dick Ebersol, who took over NBC Sports in 1989, decided to make the Olympics a staple of his network's sports television schedule. NBC continued its Summer Games coverage into the decade, with both the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. And as with Arledge (who had to deal with the Munich massacre during the 1972 Summer Games), Ebersol had to deal with breaking news during the Games. During the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996, NBC suspended its coverage of a volleyball game and broadcast the news for several hours commercial-free. Bob Costas made its debut as primetime host in 1992. Costas had previously, hosted the late night coverage in Seoul.
To help defray the increasing costs of broadcast rights, NBC turned to cable and satellite services for additional coverage. In 1992, NBC teamed up with Cablevision for the Triplecast, which provided three channels of pay-per-view telecasts that supplemented NBC's regular coverage. However, NBC lost over $100 million, the package was dropped, and there was no supplemental coverage from Atlanta.
Coverage in the first decade of the 21st century revolved around two major storylines:
- NBC became the sole U.S. rights holder for the Olympic Games for the entire decade and beyond. The network could rightly boast of being "America's Olympic Network" as it made the longest and most expensive commitment ever since the Olympics were first presented on TV. For the 1996 Summer Games, and all Games from 2000 to 2008, NBC paid a total of $3.5 billion, mostly to the International Olympic Committee but also to the USOC and local organizers. To extend rights to the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2012 Summer Olympics, NBC then gave up another $2.2 billion.[2]
- The rise of various media platforms extended the reach and availability of Games coverage. NBC returned to supplemental cable/satellite coverage in 2000, with some events on CNBC and MSNBC. In 2004, it added USA Network, Bravo, and Telemundo, all of which parent company NBC Universal had acquired earlier in the decade. In 2006, Universal HD was added to the list of channels carrying the Games. Finally, in 2008, events were streamed live for the first time on the Internet through the website NBCOlympics.com (Also in 2008, Oxygen replaced Bravo as a supplemental network, and NBC launched high-definition channels dedicated to the basketball and soccer competitions).
Hours of coverage
| Year | Host | Hours of Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 Summer | Tokyo, Japan | 45 minutes daily[3] |
| 1972 Winter | Sapporo, Japan | 37[3] |
| 1980 Summer | Moscow, Russia | primarily highlights[3] |
| 1988 Summer | Seoul, South Korea | 179.5[4] |
| 1992 Summer | Barcelona, Spain | 161[5] + 1080 on Triplecast[6] |
| 1996 Summer | Atlanta, Georgia | 171[7] |
| 2000 Summer | Sydney, Australia | 441.5[7] |
| 2002 Winter | Salt Lake City, Utah | 375.5[8][9] |
| 2004 Summer | Athens, Greece | 1210[7][10] |
| 2006 Winter | Torino, Italy | 416[8][11] |
| 2008 Summer | Beijing, China | 3600[4] |
NBC televised the opening ceremonies of the 1964 Summer Olympics. This was the first color broadcast televised live via satellite[12]
2008 Summer Olympics
Coverage
The scale of the coverage grew to the same huge proportions as the Games themselves. In 2008, NBC was scheduled to air over 3,600 hours of live coverage (1,400 on the TV networks and 2,200 more online). According to NBC, that is 1,000 more hours than the combined coverage of all Summer Games since that first telecast in 1960.[13] NBC also is using 106 hosts, announcers, and commentators to cover the action.[14] The main transmission center in the United States is Studio 8-H at Rockefeller Center in New York City, where Saturday Night Live is based. Some announcers and hosts have been assigned to the New York studio and are not on location in Beijing.[15][16]
Ratings
Through August 12, NBC was averaging 30.4 million viewers for each night of primetime coverage, up five million from the same period in 2004. The increased number was attributed to Michael Phelps' ongoing quests for the most gold medals in a single Olympics and in a career.[17] On August 11, NBCOlympics.com had 7.8 million unique page visits and 476,062 downloads from cellular telephones.[18] The number of average viewers had dropped to 28.7 million by August 17, but it still far outpaced shows on other networks. Most programming opposite the Olympics was in reruns, except for Big Brother 10 on CBS and High School Musical: Get in the Picture on ABC.[19]
By the end of the Olympics, NBC estimated a total audience of 214 million people for at least some of the telecasts, an all-time record for any Olympics. In the second week of the Games, all eight primetime telecasts (there were two on August 24) finished in the top eight of the ratings. On all 17 nights, NBC had more viewers than ABC, CBS, and NBC combined.[20] However, ratings on the final Friday and Saturday of the Games were the lowest for primetime coverage since 1988.[21]
Even other sports events saw ratings downturns attributable to Games coverage. Declines ranged from 14 percent for the PGA Tour The Barclays to 36 percent for the Little League World Series final.[22] (scroll to middle of page)
Night by night
| Night | Rating/share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| August 8 | 18.8/34 | The opening ceremony was the most-watched night of the Olympics on NBC, with an average audience of 39 million viewers. |
| August 9 | 13.9/27 | Michael Phelps wins first gold medal |
| August 10 | 18.1/31 | Phelps wins second gold medal. Bob Costas interviews President George W. Bush. |
| August 11 | 17.6/29 | Phelps wins third gold medal in dramatic relay, breaks all-time career record |
| August 12 | 19.9/34 | Nastia Liukin wins gold medal in women's all-around gymnastics |
| August 13 | 16.7/28 | |
| August 14 | 17.9/31 | Liukin and Shawn Johnson win apparatus medals |
| August 15 | 15.4/28 | Phelps ties Mark Spitz with seventh gold medal; after race, Spitz joins NBC coverage via satellite from Detroit, Michigan |
| August 16 | 17.8/32 | Phelps is part of winning relay team, captures eighth gold medal; Usain Bolt breaks 100-meter dash world record |
| August 17 | 16.0/27 | |
| August 18 | 15.8/26 | First night in which all coverage was completely on tape in the U.S. |
| August 19 | 16.3/27 | Bolt breaks 200-meter world record |
| August 20 | 15.2/26 | Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh win gold medals in beach volleyball |
| August 21 | 13.8/23 | |
| August 22 | 10.7/19 | During late night coverage, Lester Holt reports from Beijing that, back in the U.S., Barack Obama has selected Joe Biden to run as his vice-presidential candidate. |
| August 23 | 10.3/19 | Lowest rating for a primetime telecast since 1988 Summer Olympics. The victory by the "Redeem Team" over Spain is part of late night coverage and is the only event broadcast live by all affiliates in all time zones. |
| August 24 | 15.5/25, 12.3/21 | First number is for closing ceremony; second number is for Beijing Closing Party, a separate program which followed immediately |
Source for all ratings: [1]
Commentators
Hosts
| Year | Prime-Time Host | Daytime Host(s) | Late-Night Host(s) | Cable Host(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 Summer | Bill Henry | |||
| 1972 Winter | Curt Gowdy | |||
| 1980 Summer | Dick Enberg and Bryant Gumbel | |||
| 1988 Summer | Bryant Gumbel | Gayle Gardner and Jimmy Cefalo | Bob Costas and Gayle Gardner | |
| 1992 Summer | Bob Costas | Jim Lampley and Hannah Storm | Ahmad Rashad and Kathleen Sullivan (both for the Olympics Triplecast) | |
| 1996 Summer | Greg Gumbel | |||
| 2000 Summer | Hannah Storm | Jim Lampley | ||
| 2002 Winter | ||||
| 2004 Summer| | Jim Lampley | Fred Roggin (CNBC), Lester Holt (MSNBC), Mary Carillo (Bravo), and Jim Lampley (USA) | ||
| 2006 Winter | Jim Lampley | Fred Roggin (MSNBC/USA/CNBC (Curling)), Bill Clement (MSNBC/USA/CNBC (Hockey)), Bill Macatee (USA) | ||
| 2008 Summer | Mary Carillo[23] | Alex Flanagan (CNBC/USA), Matt Vasgersian (USA), Melissa Stark (MSNBC), Bill Patrick (MSNBC), Fred Roggin (CNBC) and Lindsay Czarniak (Oxygen)[23] | ||
Additional notes
- Another of NBC's host is Jim Lampley. Lampley has served as late-night host in 1992, 1996 and 2006. He was the daytime host in 2004, 2006, and 2008. During 2000 and 2002, he hosted cable coverage. The Beijing Games is his 14th Olympic assignment (including work for ABC, CBS and TNT), more than for any other commentator[24].
- Hannah Storm also hosted four Olympics (late-night: 1992 and 1996, daytime: 2000 and 2002) for NBC. She left NBC for CBS News in 2002, then moved to ESPN in 2008; she began her new assignment as SportsCenter anchor on the first weekday of the Beijing Games (August 11).
By event
Winter Olympics
2006
2006 Sportsdesk reporters
- Julie Foudy
- Lester Holt
- Alan Abrahamson
- Bob Hager
- Roger Cressey
- Kevin Corke
- Otis Livingston
- Craig Hummer
Summer Olympics
1988
 | This article is missing information about Error: you must specify what information is missing.. |
2008 announcers, analysts, and reporters
Source
*These announcers were to call the action from the NBC studios in New York City rather from onsite in Beijing
NBC did not plan coverage of judo, sailing, or taekwondo on any of its networks. Coverage in the U.S. was to be available only online at NBCOlympics.com.
2008 Sportsdesk reporters
- Alan Abrahamson
- Peter Alexander
- Lindsay Czarniak
- Julie Foudy
- Lester Holt
- Eyee Hsu
- Nancy Snyderman
- Lindsay Soto
Feature reporters
Studio contributors
Sports televised
Traditionally, NBC has televised marquee sports. When NBC added television coverage on its cable partners in 2000, it allowed them to televise other sports. 2004 marked the first year that they televised all 28 sports[25] In 2008, aided with online streaming, NBC will air all events held at the summer games live.
Music
The main theme of the Olympic coverage is "Bugler's Dream," composed by Leo Arnaud. It debuted on ABC in 1976, and returned in 1992 when NBC bought the performance rights. Other songs used on NBC include compositions from John Williams, including his "Olympic Fanfare and Theme", David Arkenstone, and John Tesh, whose "Roundball Rock" was added to the basketball coverage in 2008. During the announcements of upcoming events, NBC has used the Randy Edelman composed theme song from the short-lived FOX TV series The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. The theme was also used for NBC's Major League Baseball coverage from the start of the 1996 postseason through the 1998 All-Star Game.
DVDs
NBC has made three DVDs available related to the 2008 Summer Olympics. One covers the opening ceremony, another will cover the highlights from the entire competition, and the final is a retrospective of Michael Phelps' record-setting Olympic career in swimming. They are produced by the Ten Mayflower production company and are available online at NBCDVD.com[26]. NBC has yet to announce plans for possible sales in retail stores.
See also
Notes
- ^ a b Olympics and Television
- ^ "Television Rights." ESPN Sports Almanac 2008, page 609
- ^ a b c The World Comes Together in Your Living Room: The Olympics on TV
- ^ a b NBC's Coverage Captures the Color, but Not the Fun
- ^ Bidding for the Olympics on TV
- ^ Nbc's Olympian Gamble
- ^ a b c NBC's Olympic Coverage from Athens
- ^ a b NBC ANNOUNCES UNPRECEDENTED COVERAGE OF THE 2006 TORINO OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
- ^ Includes 207 hours on CNBC and MSNBC
- ^ Includes 226 hours on NBC, 133.5 hours on MSNBC, 111 hours on CNBC, 122 hours on Bravo, 49 hours on USA and 169.5 hours on Telemundo
- ^ Includes 182.5 hours on NBC and 233.5 hours on CNBC, MSNBC and USA
- ^ Television Sports Milestones: A Chronology of an Industry
- ^ NBC public relations (2008-07-09). "NBC's 'Complete Olympics'". NBCOlympics.com. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Brian Powell (2008-07-16). "Your NBC Announcers (UPDATED)". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Brian Powell (2008-08-06). "NBC Takes Over the SNL Studios to Bring You Your Olympic Coverage". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Brian Powell (2008-07-21). "NBC Choses to Cover Ten Olympic Sports from New York". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Greg Johnson (2008-08-12). "Michael 'Prime-Time' Phelps helps NBC to drive ratings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Greg Johnson (2008-08-12). "NBC proud as a peacock over Olympic numbers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ James Hibberd (2008-08-19). "Weekly ratings: Olympics crush competitors". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Public relations (2008-08-26). "NBC DOMINATES THE PRIME TIME WEEK..." NBC Universal. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Robert Seidman (2008-08-26). "Nielsen Top 20: NBC Grabs All the Medals Again". TV By The Numbers. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Jim Maffei (2008-08-29). "Time to say Ello". North County Times (San Diego County, California. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b NBC's big Beijing Crew is ready to go
- ^ JIM LAMPLEY
- ^ Volleyball Well Represented by NBC's Around-the-Clock Olympic TV Coverage
- ^ NBCDVD.com