The Olympic media dossier

1988: Seoul

17 September-2 October
Television
NBC again takes the US television rights for $300m, giving 180 hours of transmissions. For the only time to date the Winter Games in Calgary cost more: ABC pays $309m for 95 hours.
        In Japan, 497 hours of coverage was shared by NHK, BS-1 satellite channel and the Hivision HDTV services.

1992: Barcelona

25 July-9 August
Television
The US network rights went for $401m to NBC, which broadcast 161 hours. Rights in the Winter Games in Albertville were split between CBS ($243m, 116 hours) and TNT ($50m, 50 hours).
        Video screens were again installed in the venues to show replays of the events and highlights from other events at other locations. By now, camera equipment for electronic field production (EFP) is lighter and more flexible and can be moved onto and off the track quickly after a race.

[Picture source: IOC Olympic Archive]

Film
The two-hour official film, Marathon, was directed by Spanish director Carlos Saura and is available on video.

1996: Atlanta

19 July-4 August
Television
Back on American soil again, NBC paid $456m for the network television rights.
        Robotic television cameras were installed alongside track and field events, to keep pace with the athlete's run-up and jump. Overhead cameras suspended on wires ('sky-cams') were used at indoor locations to replace crane cameras.

Film
The three-hour official film is available on video.

2000: Sydney

15 September-1 October
Television
Every event was recorded on video, resulting in over 3,000 hours of television. Television ratings were significantly down in the US, perhaps because the events were taking place on Australian time.
        Finland used the games as a target for starting digital terrestrial television broadcasts.
        Japanese television carried 846 hours of coverage.

2004: Athens

13-29 August
Television
These were the first games covered throughout in high definition as well as standard definition television.
        The main issue arising from this year's coverage may prove to be that the sheer volume of events will require not just careful television scheduling but also considerable selectivity to maintain viewer interest. Long events are therefore likely to be cut. Minority sports may be less in evidence and there will probably be more concentration on star performers and 'personalities'. However, webcasting and similar technologies may allow viewers complete choice between all events, with simultaneous events stored on a hard disk for subsequent playback.