Canada comes out on top for Olympic coverage

Well, it has begun. After years of build-up, the 2012 Summer Olympics kicked off with a bang in London, England. 

Or should I say United Kingdom?  Great Britain? (The name of their Olympic team) Fortunately, the reporters and athletes have found the right location because the onslaught of television coverage is already impressive.

We know the backstories of the athletes and keep a running tab on the medal collections from each country.  We see all the events as they unfold  …well, depending on who you’re watching. 

Recently, TV Guide online touted that with 5,535 hours of coverage, NBC “(won’t) miss a second of the London Olympics.” 
That may be debateable. 

I keep hearing that if you want to see more than just the American athletes, don’t watch the American coverage. 
They tend to focus on their red, white, and blue competitors to the exclusion of all else. 

Meanwhile, the Canadian media is much less biased with more events and athletes.

We could be flattered. But what do you expect? 

After paying out $1.18 billion for the telecast rights, NBC wants to keep their advertisers happy – the same advertisers who sponsor American athletes to the tune of millions of dollars each year.  American promotion is mandatory.

Canada, however, hasn’t nearly the sponsorship program that exists in the U.S.  So while there is definitely advertiser presence on Canadian airwaves, we don’t need to bludgeon viewers with it. 

Then there’s the fact that the United States sent 530 athletes to compete in 25 sports.  That in itself guarantees a huge American presence in the airtime over 16 days. 

It’s like the shotgun approach. Use enough buckshot, you’re bound to hit something.

That’s not to say Canada doesn’t have a strong presence in London.  We sent 277 competitors in 24 sports.  But that still means the U.S. has us beat almost two-to-one in fire power.

Then there are the competitors themselves. If American athletes fight their way to the final rounds, … heats, whatever the sport calls them … for that number one position, they’re going to get extra coverage.

Meanwhile, like any good parent, we Canadians watch our kids, no matter how they place. 

But then we move on to the others who make it to the podium. 

That’s not to suggest we won’t medal. But let’s be honest, we’re a northern country. Our strengths are our winter sports. 

And Americans need to root for their competitors. So of course, the NBC will show them to the folks back home. 

After all, they’ve had a rough few years with an economy that tanked and an idealistic bubble about their global popularity that, well, burst.  They need something to cheer about. 

Canada’s excellent and unbiased coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics is due to the fact that we’re not as tied down to the almighty dollar. 

It’s one of the times we can all say thank you for Canadian TV.