Sports

Is NBC's Tape-Delayed Primetime Coverage Ruining the Olympics?

NBC is getting flack from Americans who don't want to wait for the prime time broadcasts, and from those whose surprise was spoiled online.

Despite record ratings in the first days of the Olympics, NBC is facing criticism for its insistence on delaying the broadcasts of the most popular events in order to attract primetime audiences in the United States.

According to news reports, 28.7 million viewers tuned in to NBC Saturday night for the first night of competition, beating the record set for the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. On Monday, Nielsen recorded a 20.1 rating for NBC's evening broadcast, which translates to 20.1 percent of urban households in 56 different recorded markets, according to USA Today.

But with Michael Phelps scoring a swimming medal record and Lebron James hoping to resurrect the basketball "Dream Team" of the past, websites—including NBC's Olympics website—are letting the cat out of the bag before Americans have a chance to watch the competitions on television.

For example, many people had already found out Phelps had broken the 19 medal Olympic record on Tuesday before NBC broadcast the two races in which he did it. Not to mention the U.S. women's gymnastics team taking the team gold, which was well publicized a full six hours before NBC showed its coverage.

On the Columbia Patch Facebook page many readers said they were frustrated with how NBC is tape-delaying the most high-profile events of the Olympics.

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"I hesitate getting on facebook or the internet because I don't want to know before I can see it," wrote Becky McKirahan.

"Often i just want to see the competition, not so much the athlete profiles and endless shots of worried parents and crying losers," wrote Cynthia Wick.

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NBC streams all events online, if you have a cable subscription, but the process to verify your cable account requires users to have registered online previously with their cable company.

James Poniewozik, Time magazine TV critic, tweeted that “NBC tape delay coverage is like the airlines: its interest is in giving you the least satisfactory service you will still come back for.”

Alexandra Petri, a columnist for The Washington Post, says, tongue-in-cheek, that watching the Olympics on NBC is like stepping into a time machine, going back to a time before websites, social media and a 24-hour news cycle.

Here are a few tweets from NBC Live Fail, an account making fun of NBC's tape delays:

"HAPPENING NOW ON NBC - Verdict expected any minute in OJ Simpson trial. Stay tuned for developing story. #NBCFail"

"BREAKING - Jesse Owens wins gold in 100m sprint #NBCFail"

"Mitt Romney will release his tax returns but NBC will not broadcast them until this December #NBCfail #p2 #tcot"

Another Twitter account, called Fake NBC Exec, chimed in:

"Make sure you tune in tonight so you can watch all the events our app pushed to you this afternoon #NBCfail"

With audience numbers in the range of 28.7 million a night, people are either holding back on viewing during the day by choice, or simply don't mind watching the events streamed online and again during the national broadcast.

Do you think the Internet is ruining Olympics coverage? Share your opinion in the comments.


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