Dear NBC.
I've been had by your marketing department. I had mistakenly thought that since the Olympics were being aired on your networkS, I would be able to actually watch the Olympics at any given time during the day. Especially, during the time that competition was occuring in Italy.
Apparently, it is a foreign concept to NBC, the network of the Olympics, to broadcast an Olympic competition AS IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS!!!
As I write this, it is 6:00 am CDT on Sunday. (Why I am awake at this time is of no consequence.) In Turin, Italy, it is 1:00 pm. The middle of the day. Athletes are competing. Medals are being won. The thrill of victory and agony of defeat are being experienced.
I know this because I can read about the results on MSNBC.com.
But what is being aired on the networkS of NBC?
NBC: 6 - 7; local programming
7: Today
8: Meet the Press
9: Local news
10 Bob Villa
10:30 Paid Programming
11:00 NASCAR (!?!?!)
2:00 Olympics
5:00 Local news
5:30 Network news
6: Olympics
10:30 local news
MSNBC: (am)
6:00 Headliners and Legends (Halle Berry)
7:00 MSNBC News Live
10:00 Weekends with Maury Pauvich and Connie Chung
10:30 MSNBC News Live
(pm)
3:00 Weekends with Maury Pauvich and Connie Chung
3:30 MSNBC News Live
4:00 Headliners and Legends (Cameron Diaz)
5:00 MSNBC Investigates (military murder)
6:00 MSNBC Special (Love and marriage: real journeys)
9:00 Meet the Press
10: MSNBC Special (Love and marriage: real journeys)
CNBC: (am)
6:00 Paid programming
7:00 Paid programming
8:00 Paid programming
9:00 Select Comfort (about the sleep number bed. Sounds like paid programming)
9:30 Olympics
(pm)
12:00n - 6:00 Paid Programming
6:00 Diabetes
7:00 High Net Worth
7:30 CHris Matthews
8:00 Cover to cover
9:00 Bid Idea
10: High Net Worth
10:30 Chris Matthews
USA (am)
6:00 - 8:00 Paid Programming
8:30 Big Daddy
10:00 PGA Tournament
11:00 Monk
(pm)
12:oo Olympics
2:30 Sabrina
5:00 Olympic Ice (highlight show)
6:00 - midnight Law and Order Marathon
On NBC, the Olympic coverage STARTS as the days' actual events are ending. Clearly, we will be getting taped and edited coverage.
MSNBC doesn't have ANY coverage, other than stories on its news.
CNBC has a smidgeon of coverage, but clearly would rather sell us vacuum cleaners , exercise equipment and something about not having to work but making $70,000 a month with the cash flow business.
If USA isn't showing informercials, we can watch more Law & Order than anyone should have to watch, only to be interrupted for a short period of time for taped and edited Olympic coverage.
As you can see, very little of your networkS are airing the Olympics; and NONE of it is in real time.
Yesterday, I watched a little luge, to be interrupted with a couple of skaters, to be interrupted with some skiing. Then there was the 2002 skating scandal.
Yes, the judging scandal was being rehashed with the aid of soap opera stars. Instead of seeing anything of the current Olympics, I was watching yesterday's news. Not even yesterday.
I tried to watch some of the Olympics last night, but the TAPED EVENTS were on so late that I fell asleep. It would be so nice to watch something TODAY while they are actually occuring, instead of trying to stay awake to watch an edited version of it at night.
Out of all of this, the networkS of NBC are insulting its viewers with the Paid Programming. Instead of showing us ACTUAL! OLYMPIC COVERAGE! the bulk of the programming is devoted to modern-day snake oil salesmen running vacuum cleaners while operators are standing by.
Please quit holding the games hostage and let the viewers see actual competition.
I don't need another vacuum cleaner.
But I will admit that I would like to make $70,000 a month while not working.
Thank you.
P.S. Please get some chapstick for Bob Costas.
UPDATE: The above was sent to NBC in an e-mail. If you wish to send your own e-mail the address is : nbcolympicsfeedback@nbcuni.com
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8 comments:
Right on, sly!
You said it all, perfectly, including the $70,000 a month thing.
Me too on that one.
It's even worse here in So.CA, where there is NO Olympic coverage between 5 and 8pm PST.
Sheesh! I wonder if at some point we'll see one event from start to finish without *zipping* somewhere else. Probably not. :(
Good one, sly!
Did you actually email this to them? I think we should all send it to them (with sly's permission, of course).
Good point, Sly! I hadn't even noticed that the "other" networks have offered minimal coverage so far. They should get your message.
Of course, I guess I left the TV on USA last night -- and Live Curling has been wafting through my living room for over an hour now. I think I'm kinda getting into it, actually ...
Darn those Norwegians!!!
But Sly I love the Magic bullet and Q grill infomercials on Sunday mornings. I look forward to watching zanny people make food in 10 seconds every Sunday morning. I am demanding that we put one on the gift registry. How can I live without my Sunday infomercials even for three weeks?
PS it is even worse for those of us who don't have cable and thereby get only one NBC station. Not that I have any desire to watch mad men on sleds. Bring on 24!!!
Cheryl, welcome to the blog! I watched a little curling.... still don't get it.
Mad! I'll tell you a secret, I covet the Magic Bullet, too. And that thing Ron Popeil advertises where you "Set it and forget it". Now tell me a secret, are you earning $70,000 a week in the cash flow business?
Sly - If I was making 70,000 a month I would fly all of the bloglits in for my wedding and own a magic bullet for every room in the house (although I think a magic bullet in the bedroom better last longer than 10 seconds).
I have never wanted the set it and forget it machine. what does that say about me?
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