It seems that if you are a TV executive at NBC, you may not be a very happy bunny at the moment.
According to Media Life, this year's Winter Olympics on NBC will be the lowest-rated games in Olympic history. The Turin Games have pulled in 21.1M viewers per night; this is less that the previous lowest ever Olympics, the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, which averaged 21.5M total viewers per night.
Two questions face NBC
1 How to improve the current ratings?
2 Do they bother investing so much time and effort into future Games?
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Mayer In Psychiatric Hospital
The Austrian biathlon coach Walter Mayer, who was charged yesterday with criminal offences including civil disorder, property damage and assault in Austria, has now been admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Peter Schroecksnadel, Austrian Ski Federation President, said:
"Walter Mayer is in the psychiatric hospital, unfortunately. He's in custody to protect himself because apparently he's said he wanted to commit suicide or something like that. I couldn't talk to him myself."
Mayer had managed to trigger a drugs raid on the Austrian team bases on Saturday night. It is reported that one athlete had thrown medical gear, including syringes, out of the window during the raid.
Magistrates in Turin have begun an investigation into Mayer.
However, Schroecksnadel claims that the police had found no banned substances:
"There were no drugs found which are doping. There were syringes and transfusion equipment and devices which can be used to measure haemoglobin levels but ... this is legitimate."
Peter Schroecksnadel, Austrian Ski Federation President, said:
"Walter Mayer is in the psychiatric hospital, unfortunately. He's in custody to protect himself because apparently he's said he wanted to commit suicide or something like that. I couldn't talk to him myself."
Mayer had managed to trigger a drugs raid on the Austrian team bases on Saturday night. It is reported that one athlete had thrown medical gear, including syringes, out of the window during the raid.
Magistrates in Turin have begun an investigation into Mayer.
However, Schroecksnadel claims that the police had found no banned substances:
"There were no drugs found which are doping. There were syringes and transfusion equipment and devices which can be used to measure haemoglobin levels but ... this is legitimate."
Monday, February 20, 2006
More Dope
Seemingly dope is never very far from the surface in the Olympics these days.
The Carabinieri paramilitary police "visited" the Austrian cross-country and biathlon team accommodation overnight, allegedly after blood doping equipment linked to the team's Nordic team coach Walter Mayer was found in Austria.
The International Olympic Committee also tested at least 10 Austrian cross-country skiers and biathletes.
Mayer had been banned from the Olympics, until after 2010, on suspicion of performing blood transfusions at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. He had visited the team in Italy, but then managed to crash his car into an Austrian police roadblock on Sunday evening.
Austrian cross-country skier, Juergen Pinter, said:
"We were surprised in our room. Suddenly the police came in and didn't let us leave on the night before the competition.
This happened without any positive result from doping control in the team. There's definitely no doping in the Austrian team.
It's crazy."
The Carabinieri paramilitary police "visited" the Austrian cross-country and biathlon team accommodation overnight, allegedly after blood doping equipment linked to the team's Nordic team coach Walter Mayer was found in Austria.
The International Olympic Committee also tested at least 10 Austrian cross-country skiers and biathletes.
Mayer had been banned from the Olympics, until after 2010, on suspicion of performing blood transfusions at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. He had visited the team in Italy, but then managed to crash his car into an Austrian police roadblock on Sunday evening.
Austrian cross-country skier, Juergen Pinter, said:
"We were surprised in our room. Suddenly the police came in and didn't let us leave on the night before the competition.
This happened without any positive result from doping control in the team. There's definitely no doping in the Austrian team.
It's crazy."
Friday, February 17, 2006
First Dope of The Season
Congratulations to Olga Pyleva of Russia, who has won the dubious Olympic distinction of being the first competitor during this year's Winter Olympics in Turin to be thrown out for a positive doping test.
She was one of the favorites in Thursday's 7.5KM biathlon event. She had won the women's 15KM on Monday. However, she tested positive for a banned stimulant carphedon, after winning the gold medal.
Nikolai Durmanov, the head of Russia's anti-doping committee, claimed that the test result was a mistake; and that it was caused by an over-the-counter medication given to Pyleva by a doctor last month, for an ankle injury.
The Olympics, ever keen to protect its "clean" image, had claimed that Pyleva's absence from the event was due to illness.
She was one of the favorites in Thursday's 7.5KM biathlon event. She had won the women's 15KM on Monday. However, she tested positive for a banned stimulant carphedon, after winning the gold medal.
Nikolai Durmanov, the head of Russia's anti-doping committee, claimed that the test result was a mistake; and that it was caused by an over-the-counter medication given to Pyleva by a doctor last month, for an ankle injury.
The Olympics, ever keen to protect its "clean" image, had claimed that Pyleva's absence from the event was due to illness.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Olympics Tax Hike
The good citizens of London are now realising that winning the right to host the 2012 Olympics is something of a poison chalice.
Aside from the disruption and chaos that the Games will bring, there is also the none too small matter of financing it.
It seems that those who pay council tax in London are going to see a rise of at least £33.80 in their council tax bills, in order for the Games to be adequately funded.
That is the result of Mayor Ken Livingstone's budget that was passed yesterday.
Aside from the disruption and chaos that the Games will bring, there is also the none too small matter of financing it.
It seems that those who pay council tax in London are going to see a rise of at least £33.80 in their council tax bills, in order for the Games to be adequately funded.
That is the result of Mayor Ken Livingstone's budget that was passed yesterday.
Olympic Overload
Those visitors to Turin who are currently suffering from sporting overload, as the Olympics are in full swing, may take comfort from the fact that the hosts are providing some non sporting entertainment in the evenings.
Whitney Houston and Duran Duran are scheduled to appear with other acts, who perform at the Olympic Village's Medals Plaza after each night's awards ceremony.
Also on the bill are; Avril Lavigne, Andrea Bocelli, Anastacia and Ricky Martin.
Whitney Houston and Duran Duran are scheduled to appear with other acts, who perform at the Olympic Village's Medals Plaza after each night's awards ceremony.
Also on the bill are; Avril Lavigne, Andrea Bocelli, Anastacia and Ricky Martin.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
British Goal - Come Fourth
It seems that Britain is maintaining its much lambasted policy of "it is the competition that counts, not the winning", by aiming not to finish first in the 2012 Olympics but fourth.
The British Treasury prepared a funding submission, A Sporting Chance for 2012, which was secret until it was leaked.
The report, which analyses medal targets, the size of the team and the quality of participating athletes, concludes that in order to achieve fourth place UK Sport requires a further £49.5M per annum.
Fourth place would require 120 medallists to win at least 60 medals, including 17 golds.
Hardly a noble aspiration is it?
The British Treasury prepared a funding submission, A Sporting Chance for 2012, which was secret until it was leaked.
The report, which analyses medal targets, the size of the team and the quality of participating athletes, concludes that in order to achieve fourth place UK Sport requires a further £49.5M per annum.
Fourth place would require 120 medallists to win at least 60 medals, including 17 golds.
Hardly a noble aspiration is it?
Samsung Makes Full Use of the Olympics
Samsung is trying to make full use of its sponsorship of the Turni Winter Olympics, and has opned a showroom in Turin.
However, some local and global civic groups are not so impressed and have been criticising the International Olympic Committee and its official sponsors in Turin over the commercialisation of the Olympics.
A number of different anti-globalisation groups held demonstrations all over Italy during the Olympic torch relay, which was exclusively sponsored by Samsung and Coca Cola.
There was even an attempt to burn a Samsung flag, by students of Turin University, when the torch relay neared the city on Friday. The demonstration was intended to fight excessive corporate advertising in the Olympics, and the environmental damage resulting from the construction of the venues.
However, some local and global civic groups are not so impressed and have been criticising the International Olympic Committee and its official sponsors in Turin over the commercialisation of the Olympics.
A number of different anti-globalisation groups held demonstrations all over Italy during the Olympic torch relay, which was exclusively sponsored by Samsung and Coca Cola.
There was even an attempt to burn a Samsung flag, by students of Turin University, when the torch relay neared the city on Friday. The demonstration was intended to fight excessive corporate advertising in the Olympics, and the environmental damage resulting from the construction of the venues.
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