Preliminary overnight numbers show that NBC gained a 26.0
rating and a 44 share for Sunday's prime time coverage. Early
morning figures were 7.7/34, 14.7/36 for daytime, 12.3/36 for
late night. Figures for Saturday show a 21.6/41 for prime time,
14.1/36 for daytime, and 10.1/28 for late night. Figures for
Friday show a 21.3/39 for prime time, 8.4/26 for daytime, and
10.5/32 for late night. NOTE: As these numbers are preliminary,
they may not match later figures cited either by NBC or others
(THE DAILY).
"MUST SEE" THURSDAY: Thursday night's prime-time earned a
26.8 national rating and a 48 share, the highest rated Thursday
night of any Olympics -- Winter or Summer -- since Lake Placid
'80. The rating was a 21% increase from the first Thursday in
Barcelona and NBC Research estimates that 102 million watched all
or parts of the telecast. The cumulative Atlanta rating through
Thursday is a 23.4/43, 23% better than Barcelona through the same
day. As for breaks-downs Thursday, NBC has gained a 15.7 among
Women 18-34 (up 33% from '92), 17.3 from Women 25-54 (+23%), 12.6
from Men 18-34 (+13%), and 14.9 from men 25-54 (+11%) (NBC
Sports).
WHAT IT MEANS: The N.Y. TIMES' Bill Carter calls the
opening in Atlanta "among the most successful and profitable
weeks in network television history." Among the benefits for
NBC: High ratings for fall shows from Olympic exposure; a boost
for "Today"; more cable system access for CNBC and MSNBC due to
future Olympic ties; money to protect against possible future
Olympic losses. One senior NBC exec said the network has been
"approached by a half-dozen separate multi-national advertisers
who wanted to discuss multi-Olympic deals." NBC Sports President
Dick Ebersol said the Games will make "just under" $20M (N.Y.
TIMES, 7/29).
PARTY POOPERS: Despite NBC's ratings success, some critics
kept on various aspects of NBC's coverage. The N.Y. POST's Phil
Mushnick writes NBC "has only covered American Olympians, mostly
those with a good chance to medal" (N.Y. POST, 7/28). The
CHICAGO TRIBUNE's Michael Hirsley: "Stop making the drama phony
by hyping its ad nauseam. Stop rooting so hard for the home
team" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/29). The WASHINGTON POST's Norman
Chad: "Frankly, I'm surprised Ebersol doesn't use actors to play
the role of athletes" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/29). The WASHINGTON
TIMES' Karen Goldberg: "We get it already. The Olympics are
about human drama" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 7/29). TIME's Margaret
Carlson: "Is this the Olympics or 'One Life to Live'" (TIME, 8/5
issue). The N.Y. POST's Wallace Matthews calls NBC "racist,
elitist and snobbish" for ignoring boxing (N.Y. POST, 7/27).
NOT ALL BAD: In Minneapolis, Rachel Blount writes on Donovan
Bailey's 100 meter gold: "Finally, NBC unwrapped itself from the
American flag long enough to let viewers experience the glory and
joy of an athlete from another nation" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE,
7/29). In S.F., Bruce Jenkins writes on the "plausibly live"
debate: "Does it really matter? Not at all" (S.F. CHRONICLE,
7/27).
