USOC Deputy Secretary General John Krimsky "blasted"
CBS on Saturday for the way it is broadcasting commercials
during the Winter Olympics, according to Weiner & Blount of
the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Krimsky, who said he had
received "numerous" complaints about CBS's coverage, said
that it was not the number of commercials that bothers him,
but that "they're not spaced correctly. We've got to
provide continuity of competition." Krimsky added: "I'm not
happy with CBS, quite frankly, with the way they are going
to produce our hockey tournament. We see hockey after
Letterman. That's pretty late for the American audience"
(STAR TRIBUNE, 2/15). Krimsky: "The American viewer was not
happy with the first week of these Games. We're not
oblivious to what our viewers our telling us" (WASHINGTON
POST, 2/15). CBS had no comment on Krimsky's remarks.
THE USOC'S GENERAL: Krimsky is profiled by USA TODAY's
Melanie Wells and tempers his remarks: "CBS has been an
unfortunate victim of circumstances -- bad weather and
postponed events." Wells writes Krimsky "is known for his
bite," which can be "formidable" In sponsor related news,
Krimsky is in talks with TOP sponsor McDonald's about the
creation of an Olympic Cafe (USA TODAY, 2/17). In N.Y.,
Phil Mushnick wrote that Krimsky and the USOC "represent the
problem, not the solution" to the frequency of commercials.
He suggested Krimsky look ahead and begin "lobbying loud and
clear for the IOC and USOC to reduce NBC's rights payments
in exchange for airing fewer commercials" (N.Y. POST, 2/16).
