• NBC's mistake was to think about the Olympics as a TV show

    From Terrence Clay@21:1/5 to All on Sat Aug 7 14:44:28 2021
    https://www.indiewire.com/2021/08/tokyo-olympics-nbc-peacock-problems-watch-1234655708/

    "The biggest problem, whether it stems from perceived necessity or sheer indifference, is that NBC treats the Olympics like a giant television show," says Steve Greene. "Faced with unprecedented circumstances, the Tokyo Olympics has been more about
    creating the illusion of sports rather than presenting the sports themselves. It’s an approach that foregrounds the famous athletes and events, supplemented by faces who obtain fame for winning heats after they fall down or for not being able to
    contend with treacherous weather conditions. Even though this year’s Games are far from traditional — the ongoing global health crisis casts a long shadow — the network hype machine isn’t digging deep for unconventional stories. Instead, it’s
    reverted to the usual standbys: gymnastics, swimming, and track and field — probably because it’s far easier to craft an underdog story about someone who can run or swim the fastest than a rugby player or BMX champ whose skill is a lot harder to
    condense into a quickly digestible narrative."

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