London Olympics: Ninth Night Lags Behind Beijing for First Time

NBC averages 28 million, down 11% from 2008, for Phelps' final swim

 

By Mike Reynolds, Multichannel News -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/5/2012 6:24:00 PM

NBC on Saturday night took its first step backward with the London Games compared to the Beijing Olympics.

The Peacock's August 4 primetime telecast, featuring the last of Michael Phelps' record 22 Olympics medals as part of America's gold-winning 4 x 100 individual medley relay squad averaged 28 million, down 11% from the second Saturday night of the 2008 Games in China, according to Nielsen data, but up 24% from the 22.5 million from the corresponding night at the Athens Olympics, the last time the quadrennium was hosted on The Continent.

Saturday night's primetime coverage on NBC from 8:30 p.m.-11:15 p.m.( ET/PT) garnered a 15.9/26 national rating/share, 17% higher than the 13.6/28 on the comparable night at the Athens Olympics (13.6/28), but also down 11% from Beijing's 17.8/32 on what was the fourth highest-rated night of competition for those Games.

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