Rio Hits Competition Low on Friday (NBC PANIC: RATINGS HIT LOW... )

www.hollywoodreporter.com ^ | AUGUST 13, 2016 | Michael O'Connell

[Caipirabob]

The Rio Olympics wrapped its first full week of competition on Friday night with more Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky and a primetime kickoff for track and field.

Fast-affiliate ratings give NBC's primetime showing for the games, between 8 and 11 p.m., 23.9 million viewers and a 6.3 rating among adults 18-49. That's down from the night before and the lowest showing for a competitive night to date, but that's to be expected, given the lineup and Friday's status as a typically slower night for TV viewers. (The same Friday four years ago in London averaged 26.9 million viewers and an 8.1 rating in the key demo.)

[Popman]

I finally watched Sunday night to see the men’s 100 m run...

Having to listen to that smarmy Bob Costas almost made change the channel...

I could not watch Costas for more than 15 minutes let alone hours at a time...

[t4texas]

I usually record it and watch after it has been going for a while so I can blow through all the commercials. Besides the coverage isn’t that great and the water the in diving pool is a different color everyday. Yuck!

[GailA]

On different channels on cable. After Phelps finished no reason to watch for me. Hubby channel surfs to watch the events he likes. And sets the DVR to record so he can fast forward through the crappy commercials etc.

[Grams A]

Find it interesting that Junior Olympics is also competing during this period of time in Houston this year. NOT a single one of those events is even mentioned anywhere on any station.

[Pinkbell]

Haha! But we are leading in medals aren’t, we?

[super7man]

Let's see.....

5 minutes of commercials,

3 minutes of up close and personal about somebody’s mother being a breast cancer survivor,

2 minutes of Olympic competition, which may consist of endless preliminary heats of swimming. (and I'm a swimmer)

I'll wait a month or two and watch it on youtube. Thanks NBC for nothing.

[dfwgator]

It would be “racist” to criticize the Turd-World Games.

[dfwgator]

They cater the Primetime coverage towards women.

[T-Bone Texan]

I found this nugget online in another story:

"...Last month children playing in waters near the Mare favela found a woman's bottom inside a plastic bag which has been washed up on the coastline...

So, where's her top?

[JimRed]

Mrs. JimRed and I were attending a primetime wedding and reception Friday evening so we harmed the ratings.

[morphing libertarian]

US slowing down after swimming. Phelps saturday Bolt yesterday. Wake me for the closing speeches on how the olympics help global warming.

[SamAdams76]

I used to like to watch the Olympics in the 1970s when they had that guy with the yellow sports jacket doing the hosting duties. Unfortunately I think he's dead now.

I also liked Howard Cosell but don't remember if he did any Olympics. He probably did. Back in the 1970s, if it was sports on TV, chances were that Howard Cosell was in the mix. I always liked Howard Cosell - even if he did sneak a nip or two in the booth during commercial breaks.

The good old days.

These days, I can't make heads or tails out of the Olympic coverage. It's also sad we have athletes winning gold medals only to have them stolen at gunpoint later that night.

This did not happen when men in yellow sports jackets did the TV broadcasts. Though the 1972 Olympics in Munich was not a pretty sight. Who know back then that we would be letting these terrorists into our country today?

[Billthedrill]

It’s probably just a marketing issue. “Yes, Bob, all of these kayakers risk death by typhoid and tetanus if they overturn due to striking an underwater obstacle! Look! The leader has had to dodge the soiled diaper obstacle! Next up, the sea of corpses! We’re going to skip the commercial break to see the exciting conclusion and interview the winner in the decontamination shower...”

[mom4melody]

I wish our team well....I don’t wish to watch it at all...

[Henchster]

Jim McKay

[xp38]

The whitewater slalom events have already been held from Aug 7-11. Since no Americans won medals I imagine coverage was somewhat sparse.

[moehoward]

“I despise Costa...everytime he comes on I switch channels!!”

X2

[Polyxene]

I agree! Too many commercials; too many fluff stories; too many talking heads; too much NBC-lib-socialist politically correct crap. No thanks!

[aquila48]

Most of the medals we won the first week have been in two sports - gymnastics and swimming, so that’s what you’re watching.

What I don’t get is why some sports have so many medals and others like basketball, and other team sports only one.

Why don’t they give medals in team sports to individuals, who say score the most points, get the most rebounds, make the most blocks?

[dfwgator]

There does seem to be a heck of a lot of swimming events.

Not to take anything away from Michael Phelps, but it does help to be in a discipline with a lot of potential medals.

But for my money, nothing will ever beat what Eric Heiden did in Speed Skating at Lake Placid. He won the sprints and the long distance races.