...and now for some Olympic related douchery from NBC.
Dear NBC (and to a lesser extent, CBC),
You realize that the Olympics are in North America, right? Really? Because you've only been advertising for the last two years, so I wasn't too sure.
If you truly do understand that the Olympics are in the Vancouver BC, please explain to me why in hell I don't get to watch the opening ceremony live. Seriously. I genuinely want to know. Because as I see it, THE OLYMPICS are in MY TIME ZONE. Why wouldn't you advertise “Live on NBC!” ? I may not have a marketing degree (although I'm pretty sure I have that in common with the people who work for you), but it seems like Americans would want to watch the Olympics live.
Do you know this about us as a country? We like kicking butt, taking names, and asserting our superiority over every country in the world* so, I think we might be interested in the Olympics. Over 100 million people watched the Super Bowl on CBS last weekend, and that was America versus America! Think how many people would be interested in America versus China! Or versus Russia! Think of all the Cold War jokes we can bring back for two weeks!
Okay, if you're going to give me some bullshit about how the opening ceremony interrupts local evening news, and how people aren't going to be home at 4:30 pm on Friday, I have three things in response.
1. The local affiliates can suck it. It's two weeks. And between you and me, we both know you don't care about them anyways.
2. You're showing the opening ceremony at nine pm, and then you're going to rerun it right after it finishes at midnight, so why not show it live, and then have the rerun after at nine? That way you can catch all the Americans who couldn't get off work a little early, and you'll make college students, old people and the unemployed (me) happy by showing it in the afternoon live. And as it happens, all three of those groups fall into your target demographics (18-49 year old Americans, and...Jay Leno fans-burn!).
3. Even if you really had to show the opening ceremony at nine pm, why wouldn't you broadcast it simultaneously on the West Coast, where it would only be six pm? Can't you throw us West Coasters a bone once? We always get screwed when it comes to time and live programming. If you had made a trip out here, you'd see how frakking excited Seattle is (granted, part of that comes from us thinking that Vancouver is really Seattle-North, just like Portland is Seattle-South). Six pm is late enough for the local news to be over, and for people to be home from work.
In short, I'm frustrated, NBC, and I think it's time we took a break. We'll still see each other on Thursdays because I need some visitation with your comedy lineup. Renewing Parks and Recreation was a good first step in the right direction, but it's just not enough. I need more of a commitment to quality programing than you're willing to give me right now. Thankfully, your cousin USA is doing its best to comfort me in my time of need, with shows like Burn Notice, White Collar and Psych. I'm not saying things are serious, but I feel good about this one. Cross your fingers!
CBC, don't think you're in the clear either.
I've depended on you, for the last four Olympics to show me things live. When the Winter Olympics were in Turin, I could count on you to show me short track speed skating at three in the morning, when I couldn't sleep (or just needed a hit of Apolo Anton Ohno). You were my good friend to the North, and each time I got to watch something amazing as it happened, I uttered my gratitude because you let me--an American--get your channel in the US! How lucky am I?!?
So today, when I realized NBC was screwing me over again I didn't sweat it because I knew the Canucks would have my back.
Until I found out that you're not showing the Olympics this year.
How is that possible?!!?
You're (partially) funded by the Canadian government!!! Call me crazy, but I feel like that should be a leg up in getting rights to things...like the Olympics.
Just know I'm very disappointed in you.
Cordially,
Katherine
*except Norway because they live at Santa's workshop in the North Pole, and are born with skis on their feet. It's okay for them to beat us.
You realize that the Olympics are in North America, right? Really? Because you've only been advertising for the last two years, so I wasn't too sure.
If you truly do understand that the Olympics are in the Vancouver BC, please explain to me why in hell I don't get to watch the opening ceremony live. Seriously. I genuinely want to know. Because as I see it, THE OLYMPICS are in MY TIME ZONE. Why wouldn't you advertise “Live on NBC!” ? I may not have a marketing degree (although I'm pretty sure I have that in common with the people who work for you), but it seems like Americans would want to watch the Olympics live.
Do you know this about us as a country? We like kicking butt, taking names, and asserting our superiority over every country in the world* so, I think we might be interested in the Olympics. Over 100 million people watched the Super Bowl on CBS last weekend, and that was America versus America! Think how many people would be interested in America versus China! Or versus Russia! Think of all the Cold War jokes we can bring back for two weeks!
Okay, if you're going to give me some bullshit about how the opening ceremony interrupts local evening news, and how people aren't going to be home at 4:30 pm on Friday, I have three things in response.
1. The local affiliates can suck it. It's two weeks. And between you and me, we both know you don't care about them anyways.
2. You're showing the opening ceremony at nine pm, and then you're going to rerun it right after it finishes at midnight, so why not show it live, and then have the rerun after at nine? That way you can catch all the Americans who couldn't get off work a little early, and you'll make college students, old people and the unemployed (me) happy by showing it in the afternoon live. And as it happens, all three of those groups fall into your target demographics (18-49 year old Americans, and...Jay Leno fans-burn!).
3. Even if you really had to show the opening ceremony at nine pm, why wouldn't you broadcast it simultaneously on the West Coast, where it would only be six pm? Can't you throw us West Coasters a bone once? We always get screwed when it comes to time and live programming. If you had made a trip out here, you'd see how frakking excited Seattle is (granted, part of that comes from us thinking that Vancouver is really Seattle-North, just like Portland is Seattle-South). Six pm is late enough for the local news to be over, and for people to be home from work.
In short, I'm frustrated, NBC, and I think it's time we took a break. We'll still see each other on Thursdays because I need some visitation with your comedy lineup. Renewing Parks and Recreation was a good first step in the right direction, but it's just not enough. I need more of a commitment to quality programing than you're willing to give me right now. Thankfully, your cousin USA is doing its best to comfort me in my time of need, with shows like Burn Notice, White Collar and Psych. I'm not saying things are serious, but I feel good about this one. Cross your fingers!
CBC, don't think you're in the clear either.
I've depended on you, for the last four Olympics to show me things live. When the Winter Olympics were in Turin, I could count on you to show me short track speed skating at three in the morning, when I couldn't sleep (or just needed a hit of Apolo Anton Ohno). You were my good friend to the North, and each time I got to watch something amazing as it happened, I uttered my gratitude because you let me--an American--get your channel in the US! How lucky am I?!?
So today, when I realized NBC was screwing me over again I didn't sweat it because I knew the Canucks would have my back.
Until I found out that you're not showing the Olympics this year.
How is that possible?!!?
You're (partially) funded by the Canadian government!!! Call me crazy, but I feel like that should be a leg up in getting rights to things...like the Olympics.
Just know I'm very disappointed in you.
Cordially,
Katherine
*except Norway because they live at Santa's workshop in the North Pole, and are born with skis on their feet. It's okay for them to beat us.