NBC pulls back on pro-USA coverage

By SHARON GINN
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 25, 2002

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These Olympic Games were fun to watch, and give at least a bit of the credit to NBC -- if only because the network did not do much to interfere with the dozens of U.S. athletes ascending the medals podium.

Critics and viewers often have complained about the network's pro-America bent during Olympics coverage. But darned if people weren't watching this time because U.S. athletes were winning. A lot.

Through Saturday, NBC's ratings were up a solid 15 percent over Nagano in 1998. Given the Olympics were on U.S. soil and Americans more than doubled their medals output of any previous Winter Games, the numbers aren't too surprising.

But the ratings also were earned. For the most part, NBC's coverage was comprehensive and interesting. Occasionally it descended into the kind of maudlin, over-the-top storytelling it has been panned for in the past (think John Tesh, gymnastics, 1996). But mostly it resisted.

With his Olympic Moments series, reporter Jimmy Roberts showed why he is regarded as one of TV's finest writers. His daily stories demonstrated wit or poignancy, depending on what was needed.

Roberts was balanced by the legendary Jim McKay, whose enthusiasm in 42 years of broadcasting the Games has not waned. McKay, 80, was not particularly sharp during unscripted moments, but otherwise he made NBC Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol look sharp for bringing him in for what likely is McKay's final Games.

The focus on the U.S. team was heavy, but the jingoism NBC has been accused of was only present in pockets.

Ebersol and producer David Neal repeatedly told commentators to tone down the pro-American rhetoric, but that apparently did not get through to bobsled analyst John Morgan. Working his seventh Olympics -- certainly more than enough to know better -- Morgan shouted "Yes!" when the Swiss faltered Saturday and it became clear both American four-man teams would medal.

But that was a rare occurrence. The biggest problem with NBC's coverage was the clutter. The network promised more events and fewer features but somehow seemed to work in a lot of extras, not just NBC promotions but those interminable previews for the next day's events.

LATEST RATINGS: Through Saturday, NBC was averaging a 19.0 prime-time rating and 31 share, compared to Nagano's 16.5/27. One ratings point equals 1 percent of U.S. households with a TV; a share is the percentage of sets are tuned in. According to Nielsen, 84 percent of U.S. households with TVs have watched some part of the Games.

The Tampa Bay area market has fared well, ranking 10th out of the 53 so-called metered markets. Through Saturday, local ratings averaged 22.6 in prime time with a 33 share.

MR. OLYMPICS: Bob Costas' contract with NBC is up this year, and it's unclear if he will re-sign. Since he last made a deal with the network, it has lost major-league baseball and, after this season, the NBA. Costas never has seemed as passionate about the Olympics as McKay, so Olympics host may not be enough to keep him around.

With McKay and Roberts handling the heavy-duty features and much of the coverage focused on the venues, Costas' role seemed smaller during these games, his fourth as studio host. Costas did several live interviews, including impressive conversations with President Bush and IOC president Jacques Rogge. But those kinds he could handle on a regular basis, not just every two years.

NBC allowed Costas to develop a sports interview show with HBO, On the Record, which soon will begin its second season. But the guess here is the network will have to find Costas something new to do, and if it can't, it will lose him and its host for the 2004, 2006 and 2008 Games.

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