TVSquad

We've been watching all of the prime time Olympics coverage. We've taped our other favorite shows (of which American Idol is not included). There have been some great stories in the Olympics much more compelling than most of the TV shows playing against the coverage. However, I must admit that when the figure skating is on (which my wife loves), I play on the laptop...

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I think the reason I haven't been watching the olympics is because I have a DVR. In past Olympics years, I'd flip over to NBC becuase there wasn't much else of interest on, but now that I get to watch what I want, when I want, I don't have a reason to sit surf over to the Olympics. Also, I find the Winter Olympics are inherently less interesting because they have too many competitions decided by judges and too many events that are one person racing a clock instead of a group of people racing eachother.

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I saw just a bit of the opening ceremonies, maybe 5 minutes, and then turned away. The coverage being only during prime time really turned me off. I remember watching the events live as a kid, and I much preferred that. Also, I get so tired of the hackneyed voice-overs 'athelete overcomes adversity' background segments that our networks run incessently.

Finally, I get so frustrated by the networks' refusal to 'get it' when it comes to flag-waving. The spirit of the Olympics is putting nationality aside to engage in a kind of pure competition.

Anna, you're right about the time-shifting, too. I want to see it live, not in digest format later in the evening.

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Just like it doesnt matter who can run 400 meters the fastest, it also does not matter who wins the luge. The olympics are just boring, I am 20 and nothing about it appeals to me or any of my friends.

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NBC is really not doing anyone any favors by "mixing it up". I too hate the fact that I can watch one part of an event at like 8pm then have to wait until 11 to find out the rest.

Additionally NBC has done a HORRIBLE job stating when each even airs. Sure I could look online and thanks to sites like this one I know what's on when, but seriously NBC needs to start doing something to let me know when what event is on.

Did I mention how much I hate the intertwining of multiple events? This isn't Sin City.

The HD quality is sub-par compared to football. I was really looking forward to watching the Olympics in HD this year, but so far I have been kind of like "Eh" with the quality.

NBC is totally over-hyping some of the athletes to only have a huge let down. Addtionally I find out on the radio station each morning the Medal leaders (countries) because NBC doesn't announce it until like 11:30pm.

On top of all that - the tv shows that have decided to just "tough it out" against the Olympics have done an amazing job of putting great quality episodes.

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The Olympics just doesn't seem like as big a deal now that it happens every two years. It used to be, not that long ago, that the summer and winter games happened in the same year, every four years. This is probably a lot better for the athletes and the poorer competing countries, but I find it hard to muster too much interest when it's something that happens every couple of years.

Also, I much prefer the summer sports to the winter, and NBC's coverage hasn't been great, from what little I've seen and heard.

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In Canada and without cable, I've been watching the Olympics on the CBC and I have the same complaints as the US viewers. Obviously, unlike with the SLC Games four years ago, there aren't any live events during prime time, but the networks could make it easier on us and tell us exactly when they will be airing footage in the evening instead of just being teased with "later in the program, we'll be showing you...." Also, I understand that each nation wants to focus on its own athletes, but come on, there are some great champions from other countries and I'm sure they win in spectacular fashion.

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We aren't watching the Olympics for the same reason we aren't watching the Networks like we used to. We have a choice. Back in the day when the average American had at best 4 channels to watch you watched what they gave you. I remember when the Jerry Louis MD telethon was a big deal because you got to see all the starts.

Another issue that Is probably hurting viewership is there is no one for us to really dislike. Back during the Cold War we gould cheer for the USA and boo at the USSR and other East Block nations.

To the poster above who comments of the Olympics being every two years.

It wasn't for the Athletes or the Countries. It was for the IOC and the various National OC. THey could raise the money needed to put on both sets of games in the same year.

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I gave up because I'm never sure when the events I want to watch will be on. I really just like the figure skating, and NBC's Olympic scheduele website is damn near impossible to navigate. I did catch the snowboarding event where Shaun White won the gold

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Actually, we are watching during primetime, but I do agree with everyone else that it is frustrating to not know exactly when something is going to be on. Also, the fact that there are soooo many more events taking place than what is being shown is very frustrating.

If they're not going to show them on the TV, at least do a webcast of them, so that way we can pick and choose what we do want to see.

I think that NBC has lost the purpose of showing the Olympics...for the joy of sport and cheering on all the atheletes who give their heart and soul for the ultimate competition.

It's not a who's who of a popularity contest. Although, yes, sometimes it is fun to see the exploits and have a history behind the atheletes, but I'd like to see more on all the atheletes.

I have to say, with all the focus on a select few, it's taken some of the patriotism out of it, not to mention the fun of rooting for other countries because you hardly get to see them. Except for in Figure Skating. (At least there's still some of that.) But all the yacking through every moment of every event is also exhausting...Sometimes we just want to watch!

So there! (lol)

But again, I think it would be cool to offer webcasts, or else, a series of channels devoted to Olympics only and you can pick and choose what to watch depending on the sport. Not only what you are fed.

And as for it being not being live the way it used to be, the time difference does make it more difficult I understand. I mean, NBC is trying to make a profit, but they are sacrificing too much...Money being their focus has clouded their vision. Plus, it's a lot of work to try and avoid hearing the results through out the day so that there is some suprise when watching at night.

Whew! Enough venting for today...

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Truth?

It's boring. I don't care about most of the events, they aren't relatable in any way to actual activities people do (with a few exceptions), and I don't connect to any of it. I'll just pick up highlights and cheer if we get a gold.

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I absolutely agree with most of the comments here. I've been trying to watch, but I end up flipping to other channels a lot and then just staying there. Here's my short list of things NBC (or any other channel) could do to make me watch more.
1) Show one event from beginning to end and list it in the TV guide. Then I will know I must tune to NBC at 9:30 to watch snowboard-cross (did you guys see that, it was fun), and I'll stay there and watch their dang commercials.
2) Show more than one athlete or race before a commercial break. With the exception of a "special half hour" of figure skating last night, it feels like there are commercials every ten minutes. And every break is a chance for me to flip channels.
3) I'd like to see more background on non-American athletes and more background on Torino. Advertisers know you sell more when you sell lifestyle. I'm not really a sports person, so for me, it was the athlete's stories, where they go back to their house, we see how they've trained for 105 years and how the pinky transplant changed their life. That kind of stuff is cheesy, but its what makes-up the "olympic-spirit", and they aren't selling "olympic-spirit" on NBC this year.

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NBC's coverage sucks. I would love to watch it but everytime ice skating comes on I have to flick. It seems to be on every night during primetime and if I see one more explanation of the new scoring system I am going to kill myself. Personally, I would like to see some curling, there is plenty of live coverage in the early hours of the morning but ZERO in primetime.

Honestly though it's the time delay that is the killer. If everything was live they would be forced to show more events rather than filling gaps with long background stories and interviews...

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i've been watching quite a bit. mostly w/ the help of tivo, so that i can fast forward through all the events i don't care about, the commercials, the replays, etc. i suppose it also helps that i don't watch any of those shows that were stealing olympics ratings either.

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Because they're boring and pointless. That'd be my vote. f-the olympics, both summer and winter. I have no desire to watch horrible coverage (55 minutes of lead up to 1 minute of event). I don't give a flying f**k what the athletes do in their personal lives, how they got there, what they overcame, or what regimen they're on. Just show the event. The other stuff is worthless filler.

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Personally I'm not watching it because I have absolutely no interest in sports. I find the Olympics less interesting than most sporting events (barring the really obnoxious ones that you just can't get away from) and the Winter games to be more boring than the Summer games. I'd be willing to bet that most people are far less interested in the Winter games than the Summer games.

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The only way to watch the Olympics is with a Tivo or DVR. I zoom past all the crap I'm not interested in and see the events in half an hour or so. I don't really care who wins, just like seeing the performance so it doesn't bother me to watch yesterday's coverage tonight with my finger glued to the FF key.

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The reason I'm not watching is because you have to watch 4 hours of preliminaries to even get to the finals where they duke it out for the medals. NBC has to televise every stinking country because if they don't, they will be sued.

Spare me all the crap that no one cares about. Show me the top 4 contenders and the guy with the inspiring story and then move on.

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The Olympics are on? No way!

As a SLC resident, it was fun to have them here, but now they are somewhere else? Eh...

I think ESPN should get the Olympics. If you are a sporting nut, you will gravitate there anyway. NBC's coverage is awful. Brian Williams was a downer at the opening ceremonies, and Bob Costas will just not shut up!

I agree that TiVo has made life better. Now I don't have to watch the Olympics because it's the only thing on.

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Case in point, I don't give a damn about regular sports, so these ones are only marginally more interesting for me.

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