NBC's cheap, atrocious coverage | Golden Skate

NBC's cheap, atrocious coverage

jrethorst

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 21, 2006
I know they like advertisers' money, but this is too much. In the ice dancing, and again tonight in the ladies' SP, NBC shows _one_ skater, and then goes to the bobsled or another sport. An hour or so later, _one_ more skater, and then another sport. At the end of the evening, we get to see a skating program.

The other fans should be served too, but why can't NBC block the coverage by sport? Bobsled from 8 to 9, luge from 9 to 10, skating from 10 to 11?

Why don't they? I think it's because figure skating, especially ladies', draws the biggest audience of any winter Olympic sport. If NBC mixes the big draw up with everything else, they get the most viewers for their advertisers -- at the expense of letting their viewers spend the rest of the evening more enjoyably, viewers have to stay close enough to the TV not to miss the FS.

It's cheap. I'd complain to NBC but they wouldn't care. But if I complain to the advertisers this evening, using the 800 numbers each advertising company has on its web site -- that might work, and we might get better skating coverage next time.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
because they're trying to give the feeling that it's live

and because it keeps people watching through the WHOLE NIGHT OF COVERAGE. which means they keep a steady ratings number.

honestly I don't mind it as I enjoy watching all of the olympic sports
 

blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
I wouldn't like it. I'm glad in Canada, they showed the entire womens' short program on Rogers sportsnet, only cutting to other things during ice resurfacing.
 

Lotta

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I wouldn't like it. I'm glad in Canada, they showed the entire womens' short program on Rogers sportsnet, only cutting to other things during ice resurfacing.

I watched a live feed of pairs last week, it was a Russian coverage, I think, or some European one, and they showed EVERY SINGLE PAIR. And they cut during Zamboni but they showed EVERYONE. US Coverage? Americans + contenders. That's it. I thought the Estonian pair was really really good looking. Didn't do well but they were adorable. <3

Every country except US is showing everyone. That's credit to last place people right there. But it's good there's full replays on nbcolympics.com. We even get to see Zamboni.
 
S

sleepyjl

Guest
This is somewhat related, but the nbcolympics.com website is the glitchiest, most disorganized, least user-friendly sporting site I've ever seen. I realize that they have an enormous amount of content to post, but the amount of problems I've encountered on the site, especially with the videos, is unacceptable.
 

DesertRoad

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Every country except US is showing everyone. That's credit to last place people right there. But it's good there's full replays on nbcolympics.com. We even get to see Zamboni.

The difference is that NBC or any US broadcaster pays through the nose for the right to Olympic coverage. In fact, a substantial part of IOC income comes from American TV networks. So the IOC will keep charging that money, and American networks will keep having to find ways to milk every last possible dime from ads. If they showed us every skater, they wouldn't be able to show ads and they'd go broke(r).

I'm fine with that. But why do they have to try so hard to shut down any internet feeds showing the whole event? If they're not showing it, why not let someone else show it in a substantially lower quality in a medium that's a lot harder to find. That's just pointless greed.
 

Gymfan15

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
I know that in Beijing, I was INCREDIBLY impressed with NBC's coverage and the wide amount of variaty that they had available. I do agree though that the worst thing, and the part that kept me from being completley happy, was the fact that NBC blocked US access to internet feeds even for events they weren't showing on TV themselves. If they would let people watch events uninterrupted online I think it would be an incredible boost for them. This is the 21st century; people don't like to be spoonfed their coverage anymore, and especially in the day of social networking, it's extremely irritating not being able to watch the event you want live. Old school TV just isn't working anymore.

Anyway, I don't think Vancouver's coverage has been as good as Beijing, but that's possibly because there's just less popular sports to go around and the nightly broadcasts are filled up with hours and hours of basically fluff, or stuff that I don't really care to watch. And yet I just can't leave the TV and go hang out somewhere else until the final two skating groups go on, because they show bits and pieces of skaters randomly all night. Urg.

Anyway, NBC could do MUCH better, and I think as much as they'd hate to do it, they need to make coverage more accessible and customizable to the general US public. We are woefully behind in that respect.
 

jrethorst

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 21, 2006
> This is somewhat related, but the nbcolympics.com website is the glitchiest, most
> disorganized, least user-friendly sporting site I've ever seen.

They also require install of Microsoft Silverlight, a video plugin, to watch the Olympics feeds. Fine, but I have a 2004 iMac -- nice machine, 17 inch display, fast, good video, lots of RAM -- but too old for Silverlight. So I can't access nbcolympics.com video. NBC might as well say that if you have a TV that's older than five years you can't watch NBC. Eh?
 

DesertRoad

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Anyway, I don't think Vancouver's coverage has been as good as Beijing, but that's possibly because there's just less popular sports to go around and the nightly broadcasts are filled up with hours and hours of basically fluff, or stuff that I don't really care to watch. And yet I just can't leave the TV and go hang out somewhere else until the final two skating groups go on, because they show bits and pieces of skaters randomly all night. Urg.

You bring up a good point about the fluff. There have been times when NBC showed fluff, or interviews with people not the least bit affiliated with the Winter Olympics (like Michael Phelps) when there are multiple live events going on! I know they have to pay the piper, but they are doing a horrible job of showing as much live coverage as possible. NBC needs to trust that people enjoy watching live competition. There's a thrill from that no fluff or interview can provide. It's an experience one can share with the world.

And I hate that NBC airs live events sometimes on a small but significant delay, like 10 minutes. We have the internet now, results are out live. If you can show it live, and you clearly can, why not show it live?
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
the not showing it live is due to the fact that censors need to happen, there are some of us that appreciate it.
 

screech

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Surprisingly, I think the US should go the way of the Aussie coverage.

One network has primetime coverage. They show about 3 hours in the morning and about 3 hours at primetime, showing about 5 different sports each time (because of the time difference they show what's happened so far that day at each broadcast - the morning and primetime ones are different). For skating, they only show 3-6 skaters, with cuts to different sports in between.

However, Foxtel (the cable TV provider company here) offered packages. If you had Foxtel, for $50 you could purchase special coverage. 4 channels of 24/7 O's coverage with all medal events and all competing Aussies shown live. I've been able to see every skater of every figure skating event live, plus re-aired later in the day. They are even going to re-re-air the long programs once the Games are done. And because it's 4 channels you have a choice between skating, hockey, curling, bobsleigh... it was really a genius decision to make. It was broken up into the areas where things take place: Whistler, Creekside, Cypress, Vancouver.

I think that could work well elsewhere too. For those who have satellite/digital cable, pay a small one time fee for full access to the Games. You could even access the stuff on Foxtel's website and on your mobile (if you are with a certain network).
 

DesertRoad

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
the not showing it live is due to the fact that censors need to happen, there are some of us that appreciate it.

Er... no. First of all, I wasn't talking about the censor delay that applies to award shows, those delays can be as short as mere seconds. I specified delays of 10 minutes. Gee, you think someone can hold out the f-word for that long? Second of all, there are plenty of events that they do show live. So they have no problem doing it. The delays in some cases is because NBC would rather move their event coverage around than move their ads and fluff pieces around. It has nothing to do with safeguarding the sensibilities of busybodies with the FCC complaint line on speed dial. Third of all, for those of you who somehow require others to censor what you watch, for fear of seeing some wardrobe malfunction or letting slip some naughty word into your sanctum, how about you just get over your fear of the human body and realize that words don't have magical powers. And if you are really that afraid, Tivo it and let the rest of us watch it live.
 
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Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Surprisingly, I think the US should go the way of the Aussie coverage.

One network has primetime coverage. They show about 3 hours in the morning and about 3 hours at primetime, showing about 5 different sports each time (because of the time difference they show what's happened so far that day at each broadcast - the morning and primetime ones are different). For skating, they only show 3-6 skaters, with cuts to different sports in between.

However, Foxtel (the cable TV provider company here) offered packages. If you had Foxtel, for $50 you could purchase special coverage. 4 channels of 24/7 O's coverage with all medal events and all competing Aussies shown live. I've been able to see every skater of every figure skating event live, plus re-aired later in the day. They are even going to re-re-air the long programs once the Games are done. And because it's 4 channels you have a choice between skating, hockey, curling, bobsleigh... it was really a genius decision to make. It was broken up into the areas where things take place: Whistler, Creekside, Cypress, Vancouver.

I think that could work well elsewhere too. For those who have satellite/digital cable, pay a small one time fee for full access to the Games. You could even access the stuff on Foxtel's website and on your mobile (if you are with a certain network).

they did something like that with the cable networks four years ago and they lost way too much money that way to make it worth it.

this time around people are actually watching the games so that's why there are more complaints, IMO.
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
The OP is right. Here in Canada we get to see almost all of the skaters, from the lowest to the highest, almost continuously. On NBC they usually only show one or two skaters at a time and usually only show the final group.
 

stickle

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
You're being narrow minded and looking at this from only a figure skating fan's point of view, which is understandable because this particular forum is for figure skating fans, but you have to look at the broader picture. The fans of ski-cross want to see their sport and their athletes highlighted. So do the skiers. And the long track speed skaters, and the Apolo Ohno fans and the rest of the short track speed skaters. And the lugers, and the bobsledders, and the alpine skiers and the curlers and the snowboard racers. Every minute of prime time exposure they can get is extremely important to the future of these sports and their ability to attract fans and funds to promote their sport. Of course the network is going to pick and choose what they show their viewers to whet the anticipation for the outcome of the various sports. It's working. They're getting terrific ratings because loads of people, besides figure skating fans, are tuning in to watch their favorite athletes and they're getting caught up in the competitive nail-biters and that's a good thing.

As figure skating fans you should appreciate this technique. It's also gaining more viewers who are going to see skaters for the first time and appreciate the wonderful competition we've seen in the various disciplines. They're going to get caught up in the stories we know so well but are new and appealing to them. It's only going to convert more people to our sport. Quitcherbitchin and appreciate what all these 25 million or so primetime viewers are going to do to benefit the local skating rink and all the kids who are mesmerized by the beautiful sport of figure skating.
 
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Figure88

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
NBC's coverage is a total disgrace. Who wants to see one friggin' hour of bobsledding!!! when we can watch ladies' ice skating, the marquis event of the Olympics even if the ladies had little chance of medalling.
 

Nadia01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
I'm glad I'm in Japan. NHK, Fuji TV, etc. are doing broadcasting, with NHK doing most of the live coverage, commercialfree.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
NBC's coverage is a total disgrace. Who wants to see one friggin' hour of bobsledding!!! when we can watch ladies' ice skating, the marquis event of the Olympics even if the ladies had little chance of medalling.

Sometimes it is hard to understand. Bobsled is not popular at all in USA and the Ladies skating is supposed to be the #1 ratings draw.
What sense does it make to limit the #1 attraction for a sport most Americans could care less about?

If NBC is crying about losing money seems as if they deserve it for not giving the public what they want.
Perhaps the strategy of mixing up the covergae - holding us hostage - is a proven winner for them but somehow I think they have it all wrong.
 

Sk8n Mama

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
NBC isn't having regular daytime coverage of the Olympics so they have to squeeze it all in to primetime and they want to show their medals. In Canada, the Olympics are on all day every day so we don't have that issue. LOL But probably more Canadians per capita are watching the Winter Olympics than Americans. A lot of states just don't have much in the way of winter sports so they're maybe less interested. I know a fellow Canadian in Florida right now. He said he was out at a big chain retaurant roadhouse-type place the other nitght and all the tvs were on the NBA game with none on the Olympics. In Canada, it's on everywhere: the dentist's office, Costco, department stores, resturants....everywhere!
 
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