BR
From Media Guardian:
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,1822337,00.html
I share the BBC's fury!
As a British viewer we accept the time differences mean the big events won't be on primetime - but with Beijing hosted the big finals should be on around lunchtime.
NBC though only ever show the action live if it takes place in the American time zone - otherwise action is recorded and screened during primetime. Obviously though with things like the internet now, that isn't the option it once was though!
I'm furious most of all though for the Chinese . The advantage of having the event in your own country should be that the big events are in primetime. They shouldn't have to be watching them in the mornings!
It also has implications for future games - though I can't see the big events in London 2012 being held at 2am to suit US TV audiences!
And though NBC pay the most to screen the Olympics at £500m, I would think collectively the EBU easily matches that for the European rights, and you would hope that the collective power of several European broadcasters would be more than a match for NBC!
Quote:
BBC at war over 'mad' Olympic start times
Protest at bid to change times of 2008 events to suit American viewers
Denis Campbell, sports news correspondent
Sunday July 16, 2006
The Observer
British sports fans will have to get up at 3am to see some of the biggest events at the next Olympic Games in Beijing because timings are being changed to suit American television.
Showpiece finals in swimming at the 2008 Games have been moved from their traditional evening slots to the morning to please US broadcaster NBC, which is a key sponsor of the Olympic movement. The finale of some athletics events, such as the men's 100m, the gymnastics and men's basketball tournament may also be moved for the same reason.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which runs the Olympics, has sparked a global row with broadcasters in Europe and Asia, including the BBC, who accuse it of pandering to American pressure and penalising audiences in the rest of the world.
...
Protest at bid to change times of 2008 events to suit American viewers
Denis Campbell, sports news correspondent
Sunday July 16, 2006
The Observer
British sports fans will have to get up at 3am to see some of the biggest events at the next Olympic Games in Beijing because timings are being changed to suit American television.
Showpiece finals in swimming at the 2008 Games have been moved from their traditional evening slots to the morning to please US broadcaster NBC, which is a key sponsor of the Olympic movement. The finale of some athletics events, such as the men's 100m, the gymnastics and men's basketball tournament may also be moved for the same reason.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which runs the Olympics, has sparked a global row with broadcasters in Europe and Asia, including the BBC, who accuse it of pandering to American pressure and penalising audiences in the rest of the world.
...
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,1822337,00.html
I share the BBC's fury!
As a British viewer we accept the time differences mean the big events won't be on primetime - but with Beijing hosted the big finals should be on around lunchtime.
NBC though only ever show the action live if it takes place in the American time zone - otherwise action is recorded and screened during primetime. Obviously though with things like the internet now, that isn't the option it once was though!
I'm furious most of all though for the Chinese . The advantage of having the event in your own country should be that the big events are in primetime. They shouldn't have to be watching them in the mornings!
It also has implications for future games - though I can't see the big events in London 2012 being held at 2am to suit US TV audiences!
And though NBC pay the most to screen the Olympics at £500m, I would think collectively the EBU easily matches that for the European rights, and you would hope that the collective power of several European broadcasters would be more than a match for NBC!
