A week into the Olympics, and it’s safe to say that everything in NBC’s world is right.

Ratings are soaring, online traffic is exploding and Michael Phelps is winning.

Fresh off a marathon broadcasting session that ended at 1:40 a.m. in the U.S., NBC Olympics executive producer David Neal sat down to talk about how things are going in Beijing.

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What impresses you the most here?
Neal: Just the environment. In terms of the venues, everything is spectacular. The organization has been nearly flawless. All of the venues are operating on time. Michael Phelps is being Michael Phelps. That helps a lot.

Have you had any challenges on the ground?
Neal: No. That’s the thing. When you work at an offshore Olympics, you expect some adjustments, and that process has taken place. Certainly, we’ve had to get into the rhythm of where traffic is and how to get around and all that. But it’s been remarkably easy to fall into that routine. It seems easier here than it was four years ago in Athens.

If you had to name a challenge you had to circumnavigate, what would it be?
Neal: I think the biggest thing is every day trying to remind yourself that, for example, when we’re on the air in prime time, it’s the morning (in the U.S.). It’s Thursday morning here, but it’s being broadcast live in prime time in the U.S. That’s sort of the daily challenge, sort of remembering the difference between the time of day here and at home.

What impact does that have on the way things are run here?
Neal: It doesn’t really have one. I’m sure any business traveler who goes to the other side of the world faces the same challenges. Your home office is where it is back in the U.S. somewhere, and you just have to adjust. In some ways, we’re all just on an extended business trip, I guess.

Do you have any concerns as the storyline unfolds and Michael Phelps finishes?
Neal: It certainly seems that the Olympics have achieved what you always hope — that is that it’s become appointment television. We always talk about one of the great ways of measuring whether or not we’ve been successful is measuring whether or not anecdotally you hear from friends and family, if people find themselves sort of going into withdrawal because the Olympics aren’t there to watch anymore. I think we’re well on our way to achieving that status again.

How might the lack of prime-time, live coverage of track next week impact you?
Neal: It’s hard to say.

What strategy do you have for dealing with it?
Neal: Our strategy is clear. The American public wants to have the premium events at the times it’s most convenient to watch, and that’s prime time. The best events will still be on NBC.

With the size of this facility and the way it’s operating, how is it working for you?
Neal: This is an outstanding IBC (International Broadcasting Center). This is my eighth Olympic Games. There’s never been a more functional IBC. More often than not we started the prime-time show with Bob (Costas) somewhere else. The furthest he went was Tiananmen Square. We’ve had him at the "Today" show set. We’ve had him at gymnastics. To be able to do that and to do it with confidence, the way that we can have Bob out somewhere and have the benefit of getting him back here because it’s so well located and the systems are working so well.