There would be no Olympic Games without television. It’s that simple. The sale of broadcast rights by the IOC to networks around the world represent by far the largest revenue stream available to the Olympic Movement. And the multi-billion dollar contracts negotiated with American broadcasters–most recently NBC–is far and away the most lucrative of those.
In [...]

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Last night, the Winter Games were made to order for TV ratings. Two luscious and photogenic young couples, Canada and U.S.A., duked it out for the gold, while U.S.A. and Russia slugged over the bronze. Re the win, judging looked to be spot on — it was suspect only where the Russians squeaked into 3rd despite [...]

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As I read Selena Robert’s SI  smug, judgmental piece about Tiger Woods’ press conference, and noted other media’s smug, judgmental allegations that Tiger aims to hijack some attention from the Vancouver Games, I wondered how many other Americans are getting turned off by the smug, judgmental national attitude that is building around the golfer’s awful fall from his pedestal.
Just as [...]

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American Idol anyone? How ’bout skiing, speed skating, and half pipe? NBC, which until Friday’s Opening Ceremonies had been struggling in last place among the networks, had as good a night Wednesday as Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White, and Shani Davis.
As TVbythenumbers.com points out, “NBC averaged an 8.9/23 rating/share with adults 18-49 and 29.26 million viewers [...]

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I asked a friend of mine, who is gay and who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics and who is a member of the National Guard, why he thought there were so few out athletes in Vancouver. His reply was so interesting and articulate, I asked him if I could post it here.
He is insightful [...]

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In the U.S., a lot of coverage of the Winter Games will be on tape delay, especially on the West Coast (even though Vancouver is in the Pacific Time Zone). But there are ways to watch coverage online. The terrific website Lifehacker tells you how.
By Jim Buzinski

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