Summer Olympic Ratings Make NBC Smile

So far, the ratings for NBC television for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games have been very good. In fact, for the opening ceremony on Friday night – NBC's television ratings were up 20% from the same night back in 2004. There are many reasons why NBC is seeing a huge increase in ratings this year and all of those reason revolve around the country where the 2008 Summer Olympic Games are taking place.

In this modern day and age, China is one of the most controversial countries in the world. On one hand this nation with a population well over one billion people is still governed by a communist leadership structure that tries to keep the citizens of China down and uninformed about better ways of life in other nations around the world. On the other hand, the Chinese government has embraced capitalism and allowed it's citizens to profit in the same way free people do when their businesses become successful in free countries.

On the human rights front, China has a dismal record especially in the province of Tibet. For years, people that call Tibet home have wanted their own country only to be told no with words and bullets by communist China. It's not just in Tibet where Chinese government officials are trying to control people, even at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games they have placed some Internet restrictions on people attending the games and even on foreign reporters whose job it is to report the games and news from China in an objective way.

For NBC Television, it does not matter why the ratings are up considerable for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, but instead they are most likely relieved that they will not have to give away make good ads because of low ratings once the games are over with. At last count, NBC had sold over one billion dollars worth of commercials to run during the Olympics this summer.

Title: Summer Olympic Ratings Make NBC Smile
Written: August 10 2008
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