2008 Olympics & The Media
Introduction: What do most of our students know about China–the location of this year’s Olympic games?
What will the media they watch tell them or show them?
The Olympic games provide educators many opportunities to explore how and what the media tell us.
(Already the media has been preparing us: see some of the periodical coverage below.)
For 16 days, the media will be full of new stories about athletes, competition and China.
This is another opportunity to explore media and media literacy.
I hope you find the resources on this page helpful.
Frank Baker, media educator
Lesson Plans:
Olympics Host China Comes Under Fire for Human Rights Concerns (PBS Newshour)
Unite the Olympics with Learning (ASCD recommendations)
http://www.nbcolympics.com/ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/beijing/default.htm
IOC Olympic Games Homepage New York Times’ Olympics Page
http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/index_uk.asp http://www.nytimes.com/pages/olympics2008/index.html
Advertising Age
Recent News Stories About Olympics, Media, Advertising
2 out of 3 people worldwide tuned in for Olympics
Olympic Broadcast Wins Young Men
Why You Won’t See Michael Phelps on the Wheaties Box
Coke, Adidas Got Top Of Mind At Games
Orchestra admits ‘miming’ at Sydney Olympics in 2000
Phelps dives into TV gigs for MTV, SNL
Beijing Olympics most watched event in US TV history
Sports Marketing’s Rise in China Brings Out the Stars
The Media’s Olympics (Project for Excellence In Journalism Study)
NBC Tracks Olympic Viewers Wherever They’re Watching
On TV, Timing Is Everything at the Olympics/ Web Audience for Games Soars for NBC and Yahoo / America’s Commercials at the Olympics (NYT)
IOC Admits Internet Censorship Deal with China
No Medal For Online Olympic Ad Spending
NBC News responds To criticism of Olympics coverage.
Few surprises in PEJ’s report on Olympics coverage
Study Slams IOC Sponsorship Policies
Olympics Are Ratings Bonanza for Chinese TV
China limits use of Olympians’ names online
US Senator Says China Monitors Hotel Web Access
ESPN Eyes Rights to Games in 2014 and 2016
Olympics Draw High Percentage of Women Viewers, and Ads Intended for Them
More than 80% Asian consumers view Beijing Games on mobiles
The Most, and Least, Effective Olympic Ads
Can Phelps make it big outside of the pool?
Olympic ads are gold to business
Study Slams IOC Sponsorship Policies
Now, Phelps Chases Gold on Land / For Olympic Marketers, Emotions Pay / Ignore That Logo Under the Tape! (WSJ)
Liu Xiang Olympic pullout a blow to advertisers
A Surprise Winner at the Olympic Games in Beijing: NBC
The Olympics can be bad publicity
NBC Universal Still Selling Ad Time for Olympics (Adage)
Western reporters in Beijing lash out at Chinese officials (WSJ)
NBC sees new media habits form with Olympic games
Chinese channel reaps €268m on Olympic ads
Editorial: A Cutting-Edge Olympics / New York-Based Crews Just Call It as They See It (NYT)
IOC: China should not prevent media from reporting
Nike Breaks Olympics-Themed Ads This Week
More Americans ‘accessing Olympics sites during working hours’
Speedo Rides Wave of Olympic Success/Olympics Give NBC Universal First Crack at Cross-Media Metric (Adage)
Olympic sponsors miss online opportunities
Who’s not into the Olympic Games: Teenagers
NBC screens out anything unpleasant about Beijing, Olympics
Olympic Sponsors Upset Over Visibility; NBC’s Race for Ratings Gold Continues(WSJ)
For Retired Olympians, Marketing Is the Game (NYT)
Can an Olympic Sponsorship Really Help Your Image? (Adage)
China’s Hospitality Extends to Accommodating U.S. TV Habits (Adage)
Media, Fans Going Online for 2008 Olympic Games (PBS Newshour)
Review: Online Olympics is ambitious, but not TV
NBC Universal off to fast start with Olympic ratings
NBC’s Olympic Ratings Get Boost (WSJ)
Tiny Detergent Maker Scores Big as U.S. Sponsor (WSJ)
Olympics Marketing Battle Cry: Viral, Social, Digital
Chevrolet Launches New Advertising During Olympics
Some Web sites remain blocked at Beijing Olympics
Opening night big TV draw for NBC
NBC Hits $1B in Olympic Ad Sales (Broadcasting/Cable)
Many Ask If Olympic Sponsorship Is Worth Cost (NPR)
Chevrolet Goes for Gold with Beijing Olympics Ads
Google to serve up ads for NBC’s online Olympics coverage
Five Rings, Five Questions (Advertising Age)
Marketers May Not Earn Gold During Olympics
Olympic-News Wall Proves Tall but Leaky (WSJ)
YouTube to Show Olympics in Africa, Asia, Middle East
Olympic Proportions: NBC’s Plans for a Beijing Bonanza (Broadcasting/Cable)
The Most Politicized Games Since Berlin
100 Olympic Athletes To Watch (Time Magazine)
Olympic committee: No deal on Internet access
Commentary: NBC wrestles with web-based Olympics coverage
CBC expects Beijing audiences to surpass Athens (Canada)
Advertisers shy away from Beijing Olympics (India)
Beijing Partially Relents on Internet Blocking During Olympics
Will the China Olympics Be a PR Debacle?
Are Olympics Sponsorships Worth It?
Olympic Deal Sealed: Obama Makes $5 Million Buy (Advertising Age)
Where Will We Watch Those 3600 Hours of Olympics? (Advertising Age)
Olympics advertising reflects global themes, shies away from American only spots (Australia)
Olympics Advertising – Coca-Cola (Press Release)