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Opening Ceremony Viewership Off Sharply From Record '12 Numbers

NBC drew 26.5 million viewers Friday night for the Rio Games Opening Ceremony, a "sharp" 35% drop from the 40.7 million who saw the '12 opening night from London, which was an all-time record. One of NBC's pre-Olympics fears "came true," as viewership in the U.S. "dropped off" following the entrance of the U.S. team (AP, 8/6). Viewers took to social media to "complain about NBC's heavy ad load during the ceremony, especially early on, and the network's decision to air and stream the ceremony on a one-hour delay" (ADWEEK.com, 8/6). 

USA TODAY's Christine Brennan wrote the Opening Ceremony was one "for the ages." It was "exquisitely choreographed as a boisterous show" (USATODAY.com, 8/6). The N.Y. TIMES' Juliet Macur writes the "party was clearly no-frills but irresistibly fun" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/7). But the WASHINGTON POST's Cindy Boren wrote it was "a little slow and flat." Beijing and London "have pretty much ruined the spectacle" of the Opening Ceremony (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/6). 

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