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NBC’s Olympic delay tactics a critical failure, but a ratings success
Hold hard to the ramparts, NBC, hold hard to the ramparts.
Withstanding a withering blast of publicity blows ought to be an Olympic Sport. If it were, NBC would be able to broadcast its own gold medal performance. You know, at at a time they deem suitable, later on.
Guess what? Looks like that would be the right choice, based on NBC's exceptional prime time Olympic numbers, at least so far. The network's coverage gets bad reviews for one thing only: Timing. Everything else seems to be going along like a Ryan Lochte stroke.
The barrage of criticism over their decision to show the opening ceremony of the London Olympics now a fading echo, NBC's "prime time is the right time" credo continues to take a few shots, some self-inflicted.
[Related: Despite empty seats, Canadian jailed for ticket scalping]
Take the case of Missy Franklin's gold medal performance in the 100 metre backstroke on Monday. NBC decided they would hold off on that one, and present it later that night as part of their prime time package. Problem as, just before they went about showing it, they ate the cheese out of their own sandwich by showing a promo for the "Today Show," one that included clips obviously pointing to the outcome of the race they were about to devote scads of that valuable prime time real estate to.
Earlier on Monday, the Wall Street Journal presented video of Franklin's achievement just moments after it happened. But wait, you say, how could they if NBC has the sole American rights to that sort of thing? Click here to find out.
NBC Chairman of Sports, Mark Lazarus, is doing his best to fend off the critical attacks, getting into the British spirit, it seems, with a "keep calm and carry on" mentality. In an interview with SportsBusiness Daily, Lazarus made another attempt to illustrate why delaying coverage until the prime time hours suits NBC - and the viewing public - just fine.
[Related: The sports holding back Canada's Olympic success]
"I think what we've proven is that the American viewing public likes the way we tell the story and wants to gather in front of the television with their friends and family -- even if they have the ability to watch it live either on television or digitally."
Lazarus then went on to basically tell the critics to lump it. That there were and are business reasons driving the NBC Olympic model, which stands in stark contrast to that of many other countries.
"As programmers, we are charged to manage the business. And this is a business. It's not everyone's inalienable right to get whatever they want. We are charged with making smart decisions for our company, for our shareholders and to present the product the way we believe is best."
If Lazarus is tough enough to keep taking critical punches, NBC seems to come out of this, fiscally if not artistically, fine. Despite tidal wave after tidal wave of discontent over the delaying of the opening ceremony, a record number of Americans tuned in to see that celebration, even though most of the rest of the world had taken it in hours before.
[Related: Is a Canadian Olympic commercial offending Americans?]
As well, the prime time numbers for NBC have continued to hold firm, at impressive levels. From SportsBusiness Daily:
NBC is averaging a 19.2 rating/35.8 million viewers in its primetime window through the Games' first weekend. The 35.8 million viewership figure is the highest in Olympic history.
It could very well be that Lazarus and NBC are the smartest kids in the class. Those ratings numbers astound and fly in the face of conventional wisdom which declares that in this age of instant information, you can't possibly survive by asking people to watch a major sports event hours after the results are known. Apparently, Lazarus and his managers at NBC Sports identified the finals of five disciplines - swimming, diving, track and field, beach volleyball and gymnastics - as sports many Americans would happily watch well after they found out who'd won.
Those five sports were not chosen out of a hat. They represent a great draw for Americans, full of likely medal winners and eye candy. So far, turns out, the American public is happy to tune in and see a show when they know they're going to feel good about the results.
If the U.S. continues to do its thing and gets to the top of podium after podium after podium, NBC executives, who seem to be chuckling at all the criticism, may be seen in full belly laugh and "told you so" mode immediately after the Games of 2012 are history.
More London Olympics coverage at Yahoo! Canada Sports:
• Photos: Decoding beach volleyball's hand signals
• Tsonga beats Raonic in historic match
• Canada's heavy medal day
