Too Many Commercials In Olympic Opening Ceremonies....

[global1]

Very distracting. Missing a lot of countries because NBC keeps cutting away every few minutes.

[Effete Snob]

1. The commercials are the point

The Olympics is one giant orgy of advertising. It’s the entire point.

[MerryHolidays]

2. You would too if you had to recoup the $1 billion or so that NBC shelled out for this! n/t

[Cracklin Charlie]

3. Same.

It also makes the broadcaster’s interest (money) so obvious.

[a kennedy]

4. And I remember when ya watch one channel for the events......now it's streaming, on 5 - 6 channels....

Not liking coverage in the tech age…..

[brooklynite]

10. And when it was on one channel, people complained that THEIR sport wasn't being covered.

[Goodheart]

5. It's really hard to care.

[The Jungle 1]

6. I watch nothing unless it is recorded.

[dsc]

7. that doesn't solve that problem here

as the ceremony keeps going through the commercials meaning that each commercial is something missed.

[snowybirdie]

8. Quit it after 15 minutes or so

Pretty boring and uninteresting. Glad for Streaming video

[Amishman]

9. The Olympics is primarily a money machine

Look at the numerous bribe scandals with selection, look at the money for the TV deals, the spending on facilities, etc.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. The Olympics being a commercial enterprise? The hell you say!

[Wounded Bear]

12. Meh, Olympics ain't my gig...

It's not about amateur athletics any more. I can't support it.

[AngryOldDem]

13. Get used to it.

I grew up watching ABC’s coverage. To put it politely, NBC sucks at this. It hardly ever shows other countries in individual events, which is kinda the whole point of the Olympics. It’s USA, USA. The jingoism turns me right off.

Another thing that grinds my gears is that NBC apparently dictates to its affliates that their local news must pimp the Olympics before, during, and after every local newscast, beginning about a month before the damn games even start. My affiliate took up most of a half-hour last night with this shit, plus has been leading off each hour with it. This morning I turned on the TV hoping to get some local news (my bad) and got a feature about the U.S. skateboarding team. Enough, for Chrissake.

They haven’t “officially” started and I’m over it already. That, plus the Olympics is basically a scam run by the IOC that leaves many host countries holding the financial bag. HBO’s Real Sports and Harry Shearer’s podcast have had pieces on this.

Jim McKay, come back…all is forgiven.

[dalton99a]

14. +1. It is a scam that no responsible government should be a party to

[msongs]

21. if governments quit particpating in this scam there would be no olympics nt

[hlthe2b]

15. I can recall participating in at least two surveys on Olympic coverage in years past...

The obsessive coverage of nothing except the Americans was always the issue I ranked highest as the reason for low personal enthusiasm.

They never learn.

[hlthe2b]

16. Jim McKay forgiven for dying?

[AngryOldDem]

17. Meant as a colloquialism.

As far as I’m concerned, he was one of the best sportscasters of all time.

I’ve been thinking about Munich a lot, and his coverage of that tragedy as a newsperson was also excellent. One of a kind, and I am sorry he’s gone.

Sorry if it offended.

[hlthe2b]

18. No offense taken (and I agree)

[Jim G.]

19. This Is Just The "Preview" On Now

The prime time commercials will be on tonight.

[twin_ghost]

20. They are paying $1 billion to the Olympic Committee for broadcast rights.

They have to make enough money to justify the budget.