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Article: Action scarce; audience isn't
- Article from:
- The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
- Article date:
- August 1, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 The Boston Globe. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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The Summer Olympics telecast sagged last night, much as it did
Tuesday, a development that was almost inevitable, given the 16
consecutive prime-time programs of 4 1/2 hours or more apiece.
That accounts for the meaningless gymnastics exhibition that was
introduced into the Games Tuesday, which enabled NBC to salvage a
21.3 rating -- a stunning number in ordinary times but the second
smallest of these Olympics.
It led NBC to proclaim yesterday that 199 million Americans had
watched the Olympics so far.
That assured the network of going over the top last night on its
early projection that its telecasts would be seen by 200 million
viewers domestically. How does anyone calculate such a boxcar ...