After 11 nights of primetime coverage, NBC's ratings for Rio are still trending well below figures from London in '12 or Beijing in '08, but the broadcast net has now registered 50 straight nights of primetime wins when it airs the Winter or Summer Games. That streak dates back to Day 14 of the '10 Vancouver Games. Through Monday night, NBC is averaging a 15.3 rating (27.5 million viewers), down 17% from an 18.5 rating during the same period in '12 and down 11% from '08. It also is down 3% from a 15.8 rating during the '04 Athens Games. NBC on Monday night drew a 14.1 rating (24.3 million viewers) for its coverage, which featured Laurie Hernandez and Simone Biles taking Silver and Bronze, respectively, during a tape delay of the women's balance beam finals. Coverage on Monday on NBC also featured finals in track for the men's pole vault, men's 800m and women's 400m, among other events. The 14.1 rating is down from a 15.8 rating on the same night during the London, Beijing and '00 Sydney Games. It also is below a 16.4 rating in '04. Using NBC's Total Audience Delivery metric, the net's live coverage across broadcast/cable/digital drew a 14.9 rating (25.5 million viewers). The last three nights have each seen the Total Audience Delivery provide a 5% lift compared to the NBC-only number, while the average over 10 nights has been a 7% lift. Salt Lake City continues to lead all markets through Monday night for NBC's coverage from Rio. The Utah market on Monday drew a 20.6 local rating (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
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PRIMETIME SUMMER OLYMPIC RATINGS FOR NBC
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DAY
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RIO
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LONDON
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BEIJING
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ATHENS
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SYDNEY
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ATLANTA
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Opening Ceremony
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Fri.
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13.9
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21.0
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18.8
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14.6
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16.2
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23.6
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Night 2
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Sat.
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11.4
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15.8
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13.9
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11.8
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13.1
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17.2
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Night 3
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Sun.
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16.1
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19.8
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18.1
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15.4
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14.6
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22.9
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Night 4
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Mon.
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16.4
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18.0
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17.6
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16.6
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13.8
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22.9
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Night 5
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Tues.
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18.9
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21.8
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20.0
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18.3
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15.5
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27.2
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Night 6
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Wed.
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15.1
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17.9
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16.7
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17.3
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14.6
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22.4
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Night 7
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Thurs.
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17.8
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21.1
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17.9
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19.3
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14.9
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26.8
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Night 8
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Fri.
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13.7
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16.2
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15.2
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14.4
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14.9
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17.9
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Night 9
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Sat.
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14.2
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15.9
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17.6
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13.6
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13.3
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19.4
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Night 10
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Sun.
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14.9
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17.5
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16.0
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15.8
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16.0
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23.4
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Night 11
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Mon.
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14.1
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15.8
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15.8
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16.4
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15.8
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26.4
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11-Night Avg.
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15.3
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18.5
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17.2
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15.8
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14.8
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22.8
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OUT OF TOUCH? The AP's David Bauder writes NBC's Bob Costas' studio interview last night with U.S. gymnasts Simone Biles and Aly Raisman after they finished 1-2 in the floor exercises "was cringe-worthy television." The "focus was on a surprise meeting" between the gymnasts and actor Zac Efron that was arranged by the net, whether they will "binge on bad food and a bad joke about Twitter that made Costas look like a clueless grandpa." The emphasis on Biles and Raisman as personalities instead of athletes "was most problematic." There is "nothing wrong with a little fun," but the segment "felt like biting into a cake that was all icing" (
AP, 8/17). The Hollywood Reporter's
Matthew Belloni wrote, "This interview will not be going in Bob Costas' career-best interview reel." The Arizona Daily Star's
Michael Lev wrote, "Bob Costas discussing Zac Efron with two teenage girls in front of 25 million people. That wasn't weird or anything." ESPNCleveland.com's
Tony Grossi: "The Costas interview with the gymnasts was painful" (
TWITTER.com, 8/16). In Oklahoma City, Jenni Carlson notes the U.S. women "have put on quite a show in Rio," but there have been "constant reminders throughout these Games of how the sports world continues to struggle in its acceptance of women." There have been "cringe-worthy comments from commentators, some blatantly bigoted, others mindlessly sexist." There have been "poorly cast headlines and badly timed stories" (
OKLAHOMAN, 8/17).
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL: The FINANCIAL TIMES' Murad Ahmed notes having beach volleyball games scheduled so late they end past midnight "may seem odd." However, FIVB President Ary Graça said of the governing body's role, “It’s not up to us. The organisers do what the television wants. The most important TV here is American TV.” Ahmed notes NBC picks several sports "for peak-time coverage, and to "suit the broadcaster, night matches are timed for viewers on the US west coast and follow the conclusion of marquee races on the athletics track and in the swimming pool." FIVB Secretary General Fernando Lima: "We have to consider how the television industry works. And we want our athletes to be seen" (FT.com, 8/17).
QUALITY WORKMANSHIP: The AP's Bauder writes NBC and Samsung "have been touting their virtual-reality coverage, but the quality of the video has been such that Olympians look like video-game characters on Samsung’s Gear VR headset." Meanwhile, 360-degree still images from Getty Images "haven’t gotten as much attention, but have been stunning." Getty "gave a 360-degree camera to each of its photographers, and they’ve been able to capture the flexibility and strength" of Biles on the vault and Argentinian tennis player Juan Martin del Potro "diving into the crowd" after winning his Silver Medal (AP, 8/17).
