2008 Summer Olympics: Olympic TV Schedules

TV Schedules for the 2008 Summer Olympics can be found in your local newspaper and at many online sites. But what you really want to know is what days your favorite sports are in competition and what TV stations are showing them. Keep it simple with these basic guides.

2008 Summer Olympics - TV Schedule At a Glance

If you're just trying to get a general handle on what sports are scheduled and when during the 2008 Olympics, take a look at this easy to decipher TV schedule from Comcast Cable. While this guide is really more of a competition schedule than a television schedule, it's the easiest one I've found to let you know what day your favorite sport will be played. This chart could be easily printed for an at-a-glance guide to the next sport coming up on the 2008 Olympic schedule.

Coming in at just a little greater degree of difficulty (I'm practicing my Olympic diving lingo here) is the Competition Schedule at NBCOlympics.com. This schedule is similar to the Comcast Schedule but builds on the Comcast information to let you know what days are medal days for each sport. The schedule is printable and the layout is very attractive.

2008 Summer Olympics - Most Comprehensive TV Schedule

If you're looking for an Olympic TV schedule that's simple and straightforward, yet full of information, look no further than the 2008 Summer Olympic TV Schedule straight from the NBC Universal Press Kit. An added bonus, you won't need your glasses to check the event starting times or channels - this guide is actually legible. No need to be online to use this Olympic Schedule, either. It comes in pdf format, so just download this one to your computer desktop and check it daily.

Of course, as the games advance into the final rounds of soccer, basketball, softball, etc., you'll want to view updated info to learn exactly which countries are playing for the medals. But, if you're just interested in viewing a particular sport, this comprehensive guide will insure that you don't miss a minute. In addition to the listing of times and TV stations, you'll easily be able to tell when multiple stations are showing the same broadcast and when re-broadcasts are planned. Although the NBC Online site covers this same information. This is one time when all the table layout is really necessary. This text version is really all one needs to figure out which TV station to watch and when.

And, as an added benefit, there are brief highlights on each page of the press kit about Olympic participants, venues, and the sports themselves. Impress your friends and co-workers around the watercooler with your knowledge of the individual sports and participants.

2008 Summer Olympics - Best Online TV Schedule

Of course, the best online Olympics TV schedule can be found at the NBC Olympics site. Be prepared, however. The plethora of information can be overwhelming and finding your way around the site may be a little difficult at first. Just type in your zip code and you're good to go - or for the Olympics, maybe that should be good as gold!

Listings can be sorted by TV listings, Online listings, or All listings. You can sign up to have alerts sent to you and the schedule is printable. However, I tried to print the TV schedule (for 8/13/08) and ended up with six pages of broken tables and useless text. Maybe I just picked a bad day, maybe it's my computer, or maybe this print function needs some work. So, while it may have been my problem, just remember, you've been warned. In the meantime, I think I will save a tree and stick to using the TV schedule from the NBC Universal Press Kit.

2008 Summer Olympics - Press Kit Viewing Guide

Feel just like a member of the media when you read the NBC Universal 2008 Beijing Olympics Media Guide. I found this while searching for a TV schedule and had to include it as the best guide and resource to enhance your viewing of the Olympics. Again, this is a pdf so you can download it to your desktop and read offline if you wish. It is full of interesting trivia, biographies, and more. I know you will enjoy it.

2008 Summer Olympics - Is It Live TV?

NBC promises many, many hours of live coverage but, take note. Some parts of the USA will receive prime-time tape delayed coverage. According to Chris Albrecht of NewTeeVee.com, events that generally attract the most viewers, swimming, basketball, and gymnastics, for example, will be prime time viewing on the East Coast. All of you on the Pacific Coast will have to wait three hours - we know, you're used to that - before seeing prime time coverage.

But don't think you can cut in line by viewing Olympic coverage online. Those wishing to view online will have to wait even longer. Viewing on the Internet won't be available until folks on the Pacific Coast have gotten their turn to watch on television.

Sources:
Chris Albrecht, Olympics Will Webcast After Pacific Coast TV, NewTeeVee.com