Thus far, the CBC is averaging audiences of 1.5 million with
peaks of around 2 million for its Olympic coverage (Rob Longley,
TORONTO SUN, 7/26). The CBC has been drawing audiences of more
than 600,000 for its midnight-2am EDT coverage (Toronto GLOBE &
MAIL, 7/26). CBC Exec Producer Doug Sellars: "If Donovan Bailey
or Bruny Surin or both get into the men's 100 [meter track]
final, four or five million may not be out of the question"
(TORONTO STAR, 7/26).
SQUIRRELING: In Dallas, Barry Horn notes the great lengths
ESPN and CNN have had to go to interview athletes. The networks
have relied on news conferences sponsored by Nike, Reebok and
Speedo held away from Olympic sites. ESPN Coordinating Producer
Mark Gross: "The USOC has been great. They have been bringing
swimmers 100 yards through a wooded area to get to us" (DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 7/25).
SITE OF THINGS TO COME? In Atlanta, Hal Straus profiles
NBC's Olympic Web site, noting that over an entire day, site
visits approach 500,000 -- easily topping the game-day
performance during the Super Bowl. NBC Sports' Kevin Monaghan,
who was brought down to promote the site but has been "pressed
into covering the boxing competition," called a daily NBC sports
Web site "something the network may want to consider. ... That's
something for the folks in New York to decide" (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 7/26).
