The Olympic media dossier

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]

In an attempt to defray some of the cost, NBC arranges an Olympic Triplecast pay-per-view service with cable operator Cablevision. It is not a success as so much of the coverage is free-to-air. The loss on the operation could have been as much as $100m.

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

 

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