By JIM RUTLEDGE
jrutledge@espnwisconsin.com

I don’t get the mass appeal of the Olympics and I don’t feel unpatriotic for saying that. Why? I don’t care about the Olympics because the channel broadcasting them doesn’t care about me.

The actions of NBC make clear that they do not want to reach the thirty year old male, casual observer, plugged into social media, viewer. The actions of NBC make it clear that they’re looking for the fifty plus audience that still lives in a world where newspapers are relevant and nothing happens until you see it on television or read it in the daily history book, err, I mean the newspaper.

Sports are meant to be consumed live not in front of a live studio audience, repackaged and spit out in primetime for the uninformed to devour like a stale T.V. dinner.

How NBC decided that alienating their younger sports audience while they’re trying to launch their own sports station is beyond me.  Their executive may spout ratings all they want but the greater point is that they are turning off a large segment of potential viewers.

Viewing habits have changed. Consumption of knowledge has changed. The entire world is connected instantly by social and news networks. In the long run I think NBC’s plan of tape delaying the Olympics in 2012 will prove to be penny smart but dollar stupid.