NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol said the Peacock is
raising ad rates for the '96 Summer Games for the second time in
four months, according to Jeffrey Scott of the ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION. Scott: "Ebersol declined to say how much his
network has raised rates, which were bumped up 15 percent to 20
percent in May. Media buyers say the latest hike, which went
into effect two weeks ago, is 10 percent to 15 percent, but
varies deal by deal. ... Ebersol declined to say how much
inventory is left, or predict what the final tally would be."
According to Scott, Ebersol also "ruled out an increase in the
165-plus hours of programming" coming out of Atlanta. Ebersol:
"I don't see expanding it under any circumstances" (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 8/14).
THE WAY IT WAS, THE WAY IT IS: In his column in today's
N.Y. TIMES, Bill Carter writes that for Ebersol, the Olympics are
a "brand" that has national impact. Ebersol: "That's how many
people see at least one hour of coverage of the Games. In the
old days other shows on television brought all or most of the
country together, shows like Ed Sullivan or Jack Benny. Now it
takes a big sports event." Carter reports that NBC will put an
Olympic logo "onto all NBC sports telecasts for the next seven
years," as well as CNBC, America's Talking and SuperChannel (N.Y.
TIMES, 8/14).
