nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:47:16 GMT

We got not one - but TWO commercial breaks. The first was not so bad - the second one they came back right around when Ous had made his move -- simply terrible.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:35:40 GMT

I have to give CBC credit, they showed the entire 1500 with no breaks! With a Canadian in the lead a lot of the way they might have been lynched if they had! They did however pretend that the Women's relay happened after the men's, but I forgave them because it was better than I originally thought, i.e. they just skipped them.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:48:48 GMT

So that brings me to the question will CBC tonight show the whole 1500 meter race? With Ryan Cochrane having a chance to win the 1500 Free and since there have been no Canadian swimmer to win a gold medal, I would think they are going to show the whole race. I remember them showing the complete 1500 at one of the Olympics but I can't remember which one. I wouldn't count on them showing the entire race, 15minutes is a long time to go without a commercial in tv land. The live streaming on their web site will show it uninterrupted, I watched the 800m there last night. Miracle of miracles. They did show the whole uninterrupted 1500m. The only time they previously did that (that I know of) was during the Montreal Worlds.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:46:27 GMT

Why should we expect NBC to cover the Olympics any differently than how they have? I bet few people in the States could name more than one swimmer. I mentioned Dara Torres in my office. None of the other 5 people i work with knew who I was talking about. One guy has a girlfriend who swims! We have a monster on our hands. It is only possiboe to market so much. If you confuse your audience, they will not be able to follow you. That will mean that they can't buy. If you have daughters, you don't need to answer this question: How often have you bought "softball" equipment in the last ten years? How often have you recently "wrestled" (mud- or otherwise) with a member of your own gender recently in a tight wrestling outfit? "Some" sports are very audience-specific and a lot of others do not need a great deal of technical knowledge to watch and/or follow.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:42:45 GMT

What a swim for Adlington! Agreed! And Janet was applauding at the end. Which goes to show what a great "lady" and sportswoman she still is. Her smile was genuine, not made-for-TV (IMHO).

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:40:55 GMT

This sounds like the same thing that goes on in golf forums complaining about all the coverage of Tiger. The answer is the same. The networks are in the business of getting ratings, and Phelps is THE story. The general public in the U.S. doesn't give a rat's ass about swimming, so the true swimming fans are stuck in the same boat as true golf fans. That's the way it is and it isn't gonna change. I know (and it rattles). Swimmers and non-swimmers alike are just as likely to buy a Chevy (or a Pontiac or this or that Cheese or Beer) as not. (Canadian will, natuarally, buy and drink real beer, but that's another thread...........) :drink: Moreover, swimmers are less likely to go to the bathroom during a swimming break than non-swimmers (even if we're taping it). However, which of the two classes is more likely to buy a LZR? Do we have a Phelps smiley?

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:38:22 GMT

I am just amazed at all the complaining here. Swimming has been covered this year more than ever before and we all know why. I have more people asking me about swimming than ever before and only because of NBCs coverage of it. Heck Kobe Bryant and Lebron James were being interviewed today at the Olympics and they were asked about swimming. This is the greatest time in our sport but all of your holier than thou attitudes are crazy. So they didn't talk about Adlington, show the 800 free or 1500 free in its entirety. No one is perfect, but all of you should just step back and look at the attention we are getting and enjoy it. I can't imagine better publicity for our sport. I don't really view all of this as complaining, we just all wish the best for our sport since it's only in the limelight once every 4 years.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:35:24 GMT

Respectfully disagree with you Sam. Great that our sport is getting attention but that's down to Phelps nothing to do with NBC's coverage. They could have allowed some more time for other swimmers who achieved other significant things. Adlington was barely with her hands in the air and they cut to commercial but still managed to squeeze in a replay of Phelps' celebration. It was "Hey a 19 year old record just got smashed and then this just happened 5 minutes ago (umpteenth replay of Phelps getting # 6 or whatever it was). It was pretty bad if you ask me, and yes of course it's a bigger issue for me than you as I'm a Brit by birth and was happy to see something unique for one of ours, at what will be remembered as the Phelp's games. I'm not saying NBC should have shown the anthems and all that jazz but I bet the BBC showed at least a few of Phelps' award ceremonies. People in the UK are talking about him to me (non swimmers); if the Beeb didn't give him his due it wouldn't be as big a deal there. People here have a right to complain; maybe they don't like the US media appearing insular and selfish as they get somewhat tarred with the same brush. I guess the bigger culprit though is the commercial aspect, as that dictates the TV.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:00:26 GMT

i totally agree, that was so disrespectful. But yeah i guess sense we can watch it online..

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:58:20 GMT

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:52:26 GMT

Yes, disappointed in the overall coverage. I thought that after Adlington broke Janet's WR, they should have given them both a bit of credit - but no - absolutely nothing was shown or much said. When Phelps was given some type of award for his 8 golds - never could see it. Everything seemed to end so abruptly.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Frank Thompson — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 05:33:58 GMT

So that brings me to the question will CBC tonight show the whole 1500 meter race? With Ryan Cochrane having a chance to win the 1500 Free and since there have been no Canadian swimmer to win a gold medal, I would think they are going to show the whole race. I remember them showing the complete 1500 at one of the Olympics but I can't remember which one. Miracle of miracles. They did show the whole uninterrupted 1500m. The only time they previously did that (that I know of) was during the Montreal Worlds. CBC showed the complete 1500 Free at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angles. Canada had a swimmer named David Shemilt who got 6th place. That is why I predicted they would do that because of Ryan Cochrane and they did.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

ourswimmer — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:52:23 GMT

I already know they will cut away during the 1500 -- probably right around the time the race is decided .... Do you have a prediction on our next President?

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:38:48 GMT

I already know they will cut away during the 1500 -- probably right around the time the race is decided ....

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:36:12 GMT

I couldn't believe NBC cut to a commercial during a world record race. :shakeshead: Horrible! We saw the preliminaries of the men's 400 medley relay, but not the whole WR?! That's taking nationalism too far. It had nothing to do with nationalism, and everything to do with capitalism. Good time to squeeze in a commercial from their point of view. I've seen it done a lot before. What a swim for Adlington!Agreed! And Janet was applauding at the end.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:32:23 GMT

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:30:08 GMT

Hey, NBC: Show all you want of Phelps swimming. I'll be the first to tape even his warm-ups But, please realize that: a-)there are other American swimmers on the team, and b-) there are "some" other, acceptable swimmers in the World (and, in an insane act of lese-majesté), some of them swam better than their American counterparts.0 This sounds like the same thing that goes on in golf forums complaining about all the coverage of Tiger. The answer is the same. The networks are in the business of getting ratings, and Phelps is THE story. The general public in the U.S. doesn't give a rat's ass about swimming, so the true swimming fans are stuck in the same boat as true golf fans. That's the way it is and it isn't gonna change.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:37:08 GMT

Where can you see it online? I've heard that Youtube pulls these things very quickly due to copyrite issues. I look forward to the day when a person doesn't have to bother with television networks at all and can sign up for an online service that records just the events that one chooses. Or does something like that exist already? If you think swimming coverage is bad, try finding any track cycling.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Frank Thompson — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:18:54 GMT

We all know that Phelps is the greatest swimmer of all times and we know that NBC is an American Network and that patriotism and nationalism are great. However both NBC and CBC (CBC even more because they didn't even show that Women's 800m Free race) insulted all swimmers and, IMHO, our sport, when, right after Janet Evans's longest-standing record was broken and just as the camera was starting to focus on the British (non-American) winner, Adlington (sp?), they cut to Phelps. That blew me.............. :rant3: I have been lucky because I live near the border of Canada and can watch both TV stations (NBC and CBC) when the live races are on. I had 2 TV's set up with VCR machines and could not believe CBC did not even show the Women's 800 Free. They came back to show the Men's 50 Free and I don't think they showed the Women's semi finals in the 50 Free. Usually in the past CBC does not go to commerical during the race and that is why I want to get a recording of the full race. I cannot understand NBC going to commerical during the 800 Free during a World Record swim and it was no suprise here because they NBC predicted it and even Janet Evans said it was going down. NBC showed both heats of Hoff and Ziegler with no commericals yesterday morning. I am thinking its because of adveritising dollars during prime time and they are going in for 3 minutes to get that ad money. They left the air at the end of the turn at 250 and came back at the flip of the 500. So that brings me to the question will CBC tonight show the whole 1500 meter race? With Ryan Cochrane having a chance to win the 1500 Free and since there have been no Canadian swimmer to win a gold medal, I would think they are going to show the whole race. I remember them showing the complete 1500 at one of the Olympics but I can't remember which one. Because the USA has only one swimmer and they want that ad money, they will break the race like the 800 Free is done. Australia will show the complete 1500 meter swim.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

smontanaro — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 07:31:01 GMT

I dunno. Lots of swimming talk at my office. I guess traders are just sports junkies by in large.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 07:02:13 GMT

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:19:14 GMT

Grats to Adlington!!! And UK swimming! Well done this olympics. NBC....ugh...don't get us started. We're lucky we get to see any swimming at all.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:56:22 GMT

Seriously, he should do distance for 2012. What else has he got to prove? I thought he wanted to avoid anything over 200? I bet he has the WR in the 100 fly and free in mind, plus the backstrokes. Just getting a larger variety of WRs to take his versatility to another level and see what he can do in the shorter events without the training for the 400s holding him back. Based on his past record I don't think he has any interest in the 400 free or longer.

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:50:52 GMT

Yea they have been a bit slack on the women's racing. I know Phelps is great and all but if it was him in the 800...anyho it's NBC at fault not any swimmer. Seriously, he should do distance for 2012. What else has he got to prove? Hey, NBC: Show all you want of Phelps swimming. I'll be the first to tape even his warm-ups But, please realize that: a-)there are other American swimmers on the team, and b-) there are "some" other, acceptable swimmers in the World (and, in an insane act of lese-majesté), some of them swam better than their American counterparts.0

RE: nbc AND cbc insult swimmers and swimming

Former Member — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:34:11 GMT

I couldn't believe NBC cut to a commercial during a world record race. :shakeshead: Horrible! We saw the preliminaries of the men's 400 MR, but not the whole WR?! That's taking nationalism too far. In general, moreover, we haven't seen as many women's semi-final events. What a swim for Adlington! Yea they have been a bit slack on the women's racing. I know Phelps is great and all but if it was him in the 800...anyho it's NBC at fault not any swimmer. Seriously, he should do distance for 2012. What else has he got to prove?