LAist: The Problem with the Olympics Broadcast

Tom Lewis

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 08:15:28 -0800

Thanks for that info on CBC Lindsay and thank you for the discussion everyone!

hp

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:47:16 -0800

^ Cool, thanks for more info and analysis on differences between national coverage.

Lindsay William-Ross

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:34:16 -0800

hp (and anyone else!) CBC is not at all like PBS. Broadcasting is run far differently in Canada, but CBC (and Global and CTV, the two other major networks) are still commercial networks and are not run by public and corporate donations--there are no pledge drives on CBC. All broadcasting in Canada on radio and tv is a mix of private and public (for and not for profit) and is monitored by the CRTC, an organization that reports to the Parliament. While on the whole there aren't many operational differences between US and Canadian networks, original programming content does differ. Most Canadians who live close to the US get the US networks and can watch them, too, although if a Canadian network is broadcasting the same show at the same time the Canadian network will override the US one (so you'll be tuned in to NBC but it will air CBC's commercials and promos). And CBC and other networks still do a lot of the same over-producing the Americans are guilty of (sappy backstories and biographies) only they are, of course, focusing on the Canadian athletes. They may be opting to air some events live, but they are in a unique position to pick up viewers who are looking to watch coverage in addition to what they may see on NBC. They also might be covering events that aren't as interesting to American audiences. In general, because of commercialism (which in the era of DVRs is evolving, or devolving back to tv's roots of in-program advertising and product placement) any large-scale broadcasting endeavor is going to get the full-on over the top treatment (it's why Kitchen Nightmares on Fox has dramatic music, a smooth voice over guy, and tells us before and after each commercial what happened 3.5 minutes ago and the UK version is far more subdued)--the American viewing audience has come to expect it, and we get pandered to. We need Bob Costas to gasp and say "dreamkiller" when some girl falls off the balance beam. I think the way our Olympic content is being produced is symptomatic of the way the business of television is as a whole. It's a shame, but at the end of the day I'm still going to watch a lot of it. But I'm glad I have several of their affiliate networks so I can catch the "less popular" stuff--it's stuff like the equestrian competitions and synchronized swimming that I came to love as a child, watching the Olympics in...you guessed it...Canada.

aldo

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:11:00 -0800

NBC is stuck in the stone ages. Several of the other major countries have multiple streams covering multiple sports. NBC is just interested in saving its legacy broadcasting and gives the U.S. no options. For example, you cannot watch the beach volleyball games on TV on either the NBC website or live. They'll just be showing snippets of coverage throughout the weekend. It's ridiculous for those people who are actually interested in watching the whole thing - especially for sports that are not that popular.

darkstar4671

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:19:18 -0800

well if u have that big Plasma TV you should have some HD channels, right?! like Universal HD! Channel 74 covering every aspect of the games! Get on it Sucka MC! http://directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4800026&CMP=EMC-MQ-OM&ATT=120-8E-080806final&m=

hp

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:37:56 -0800

Well, isn't CBC broadcasting it in Canada? So that's like PBS, right? So obviously they have a different mandate than NBC who is driven by ad revenue, etc. Seems simple enough. So they don't really have a reason to "allow" you anything... Isn't it at least better to have stuff available online in some form, compared to before the intertubes? Heck, I'd be stoked to see some live broadcasts as well, but apparently that's not the way we're livin' in the USA.

BitterB

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:15:01 -0800

I like the bios and the lame travelogues and I couldn't care less if it's delayed. It's the Olympics! It's still exciting. Besides, I've got a life, people. Maybe Canadians can stay up all night to watch it live, but even if I could, I've still got to work in the morning. Maybe they can lounge around, watching t.v. and having some free health care, but I've still got to get out there and schlepp.

Tom Lewis

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:58:36 -0800

The point is that we should be allowed to stay up and watch whatever event is going on LIVE at that time - not some packaged garbage from NBC and by garbage I mean the ponderous and boring biographies and other meaningless and extraneous programming foisted upon the viewers. Why should Canadians have better access to the Olympics than Americans? NBC, get out of the way and let us see the games, not your overproduced soft-focus smut.

LSanchez

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:33:23 -0800

yeah it doesnt bug me too much either. i'll stay up till 4am to watch the US men's soccer team play

jennifermarissa

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:05:21 -0800

Oh, good lord. Boo freaking hoo. Of course everything is going to be delayed. THEY ARE IN CHINA. And the selectivity of what games you can view is not a new thing at all, is it? And I would even go so far as to wager that you are in the minority of people who don't enjoy hearing the biographies of these extaordinary athelets. Meh. To each his own I guess...