Olympic Moments

Every day during the Beijing Olympic Games, NBC continues to post world record numbers for online video, but there are some interesting statistics belying the hype.

After four days of viewing, it appears more than 90 percent of the audience is exclusively watching the Olympics on TV. Only 10 percent of people in the U.S. are viewing the Games both online and on the Internet. And, in a blow to the techno-ra-ra-di, only two tenths of one percent of people in the U.S. are viewing content exclusively on the Internet.

Is this a function of evening vs. daytime viewing? Consumer preference to watch things on the couch rather than in front of the PC screen? Or simply a result of the best viewing experience being available exclusively on a HD widescreen? No doubt Mark Cuban will blog about how wonderful the Olympic experience was/is on HD for those who can't afford to go in person, attempting to offer another reason why you should subscribe to his HDnet channel.

The good news for techies: Out of the 10 percent watching both the TV and the Internet, 60 percent are using the ‘net as a DVR to catch up on missed events, while another 40 percent are re-watching events (at work, I'll bet) they saw on TV.

Does NBC's exclusive online coverage of the Olympic Games give it a bigger stake in the "Net Neutrality" game? Or is it a non-issue, and anyone who can't get enough broadband and QoS to see quality streaming is out of luck?  Most likely, NBC's TV carriage/syndication deals on cable and fiber will likely include some language covering the proper care and handling of its online properties - with the appropriate fees attached.

- Doug