2010 Olympics Tape Delay Doesn't Bother West Coast Viewers, According to NBC

NBC Has Told Several News Sources that Viewers Don't Care If Olympics Are Live

Ryan Christopher DeVault

The 2010 tape delayed Olympics are still frustrating West Coast viewers. NBC says that the tape delay is fine with West Coast viewers, who are still tuning in to these Winter Games at a higher rate than the 2006 Olympic Games in Italy. The question arises as to whether NBC is just seriously out of touch with its viewer base, or if they are trying to create a smoke screen so that viewers won't figure out that they don't care if viewers don't like the tape delay. A Seattle Times staff columnist by the name of Ron Judd tried to get to the bottom of it with NBC, but was rebuked by an NBC spokesperson, who avoided questions, and ultimately stood behind the belief that ratings speak louder than comments.

Is NBC then correct in their assessment that West Coast viewers don't really care? That if the Olympics are on, people are going to watch whether it's live or tape delayed from three to 12 hours after the event? So what did NBC spokesman Christopher McCloskey have to say when confronted with the claim by columnist Ron Judd that many people are upset about the Olympics being tape delayed? He stated that it's usually just the tiny, vocal minority that speaks out. That's right; it's only a minority of people that take the time to write letters to NBC, but what about all the viewers who are too frustrated to send an e-mail? What could ratings be if NBC cared about its viewers?

NBC is taking the lazy approach to broadcasting the Olympics on the West Coast, and either they don't care that viewers hate it, or they are just too inept to figure it out for themselves. I have received hundreds of comments from West Coast viewers (all unsolicited) who have stressed their displeasure toward the games being tape delayed and just don't understand it. NBC programming is considered a joke in Eastern Washington, and not one person that I have talked to disagrees with that assessment. Will NBC ever care enough about its viewers to do the right thing? Or will they continue to act like a Monopoly that controls the 2010 Winter Games.

To all West Coast viewers; you really don't care about the tape delay? Or is NBC wrong?

References:

NBC_Tape_Delays_Olympics

2010_Olympics_Ratings

Seattle Times Article

Published by Ryan Christopher DeVault - Featured Contributor in Sports

Born in Seattle, Washington, I am a 31 year old college graduate working in the field of Education and Research. I am also a professional freelance writer and news content provider. I can be reached at...   View profile

4 Comments

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  • West coast (non)viewer 2/17/2010

    I am outraged that the Olympics are tape delayed in the very time zone they are being held.

  • Sincitywiz 2/17/2010

    NBC is completely out of touch. I have written emails to both my local affiliate and to the network itself complaining about how NBC IS RUINING THE OLYMPICS FOR WEST COAST VIEWERS!

    Sure west coast viewers will still tune in to the Olympics. NBC execs should imagine what the numbers would be if events were shown live on their cable channels and then rebroadcast again on NBC in prime-time. They could have even more viewers but instead alienate us and piss us off. Shame on NBC!

  • Ryan 2/17/2010

    I live on the West coast, and I am VERY upset at NBC for the delayed coverage. I've contacted NBC about the tape delay, and I've found different ways to watch the olympics online in order to prevent them the satisfaction that comes from a monopoly on coverage.

    They are out of touch. Facebook and Twitter are FILLED with people who are similarly pissed at NBC.

  • Patricia Sicilia 2/17/2010

    I can't even find a live feed on the computer so that I can ahead on the figure skating coverage. I'm up 'til 2 am, because of course all the good skaters are on late.

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