Twitter's Olympics hub, part of a partnership with NBCUniversal, "is one of the first times Twitter
will serve as an official narrator for a live event," according to Shira
Ovide of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. NBC will "tout the website with
on-air promotions and links to athlete interviews or video clips." With
the partnership, Twitter "hopes to use the Olympics as a launch pad into
a more sustainable business." Execs want the six-year-old service "to
find a larger audience, especially amid doubts about Twitter's ability
to become a serious money maker." Twitter VP/Media Chloe Sladden said,
"This is a way for new users to sample Twitter." NBC said that no money
"is changing hands in its Twitter partnership and that it won't share in
revenue from ads that Twitter is selling to Olympics sponsors for its
Games website." Brands such as GE and P&G "already
have bought ads on Twitter to promote their association with the
Olympics." Twitter "declined to comment on the money it hopes to
generate from the Games." During the Games, Twitter will use its
Olympics events page "to highlight insiders' views, and to encourage
people to watch NBC's on-air and online coverage." Twitter will "embed
its own staffer with NBC's social media team in London to ensure fresh
news, interviews and links to TV highlights will show up on Twitter" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/23).
