What is Digg?63 Comments
- TheMightySkunk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12Nice blog. The key statement is this one:
"NBC is the only rights-holder that produces their own coverage which is highly polished for US viewers."
I am also in the sports TV production biz. I'm not in Turin because The Olympics is always the worst gig in sports. I'll never do another Olympics.
NBC, like all US networks, assumes all of its viewers are morons, so they overproduce all their sports into Madison Avenue vignettes. You watch for an hour to get 25 minutes of commercials, 25 minutes of hearing all about the competitors' families and pets, and 10 minutes of actual action. The "action" shows the winner and the Americans, nobody else. Unwatchable.
Every other network in the world televises sports in "verite"; it's like being there. They turn the cameras on and assume the viewer has the interest and the intelligence to figure out what's going on. If there's no action, they either go to another venue or else keep the cameras running on athletes warming up or fans drinking beer - whatever - just as if you were there.
Another great thing about the non-US networks is they do not have "hosts". There is no such thing as a Bob Costas or a Ted Robinson anywhere else, most non-US networks use expert commentators only. No blow-dried game show hosts and no "pundits" such as the ignorant and much-hated Al Trautwig on OLN's Tour de France coverage.
If you every get a chance, take the opportunity to watch a big sporting event on BBC, ORF (Austria), RTL, Eurosport, Sat One, or Australia 7. It's a totally different experience than awful American TV. Very entertaining.
The bottom line is that most of the massive equipment and cabling shown in this display is all superfluous. The Americans could just take the "worldfeed" - posted by the host broadcaster - like everybody else, instead of spending $100 million on producing their dreadful drivel. - andrew_m, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I watched 3 days of Olympics in HD. Then NBC messed everything up, kept going black. Now I don't even have a NBC-HD channel. If your going to brodcast a big event DO IT RIGHT. I hope NBC never gets to cover the Olympics agin.
- terafunker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Damnit, the city is called Turin in English!
- phuqju, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i don't care about the coverage. i just get a hard on when i see those server room!!!
- SoccerBoy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The technology is interesting... and the fact the NBC is doing a half ass job of showing the games doesn't affect that. It does suck that they are going such a poor job!!!
DIGG - jbiz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1this blog probably got more hits than nbc has viewers
they are losing in ratings to american idol, which also caters to the average, american, iq less than 85, bush-voter :) - slamm6, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2NBC's coverage of the Olympics panders to the lowest common denominator:
The average, American, IQ less-than-85, ethnocentric, curiosity-challenged, Bush-voting viewer.
In other words, no thanks. - rompom7, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2dvrdude if you didn't digg for the soul reason that NBC's coverage has been pretty lame, which, has nothing to do with the article, then you sir, are a moron.
- renehasp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1aCoolest site ever// I love behind the scenes *****..
- sremick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Do people STILL not know how to use Coral? *sigh*
http://hdolympics.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/
Geesh, stop being so lazy, people. - xelloss, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ya I have times where the Signal Drops and NBC screen goes black, and it has alot of pixely BS, just like CBS, but my FOX HD is the best, not sure why but whatever.
- cmadach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"That's awesome. I wonder how much this is costing NBC? $25? $35 million?"
try 613 million, just for the rights alone. - alexmiller, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm with andesco, here in Canada we see everything. Every athlete they can squeeze in. You watch maybe 3 ads per hour, even though most stuff is "Sponsored by" or "Brought to you by", but that doesn't really matter. I myselft don't use the HD stuff, but I enjoy the Olympics just the same. Go Canada!
- andesco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1NBC's coverage doesn't even compare to that of the BBC and especially the CBC in Canada. We have beautiful 24/7 HD feeds, with amazing commentary, and full coverage of all the sporting events. I don't know how American's put up with NBC's over produced prime-time crap.
Its been a joy watching the CBC this week. If it was up to me I'd hand the CBC a "blank check" like the UK does with the BBC. - Agnt86, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The owner of the link was worried by all the traffic it was getting. He is still discussing stuff on the AVS Forum. I made a digg to the new location:
http://digg.com/technology/Technical_Info_Q_A_with_NBC_s_Torino_HD_Broadcasting_Crew - StarDal, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm really wondering about the "American only" comments. I've seen several events, such as Team Pursuit Speed Skating, women's skeleton, and at least one of the individual short track events that NBC hilighted even without a US presence, or after the US is eliminated. If you check the daytime showings, and the showings on CNBC and MSNBC, you'll find many more non-US-involved events.
And, sorry to say this, many American viewers probably aren't interested in events that the US isn't in.. and NBC being an american network, can't ignore that.
The enlightened rest are finding the other coverage elsewhere. - dustbin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1andrew_m, NBC has the broadcast rights throught 2012.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That's awesome. I wonder how much this is costing NBC? $25? $35 million?
- chromo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0holy crap! that wires r us picture is crazy! givin me a headache.
- Vulpes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0amen, rtphokie...
There is so many people from america that came to this country recently and want to follow their own atheletes rather than american asshats. But freedom to watch what we want? Not in HD...I have to run over half the internet to watch a select number of events... - microphony, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Very cool Blog. Great pix and tech info. I love it. Digg for sure.
- Mike.ohara, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Wow!.. from a tech standpoint alone that is some amazing cool equipment there!
I work for a broadcaster ( on a decidly lower scale) and for me just being able to see that setup up close would be awesome - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0They shouldn't need any editing bays there. No reason for them. This is sports, show it live. We've got VCRs, we've got TiVos, we'll take care of the editing asshats.
- Cam_86, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I just watch the network CBC channel for this stuff.... I dont know if there set up is as elaborate, the coverage is a hell of a lot better though. If a medal contender canadian is not currently competing, they show OTHER sports, with OTHER teams. Not just 24/7 of american athletes, and back story on there 'struggle to get to the olympics' :| You want to see a struggle? Talk to a canadian athlete... unlike the american ones, they get boned, as far as govt. support. You dont see footage of there 'home life', segwaying into there sport because more often then not they are living below the poverty line, or still with there parents... not in plus condominiums with post modern furniture...
/incredibly off topic rant - slamm6, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1NBC's coverage of the Olympics panders to the lowest common denominator:
The average, American, IQ - dvdcr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Not Found
The requested URL was not found on this server. Please visit the Blogger homepage or the Blogger Knowledge Base for further assistance. - StarDal, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0True there may be a couple of hours here and there that NBC 'loses' in ratings, but over all, carrying the Olympics has always been a viewer-ad-revenue boost. That's why they keep shelling out so much money to carry the rights. If it wasn't profitible for them, they'd let someone else take it.
And if/when another network does, don't expect it any better. Many of the commentators you see now will just shift over to that other network, just as they all shifted to NBC when they started doing both summer and winter. - antdude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I wonder if this is allowed? Would this guy get the axe for exposing company information?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Tourin around Torino, wheeeeee
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0lol in aus "didgital tv" is the hot thing at the moment ask any sales person about 1080p/i tv's he he is like umm they sell tv's over there we have not one channel that is HD and even if we pay 50$ a month for the one and olny cable tv service and get fox and cbs ect we dont get there HD content ***** i hat aus
- briangig, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0damn...1.5Gbps. Thats insane. Imagine a direct feed right from that...
- rfunches, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It looks like NBC is airing events where they focus on American competitors in NBC primetime, but if you go to the other NBC Universal networks (USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC) they tend to broadcast the other events -- though not in primetime. For instance, tomorrow on CNBC are five men's ice hockey games: Russia vs. Kazakhstan, Italy vs. Germany, Canada vs. Switzerland, Sweden vs. Latvia, and Czech Republic vs. Finland, for about a twelve-hour period (continuous except for any commercials they put in, and a 90-minute break in the afternoon before the Czech vs. Finland game).
- gamekid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"And, sorry to say this, many American viewers probably aren't interested in events that the US isn't in.. and NBC being an american network, can't ignore that."
Exactly. There's still a bias among Americans in support of American stars, sports and products. (White Castle supporting the post-Super-Bowl national holiday says everything worth knowing.)
It's sad, since many foreign things of all kinds blow the US's stuff out the water.
NBC wins at taking advantage of that, putting the other gems on CNBC, USA, etc. It's like handing people a fine for blind patriotism. I LOVE it. - rprins, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Yeah, it was up eariler and I read all of the content, but now it's down.
- listrophy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"So..you posted this under APPLE hopng to get more diggs?"
Especially since my powerbook can't view the videos on nbcolympics.com because they're DRM'ed to hell and back.
Plus the map picture just goes to show how far the olympics have gone from being a sporting event to a media event. No digg. - fiznarp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Why is this in the Apple section?
- gamekid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Speaking of enlightenment, Shani Davis ( http://www.nbcolympics.com/speedskating_m_teampursuit/5100746/detail.html ) could use some right now.
(I also like what Google's done. http://www.google.com/search?q=men%27s+team+pursuit+torino for an example.) - Rocksteady, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0CBC sports rocks! We have great sports coverage here in Canada and we're damn lucky. I wonder if NBC will do the "glowing puck" for US Hockey?!
I agree, NBC olympic coverage is over produced. I watched 10 minutes of NBC coverage and started to think the olympics were a US only event!
damn brainwashing!!! - ggriffit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Wow, looks like someone didn't want this information out there. The link is gone.
- rebrad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I haven't been this bored with TV in a long time. NBC hasn't had much to offer in a long time and right now there is even less reason to watch NBC. I'm glad there is IPTV.
- randf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0wow, the olympics are on?
on the first night's coverage, NBC anchor Brian Williams said "just before we left the United States for Italy we learned that January was the warmest January ever in all the recorded history of the U.S. And suddenly now, in this region, global warming is a hot issue as well."
i figured games over...
the capper was his eeyore does geography during the opening ceremonies...."here's denmark, (sigh) they're responsible for the cartoon that everyone hates. here's iran, they want the bomb (sigh) and are going to destory israel. has anyone seen my tail?"
last time NBC will be on my TV - probegt93, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I saw the summer Olympics in HD a couple years ago and they were much better! I think the winter Olympics are just a little more lame and that is why people are enjoying them.
I haven't seen any of the blank screen problems in Chicago OTA.
The Universal HD feed from DirecTV is much better than the NBC feed, in respect to what events are shown. Universal HD has been showing more events in true HD not upcoverted SD like NBC. - republicoftexas, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Do people STILL not know how to use Coral? *sigh*"
No. How do you use it? I am serious. - abosio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Maybe the NBC Secret Police got this guy. Shame. There was good information there.
- republicoftexas, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"The Olympics? They still do those?"
Too bad they don't still do them naked. I might actually watch the girls playing. - D-Man, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Complete replication of the now pulled website, running a little bit faster than Coral...
http://derikolsson.com/archive/hdolympics/HD%20Olympics.htm - mrtibbs309, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0+digg for you
- ryanmeadows, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1""A friend that is an engineer at the hockey venue took these photo's of his time in Torino."
Misused apostrophe. No digg."
You really are retarded :/ - kenno, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1"NBC, like all US networks, assumes all of its viewers are morons [...]"
Sounds like a paradox. Americans get more stupid, networks sends "easier to understand" tv and films, americans get more stupid, etc... worth a digg. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0hmm
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