NBC's Olympics broadcast was the most watched Olympics ever through its first three days, the Washington Post reported.
The network has garnered some criticism for its decision to hold the broadcast of popular events until primetime, the newspaper reported. The tape delay decision has at times caused conflict between the media reporting results when they happen and those who want to wait for the Olympics broadcast to find out who won.
Patch, for example, sent out a breaking news email alert when in the 100-meter backstroke and set an Olympic record. Patch received complaints from some readers that the alert ruined the upcoming Olympics broadcast.
The Patch sites in the north Chicago suburbs decided to still send out breaking news alerts, but to do so with spoiler alert type headlines. However, even with the media providing spoiler free headlines, the news still travels fast via Twitter and Facebook.
NBC itself offers live streaming of almost every event, the Washington Post reported. If NBC were to broadcast all events live, many would take place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. East Coast time.
Unfortunately, NBC has been accused of going a bit further than simply creating convienant times to watch the Olympics. For example, NBC left out the key fall of Russian gymnast Ksenia Afanaseva, the Daily Mail reported.
Essentially, the U.S. women's gymnastics team ran away with the gold medal, yet some accused NBC of trying to manufacture suspense, the newspaper reported. The fall also was a dramatic moment U.S. viewers did not get to see and sealed the Russian team's fate, the Daily Mail reported.
NBC itself spoiled the gold medal win of Missy Franklin – the network ran a Today show promotion that featured Franklin holding her gold medal before the race had actually been aired, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Of course, if you don't like NBC's coverage of the Olympics, you can always watch the Olympics on another television station. No, wait. . . .you can't do that. Oh well, you can always bid on the broadcasting rights to future Olympics and if you pony up enough cash, then you can broadcast the Olympics however you want to do it. That's life.
The "news media" has been doing that since newspapers were invented. If you ever watched the "news" on ABC, CBS or NBC, then you see the media determining what you see and hear and their slant (bias) on whatever occurred. There is no unbiased "news". So let's not criticize NBC for what happens every day on television. My suggestion is to shut the television off and never watch it again. My son's suggestion is to watch the Olympics coverage with the sound off.
Did you know that not only is the budget for this "show" larger than many participating countries' GDP, but it's sponsors are ridiculous corporations like McDonalds?
In England the BBC opened up 24 channels to show everything - we cant even have 1 channel that just live streams?!?!
NBC can do what they want with the broadcast - the Olympics sold them the rights to TV broadcasts here in the US, but they DO NOT have exclusive rights to report what happened. You have decided to stay off the internet and TV which is the right thing to do as YOU are the one that wants to wait until NBC shows you the information to find out what happened.
For live Olympic coverage, you can go to www.nbcolympics.com/Olympics-Live. You can access live streams of EVERY Olympic event.
For example we watched the live stream yesterday of the swimming for Phelps's last race in the relay. There were actually announcers for it, they had English accents so i assume they were the BBC announcers. They talk about all of the people in the race, their chances & accomplishments. During the race they continue to talk about all of the competitors. Then for the medal ceremony they show all the winners receive their medals (and for those watching only NBCs coverage other teams do win them besides team USA).
(and as an FYI just because a woman disagrees with your way of thinking, that doesnt make it whining - but again not shocking)