NBC's Olympics ratings roll continues

Coming off a record-setting opening ceremony, NBC's first night of Olympic competition Saturday continued to show elevated viewership.

Saturday night's coverage of swimming, men's gymnastics and women's volleyball averaged 24.1 million viewers and a 13.9 rating/27 share, beating Athens in 2004 18% percent and ranking as the highest first night of competition since Barcelona in 1992. Now that’s not as great of a percentage leap as the Beijing opening ceremony had over Athens (27%), but it still ranks as the highest first-night of summer off-shore Olympic competition since Barcelona in 1992. NBC's two-day average viewership is 29.1 million (16.2/30), the best primetime rating through the first Saturday for a non-U.S. Summer Olympics since Montreal in '76.

NBC Sports is getting a little over the top with its ratings boosts, however. The Olympics press releases have headlines like "70 Million Viewers Saw Opening Ceremony on NBC," numbers that some media outlets have been running with.

It might seem like a wonkish distinction, but those "number of viewers reached" figures are how many viewed at least six minutes of the telecast (then, in a great many cases, turned it off). This would be  like a record label bragging about how many listeners have merely heard a new album. Just because you've heard it, doesn't mean you bought it. And in TV, a viewer doesn't "buy" a program unless they actually watch it.

Meanwhile ratings for the opening ceremony are being tallied from around the world. At least 63% of China’s total viewing audience watched the opener – that’s 393 million viewers. In France, nearly one in two viewers watched the event live. In Italy, the opening ceremony drew a 49% share of the market.

-- THR.com full coverage of the Summer Games --

Comments

[Diane]

NBC was doing wonderful with clean, family-oriented commercials during the Olympics UNTIL tonight. At about 9:47pm EST they had a commercial for the new immoral show "Kath & Kim" and had the daughter saying how she hated listening to her mother scream during sex...who's the idiot at NBC that approved a commercial like that during the Olympics...but of dopes

[Jim]

I was really angry when that smut came over the air. My kids were watching the Olympics and should be bludgeoned with crap like that. I really hate NBC for that. In my opinion it is much worse that the Janet Jackson "wardrobe failure," and NBC ought to be fined big time. They really are scum.

[Jim]

I meant "shouldn't be bludgeoned"

[m graham]

Why cant you be more like CBC sports in Canada.

They are very unbiased, not like you slobs.

If the U.S. do not win, it is a tragedy.

Pls respond M Graham

[Bruce Oland]

Why do NBC commentators complain to viewers about their concerns regarding gymnastics scoring, but we the viewers no longer are privy to individual judge's scoring.

The kids may not remember when we were provided this information, but it drives me crazy not to have it.

[garry]

airing is better than past olympics. used to be 5 min air and 18min commercials very annoying. However there is more to them than gymnastics and swimming that is not being aired. I agree that the commentators are extremely biased. If the american does poorly its due to injuries, as if the others don't suffer the same. Give credit where credit is due. Get new commentators, their derogatory comments about the host country and non american olympians is a poor reflection on america. Also has anyone else Noticed how other countries congratulate the winners of competing countries, but not the americans. Where's their sportmanship? The girls gymnastics team with their angry faces because they didn't get gold. SILVERs not good enough for them? come on now and Comments by Bela karoli are inflamatory, there is a reason they banned him and no longer allow him on the floor he is obnoxious and insulting and was interfering. Why you have him on TV is beyond me. He says the chinese are liars and the point giving is poor. Shut him up!!!