I didn't watch that many hours of Olympic coverage this year, and I don't want to say NBC did a great job, but I think some criticism is a little unfair. This "Nation" article, for example, has a few. But overall, NBC is in a no-win situation.
Gripe: Too U.S.-centric:
It's amazing. America has never been a more dynamic, multicultural society and the world has never been more of a global village, but NBC still treats the games as if it were 1980 and the United States were taking on the Eastern Bloc.
Yes, what we saw was U.S.-centric, but if they covered more nations then we'd get: "NBC spends too much time on other countries with athletes we don't care about! What about our competitors? Nobody cares about Djibouti snowboarders!"
Gripe: Tape Delays
In the age of real-time video on the Internet, showing the games on ten-hour tape delay is as anachronistic as shoulder pads and piano-key ties. ... . If it were on live, I would have watched it or taped it. But for NBC to do that would mean losing precious advertising dollars.
So, the solution is watching the games in the middle of the night? Or taping them in the middle of the night and then watching them when you would have if they were shown normally? Not really NBC's fault... blame the sun.
Gripe: Idiot Sports
Is your water cooler abuzz with news of the skeleton finals? What about the half-pipe? The slalom? No? Then congratulations, you don't work in an insane asylum.
There are only so many watchable winter sports on TV, and most of them have found a home (hockey, ice skating every so often). If NBC cut out all the oddball events, then people would complain they aren't covering everything.
Gripe: Bode Miller
For reasons known only to members of the United States Olympic Committee, skier Miller was chosen as the person who would lead the American public to their television sets. Instead, after the publicity machine of the USOC got him on the cover of Time, Newsweek and every publication but Modern Bride, Miller emerged as a petulant brat. This would be forgivable, if he actually won--or even medaled--at his events.
Ok, they pretty much got this one right. But did Bode ask for the attention? Maybe by going on 60 Minutes he did, but for the most part the media latches on to someone and makes a whole lot of hype. I think you can mainly blame the media for this one.
Posted by alangage at March 3, 2006 2:42 PM
Comments
You always blame the media for everything. From now on, I shall call you Jay.
Posted by: siskow at March 7, 2006 11:28 AM
I think there is an effect.
Posted by: Jay at March 9, 2006 4:26 PM
Post a comment
