Editorial: NBC's coverage on Olympics

With the Olympic Games coming in less then a year. I can only hope NBC does a successful job reporting it.

Last Year during the 2008 Olympic Games the Canadian Broadcasting Company broadcasted the games lives versus prerecorded pieces. I am truly disappointed NBC would rather play its comedy shows rather then show the Olympics live.

Recently, NBC paid $2.2 billion for the rights to air the Olympics. If NBC cannot put its own TV series on hold for a few weeks, I think another Network should air the games.

Since NBC is the only American television company broadcasting the games, you would think it would do a better job. Personally, I watch the Olympics on CBC. Its coverage is live and often shows events that feature the Canadian Olympic team.

NBC does have other channels that air the games like CNBC and MSNBC, but not everyone has cable. NBC only shows live events that it sees fit. For example Michael Phelps gold run. NBC did show that live for the East Coast but not for the West.

NBC did, however, use the Internet more. I and many other Americans would like to see the games broadcasted through my TV rather than the Internet.

The Olympics are very special. They come once every two years. NBC needs to realize that they should not only show the Olympics live, but to cover the games better. For example, in 2006 NBC commentators made rude comments on Chris Chelios still playing hockey. They poked fun at his age and how he is the Americans captain.

NBC, in the past, has pretended to be the experts on certain sports. I have seen its bias with certain teams. In 2009, NBC had the rights to air the Winter Classic featuring the Detroit Red Wings verses the Chicago Blackhawks and praised the Blackhawks. They made Chicago look like the new ideal franchise of the NHL, even though the Wings defeated the Blackhawks, 6-4.

Perhaps someday NBC will learn from the CBC about airing live events. People want to cheer their teams and not want to see commentators making fun of them. Athletes train for a majority of their young lives for the games. The least NBC can do is show it live.