NBC critics loud on social media

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 30 July 2012

NBC faced heavy criticism on social media over tape-delayed Olympics coverage and limited online access to some major events. The network’s executives responded publicly and emphasized live streaming and extensive live hours across platforms.

Summary

NEW YORK: In the age of social media, NBC now has millions of television critics who make their opinions known about every aspect of Olympics coverage instantly. They've even set up their own hashtag on Twitter: (hash)nbcfail.

The online complaints focused Saturday on NBC's decision to air the marquee swimming event won by American Ryan Lochte on tape delay in prime time, and Friday on the network not streaming the opening ceremony online. Sunday's critics started early: people wondering why the US men's basketball team's opening game aired on a cable network while women's cycling was shown on NBC.

The conversation is so active that NBC's executive producer of the Games, Jim Bell, took to Twitter to answer critics and even change the way NBC is doing something in response.

"(hash)nbcfail is filled with a lot of crying and snark and humor, but NBC can actually learn something from it," said Jeff Jarvis, a media critic who writes the Buzzmachine.com blog. Complaints about tape delayed coverage are an evergreen with Olympics held on foreign soil.

But the London Games are the first with Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites in full flower, in a mobile phone era where people carry computers that instantly deliver news in their pockets. It has amplified the impatience of viewers who want to see events on their large-screen TVs instantly and haven't been mollified by NBC's decision to stream the events live online.

James Poniewozik, Time magazine TV critic, tweeted that "NBC tape delay coverage is like the airlines: its interest is in giving you the least satisfactory service you will still come back for." That drew a quick response from NBC's Bell: "You do know that all sports events are being streamed live right?" "I do, indeed!" replied Poniewozik.

"Have enjoyed it. Apparently a lot of folks still prefer watching it on TV." NBC says it saves big events for prime-time airing because that is when most viewers are available to watch them and where the network makes the bulk of its advertising revenue.

Since prime time on the US East Coast coincides with 1am London time, there are no events to air live then. NBC representatives noted that there were 39 hours of live events Sunday on NBC and its affiliated networks. Even as it defends its approach, NBC clearly hears those critics.

One of Bell's Facebook posts highlighted coverage of Sunday's cycling race by saying it was all-caps LIVE. The network advertised its live streaming on the prime-time broadcast.

Jonathan Wald, who produces Piers Morgan's CNN talk show and used to work at NBC, tweeted that "the medal for most Olympic whining goes to everyone who complains about what happens every four years.

Tape delay." One of those complainers, in fact, was Morgan: He tweeted his disdain Friday for NBC's decision not to make the opening ceremony available live. The advent of Twitter makes it seems as if there's a lot of unhappiness when the majority of viewers are watching NBC on tape delay and appear satisfied with it, Wald said in an interview. -AP

KEY POINTS:

• Viewers criticized NBC for airing marquee events like Ryan Lochte’s swim on tape delay in prime time.
• NBC drew complaints for not streaming the opening ceremony online and for programming choices across networks.
• Executive producer Jim Bell engaged critics on Twitter and highlighted live coverage in network messaging.
• NBC said prime-time scheduling drives advertising revenue and noted dozens of hours of live events aired across its channels.