Fans Thwart NBC By Going Online To Avoid Network's Tape Delays

New York Times:

NBC, which owns the exclusive rights to broadcast the Olympics in the United States, spent most of Friday trying to keep it that way.

NBC's decision to delay broadcasting the opening ceremonies by 12 hours sent people across the country to their computers to poke holes in NBC's technological wall -- by finding newsfeeds on foreign broadcasters' Web sites and by watching clips of the ceremonies on YouTube and other sites.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[blueskybigstar]

08:08 PM on 08/11/2008

If NBC is going to claim to own the Olympics, they really should broadcast it right. We have now experienced the ascendency of the corporation in America and I believe we now are beginning to see how downright bloody in matters of the world, disgusting in how it treats the poor, disables the populace by not providing decent education, controlling of information through the media, and now failing us when we want to watch the Olympics. Is that the last straw?

[AlieNation]

03:03 PM on 08/10/2008

Ultimately, there is little difference between the commissars of the old line Stalinist regimes, who controlled the message on state run broadcasts, and NBC/ General Electric controlling how Americans view the Olympics, or the news, or any other media event they wish to manage. It is all about manipulating the audience into agreement and passivity.

And anyone who tries to challenge their right to do so will face the full police and economic powers they can bring to bear against you.

[blueskybigstar]

07:59 PM on 08/11/2008

Excellent point.

[ZimboChick]

12:39 PM on 08/10/2008

Seriously even Zimbabwe beamed the Olympics on time. I heard the NBC commentary - full of snark and then resigned at the end. You gotta agree. It was spectacular!

[blueskybigstar]

07:59 PM on 08/11/2008

Very good.

[masha2008]

02:43 AM on 08/10/2008

even third world countries broadcast the opening ceremonies live. it's part of the olympic spirit to participate in this moment of unity but unofrtunately corporate interest overrode that. it;s a disgrace that a first world country like the u.s. does not cover this important event live and restricts even news reporting of video clips of other news outfits. it is a legitimate news event and should be common patrimony of the countries of the world. nbc hijacked the opening.

nbc is actually contributing to the lack of interest in the games by doing so.

[dexxjones]

12:10 PM on 08/09/2008

whats maddening about this is that instead of being forced to acknowledge that its not 1954 any more, and to acknowledge that the networks and other corporate entertainment outfits have gotten away with murder for a long time, they wil instead point to this as a reason for more restrictions on the internet.

as always, big media is bass ackwards.

we need to rethink the entire "intellectual property" and copyright model in this country. WE are the people, not these idiot corporations. this entire episode goes against what the olympics are supposed to be about. when will we begin to realize the damage caused by these corporations?

[in4success]

11:34 AM on 08/09/2008

NBC can have the Olympics. boycotting, personally -- this is NOT about the athletes, it's about PROMOTING CHINA AND COMMUNISM!

[FlyTheBlueSky]

08:01 AM on 08/09/2008

Anywhere else in the world you could watch the ceremony LIVE. We've gone backwards to the point where a LIVE feed is just not possible.

Right now the swimming heats are happening and Phelps just broke an Olympic record - but there's nothing on TV. You can get online feeds of badminton and air rifle (that's good) but there is no swimming feed...

Need I say any more??

[sarapy]

03:18 AM on 08/09/2008

boycott everything olympikdiktat ! just read the news about the tortured, imprisoned, human rights violations, and wonder if you should have taught your children mandarin...

[rinpochet]

11:05 AM on 08/09/2008

This is one Olympics I have completely tuned out. NOTHING made in China knowingly gets my support.

[lvogt]

01:48 AM on 08/09/2008

You can't compare the visual impact of on-line images with the spectacular visuals of a 52" HD LED TV.
It's like listening to a symphony over the phone. It doesn't look better a few hours earlier.

[sf101]

11:49 PM on 08/08/2008

As they damn well should :). CCTV all the way!