Huge tune-in for start of the Olympics
NBC sees best ratings for non-U.S. games since 1976

By Toni Fitzgerald
MediaLife.com
Aug 11, 2008

Some media people thought the Beijing Olympics would see ratings declines versus the 2004 Games in Athens, matching recent trends in broadcast viewing.

They were very wrong.

NBC’s coverage of the Games is off to a huge start, the best for a non-U.S. hosted Summer Olympics since the 1976 Montreal Games.

Through the first two days of coverage, Friday and Saturday, NBC has averaged a 16.2 household rating and 30 share in primetime, up 22 percent over a 13.3/25 for Athens four years ago.

It marks the best non-U.S. start for a Summer Olympics since Montreal in 1976, which averaged a 22.1/46. The 1984 and 1996 Summer Games were held in the U.S.

The opening ceremonies Friday night had a particularly strong showing, averaging an 18.6/33, up 27 percent over a 14.6/27 in Athens. Some 34.2 million total viewers tuned in, 9 million better than Athens and bettering the most recent season finale for “American Idol,” the top series on broadcast.

That marked the highest-rated non-domestic Summer Olympics ever, bettering an 18.1/36 for the 1960 Rome Games on CBS, according to Nielsen.

Undoubtedly many viewers tuned in for the rare chance for a peek at China’s culture and people. The notoriously reclusive nation spent more than $100 million pulling together its opening and closing ceremonies, and Friday’s performance earned raves from around the world, as well as huge numbers internationally. It included 10,000 dancers, 2,008 drummers and a spectacular fireworks display.

In China alone, a reported 842 million viewers tuned in, and viewership in other countries pushed the total to more than 1 billion viewers. Four billion total are expected to tune in to some portion of the Games over the next two weeks.

NBC’s on track to draw the most cumulative viewers, or viewers who tune in at least once for a minimum of six minutes, ever, surpassing Athens’ total of 200 million. Through Saturday, that number sat at 114 million, 19 million more than Athens and 4 million ahead of the U.S.’s last domestic Summer Games, Atlanta ’96.

That’s across all NBC Universal platforms, including cable networks like MSNBC and CNBC, though it does not include those who accessed portions of the Games online.

Web traffic has seen a big kick already. On Friday and Saturday, page views for NBCOlympics.com soared 900 and 675 percent over 2004, respectively, totaling more than 130 million.  

Saturday NBC had an equally strong first night of actual competition. The network averaged a 13.9/27 for its primetime telecast, from 8:30 to 11:49 p.m. (The first half hour is considered local programming by Nielsen.)

That was up 18 percent from an 11.8/23 for Athens. Some 24.1 million total viewers tuned in to see Michael Phelps win his first gold medal as he attempts to garner a record eight this Olympic Games.

And the numbers may keep getting stronger after Phelps kept his bid on track last night with a dramatic and unexpected victory by the U.S. 4x100-meter freestyle relay team, which upset the French to take the gold medal, giving Phelps two so far this Games.

NBC winning viewers with delayed coverage

by WILLIAM HOUSTON
Globe & Mail Sports Media
August 11, 2008


After two days of Beijing Olympics television coverage, we'll call it a draw between the CBC and NBC.

The CBC took the lead by airing the big events in real time.

But NBC grabbed a share of first place by producing content that was equal to or better than the CBC's.

NBC continues with its much-criticized policy of holding back content until prime time, waiting sometimes 12 hours to air an event.

But its coverage of the opening ceremony outshone the work of the CBC, mainly because co-hosts Bob Costas and Matt Lauer brought more information and enthusiasm to the show than did the stolid, rather dull presentation of the CBC's Peter Mansbridge, who handled most of the commentary during the first 80 minutes.

At yesterday's U.S.-China basketball game, NBC's analyst, Doug Collins, easily out-pointed CBC counterpart Jay Triano, the Toronto Raptor assistant coach.

Collins gave us plenty of information about the Chinese team — its strategy, strengths, weaknesses and best players.

And he was candid.

"You will some horrendous officiating [at Beijing]," he said.

Announcer Paul Romanuk attempted, unsuccessfully, to draw out Triano, who explained China's somewhat successful first half by saying, "They shot so well."

Romanuk apologized for reversing the names of China's Wang Zhizhi, a former NBA player. Overall, his work was fine. His prediction that the Americans would win by 30 points missed by one.

On Saturday, the first night of prime-time coverage, NBC placed Costas live at Tiananmen Square. It served as an effective backdrop. NBC, off the top, aired a report on the bizarre murder-suicide involving a U.S. team family member and Chinese citizen.

Ron MacLean, in the CBC studio, didn't mention the attack at the start of the CBC presentation. And he seemed dismissive of U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps.

"I know you're sick to death of his eight medals," he said. Really? The guess here is most viewers knew little about Phelps's bid for a record eight gold medals.

On the winning side, MacLean's interview with gymnast Kyle Shewfelt, after questionable judging knocked him out of the final of the floor program, was heart-felt and compelling.

The CBC's swimming coverage has been excellent. Announcer Steve Armitage's big voice keeps our attention. And, analyst Byron MacDonald uses his expertise — he's a coach and former swimmer — to tell us what's going to happen before it does.

During a women's 100-metre backstroke heat he reported that China's Zhao Jing had probably stayed under the water too long. She was later disqualified.