Salon.com complains about NBC's field event coverage

[trackstar]

Many of you on this board will be happy to know that it's not just us field & track geeks who complain about the way field events get the shaft: http://www.salon.com/sports/olympics/20 ... index.html

I posted a letter in response explaining that it isn't just NBC that robs field events of the drama, but that that type of coverage is typical of American TV.

(My apologies if there is already a thread about this article. I looked, but couldn't find one.)

[trackstar]

And speaking of NBC's coverage, this could be good news for those who enjoyed the Olys better when ABC had the rights: http://www.reuters.com/article/televisi ... 0620080819

[sprintblox]

I think we're going to be stuck with NBC for the next 20 years, unless they get a new CEO with a different philosophy. The past few Olympics have been loss leaders for NBC, as the increased ratings and advertising dollars have never been enough to recover the billions they paid to the IOC.

NBC will always outbid everybody else, because others will stop bidding at the point where it becomes unprofitable, while NBC isn't limiting themselves with profit considerations. They just want the Olympics at all costs.

[Dave]

I think we're going to be stuck with NBC for the next 20 years, unless they get a new CEO with a different philosophy. The past few Olympics have been loss leaders for NBC, as the increased ratings and advertising dollars have never been enough to recover the billions they paid to the IOC.

NBC will always outbid everybody else, because others will stop bidding at the point where it becomes unprofitable, while NBC isn't limiting themselves with profit considerations. They just want the Olympics at all costs.

I always figured that was the key reason the coverage was so awful. They paid too much for the rights and had to over advertise and over hype it so badly.