Let the Games Begin
On BBC’s website, under a catchy caption, “Beijing Games open with a bang”, is this stern warning: “Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory.”
The territory in question is, of course, the US, where the 29th Olympiad is in the firm grip of NBC. Despite the pre-Games ad blitz, you won’t catch a glimpse of the opening ceremonies until almost 12 hours later, unlike the rest of the world.
And holding viewers hostage is not the only offense. According to FT’s Matthew Engel, should athletes, especially those in endurance races such as cycling and marathon, find Beijing’s heat, humidity and haze intolerable, they’ll take NBC to task. Money quote,
The Chinese wanted to hold the Olympics in September, when the Beijing air was clearer, cooler and drier. They lost the argument to what in Olympic terms is a far more powerful force: the American TV network NBC.
