Olympic Viewership down 32%!

[hockeytown]

I am always amazed when these ratings come out!! I guess I don't put a lot of stock into the ratings but I understand they just take a sample of what people are watching and make a rating from that. Has anyone ever had the opportunity to be a participant in this ratings system by nielsen? No one ever asks me what I am watching lol Here more about the lack of viewership or should I say the decrease in viewership over the 2002 games. thanks to cnnsi.com for the following.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/olympics/2006/02/28/television.ratings.ap/index.html

 

[PhilM]

I've taken part in a radio listenership poll type dealy.
Diary over a week of what you listened to, when, and how long.
Basically they sent me a little diary, and it had a weeks worth of pages with times spread out in 15 minute blocks (IIRC) and you would put down, the station you were listening to, call letters, station identifier, and dial position and then how long you listened.

It was ironic as I listened to a TON of radio in the weeks before, but I got a TV in my room that week, so, my radio listenership went down a whole bunch from then till, well, ever since.


I got 5$ for doing it, (wasn't worth it) especially when they sent out this huge follow up survey with another 5$ bill in it. They called, asked if I got it, I said "yes, but I don't know whether I'll be able to finish it or not" "oh, ok, well, if you do" and then I said "you might want to drop a little more than a fiver in there, it's a massive booklet" was like 40 pages or more, I didn't do it, and yes, I kept the 5$.





But back on topic.

I can't believe the ratings were so bad, I can only guess that it's a couple, no scandal, no live events shown on NBC itself, the timezone, and the American team didn't dominate.

I'm not overly surprised that they're down from 02.
02 was on US soil, and the "Prime time" events were live in "Prime time" so that worked out a helluva lot better.

I'd say they'll go up in 2010.

 

[He-Man]

I would have to say that if it wasn't for curling than I would have not watch it at all. Well and Bobsledding. That looks like fun.

 

[langway05]

After the Canadians & US A were eliminated from hockey! I as well as another eight (8) million other Canadians tuned out the Olympics!

 

[leafschik1967]

Those that tuned out after the hockey missed out on a lot of great stuff. It kind of ****s to watch in the evenings when you already know the results though.

 

[hockeytown]

Those that tuned out after the hockey missed out on a lot of great stuff. It kind of ****s to watch in the evenings when you already know the results though.

yeah good point leafschik1967...i tried to stay away from the news but caught things before they were put on TV...I am so use to watching things live that tape delay, specially during olympics become a little annoying when you know the results ahead of time.

 

[PhilM]

not to mention both primetime shows kinda blew ***.

THe CBC one was more talking than events, and the NBC was much the same.

THe bonus for those in the States with High Def tv's, NBC's coverage was in HD, and my gawd, some of the stuff looked amazing, almost all the skiing I saw at my dads (who has HD) was incredible, such detail in the landscape of cross-country, really anyone who has HD and didn't watch a TON of that stuff missed out.

 

[snowrider]

Well, I did my part and watched plenty

Another four years, guess I'll just have to head up the hill and carve some turns myslef.

 

[G.I. Joby]

more wouls have watched if they did not allow the results before the showed the events at night--who wants to watch if we already knew who one--kj

 

[quincy]

Perhaps it also has to do with the fact that with infrequent exceptions, the Olympics has lost the spirit that made them worthwhile. It's no longer simply the drive to be the best....unless there's a fat endorsement contract on the other end. Controversy, scandal, and commercialism have more or less numbed the viewers into apathy.


Also, keep in mind that just about any other show on the air would be THRILLED to get the same kind of ratings the Olympics got.

 

[11chaos]

I would rather watch the highlights on ESPN. They get alot more of them seeing how they sold whats his name for a Rabbit and airtime. Who wants to watch the human interest story, I don't. One more story about this China guy who wasn't a winner but now is by being a coach(Or the like) and I will puke. 50 minutes of human interest and 10 or so minutes of sports.