2008 Beijing Olympics as a Media Test-Bed

CNN is reporting that NBC is using the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as a test-bed to understand how people are using different media platforms. "NBC has scheduled 3,600 hours of Olympics programming on its main network, along with Telemundo, USA, Oxygen, MSNBC, CNBC and Bravo. That's the equivalent of eight days of programming packed into each day. In addition, the company is planning to make 2,200 hours of streaming video available on NBCOlympics.com. Consumers may also get video on demand via their computer and Olympics content through their mobile phones."

The Olymp-whats?

[writerjosh]

The problem with this test is: who's actually going to watch the Olympics?

If they're using the Olymipcs as a test bed to see how people view media, then somebody in that department needs to be fired. You can't test a wide range of media on content that nobody's going to view in the first place (at least not enough to make it a real "test" of various media strengths).

Re:The Olymp-whats?

[AuMatar]

A surprising number of people do watch them. I don't know why- most of the sports on the list would draw record lows on ESPN8. But throw in the every 4 years thing and some flags, and all of a sudden a large number of people care.

will they actually cover the sports this time?

[jollyreaper]

The other networks have to turn it into a fucking soap opera giving you a 20 minute tear-jerker biography of the damn athlete before each event. That cuts into time that could be better spent, I don't know, covering the actual Olympics? There are so many sports that don't even make it on television.

BBC streamed last olympics online, didn't they?

[Danny Rathjens]

I recall a lot of folks were annoyed during the last olympics because the BBC blocked access to their online video streams to American IP address blocks because of NBC legal threats/licensing junk.

Re:The Olymp-whats?

[mixmatch]

Maybe it has to do with the fact that it's an international competition for athletic dominance.

it's just a reminder

[Anonymous Coward]

that whatever content you consume, it will be logged and analyzed. don't say they didn't tell ya.

Quality of the video streaming

[AmIyourJuliet]

I would love to see them actually stream decent quality video on their website. All networks want to boast their revolutionizing web access, when all they do is stream some ultra low res grainy crap. It's totally unwatchable when you are used to watching the exact same events in HD, for free. Why are content providers so scared to broadcast HD feeds via the web? They could leave the commercials in, and it would be the same as watching it on TV. It can't honestly be that they are worried about people distributing the content. I mean.... people can very easily capture the HD feed to their computer with a tv tuner. And when it comes to the "too much bandwidth" argument, couldn't they just use bittorrent? I know the reason probably has to do with money... but I'm not seeing it. Someone please enlighten me.

Re:Quality of the video streaming

[rayzap]

Plus it is in WMT wrapped in SilverLight poo! No Linux, they promised Mac but did not deliver. WMT is a great streaming format for live but not when wrapped in SL poo. WMT is fine for corporate work but consumer streaming is best with Flash so all can view. NBC is just a big lumbering media company who no longer "gets it".

Re:The Olymp-whats?

[rronda]

Yes, you are right. Who would like to watch the best athletes in the world, make their best effort, competing against each other as they strive to be the fastest, strongest human beings in history, as they strive to achieve perfection in their disciplines. Who would be that crazy? PS: I know this guy is being a troll, but nevertheless ...

Stupidest test bed ever - Vista ONLY

[Anonymous Coward]

Last I heard a few weeks ago, the technology NBC will use is supported ONLY on Windows Vista.

If that is still true, this "test-bed" will only be testing that tiny percentage of the market that swallowed the hook and upgraded/bought Vista.

Re:will they actually cover the sports this time?

[TubeSteak]

This is what I hate. Just show the events and forget the Costas crap "human interest" commentary.

There are essentially three ways to cover the Olympics:
1. Nationalistic Penis Waving
-My Country is better than yours; what a victory for [Country]

2. Human interest pieces
-[Athlete] worked so hard for this victory

3. Technical analysis of the event
-Look at his/her form in [event], the hip rotation generates power, etc etc etc

Of those three, which do you think is the hardest and most expensive to get right?
Hint: hiring knowledgeable & telegenic commentators for hundreds of events is not simple or cheap.

YEA!!! Eight hours a day with 20 minutes of action

[SengirV]

I can't even watch the Olympics anymore thanks to NBC bastardizing it. It's like they swap out the NBC sports division with the staff from Lifetime.

Guess what NBC, I WANT to see the fucking prelim races for ALL of the track and Field events. Not just 1/10th of the final race/event with 10 hours of stories about the F'n athletes that don't even win.

DIE!!! DIE!!! DIE!!! You've killed the Olympics NBC, and your network is in last place for a good reason. Isn't it time for Law and Order Peoria to make it's debut?!?!?!?

Re:The Olymp-whats?

[QMalcolm]

Even more than that, it is a pure humanist celebration. Even though two countries hate each other, they compete together fairly under the same rules, and acknowledge when they lose. The entire world is also looking at one city for a while and if you follow the coverage you'll inevitably understand that place a little better.

And that's just the sports, there is all sorts of cultural stuff that goes on. Saying the Olympics are all curling and ribbon dancing is like saying the world cup is just a bunch of people kicking around a ball.

Re:The Olymp-whats?

[mixmatch]

I guess it just depends on who you talk to. I'm pretty sure NASCAR is pretty low on the rank of international sports, but its #1 spectator sport in the USA... Lets not equate NASCAR to racing. That would be like saying that gymnastics is defined by baton twirling.