The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Will You Be Watching Or Boycotting The Beijing Olympics?

RadioActive · January 7, 2022 3:42 pm

We're less than a month from the Feb. 4th opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics and it's already rife with controversy.

Never mind holding an event like this is in the middle of the worst COVID outbreak yet. The Communist government has literally been locking millions of people in their own homes to try to keep them inside and stop the spread of the virus before the big event, with many reportedly running out of food and in desperate straits. Anything to avoid being embarrassed in front of the rest of the world.

Diplomats from many western countries, including Canada, are boycotting in protest of the regime's genocide against the Uyghurs and other human rights abuses.

There will be no NHL players there on the Canadian hockey team, usually the highlight for the population here.

And then there was that not-so-little matter of the now released Two Michaels.

The fact a country with this record was awarded an event designed to celebrate sport and be non-political - which it never is, anyway - with the shameful I.O.C. refusing to acknowledge any of the host nation's ongoing and past sins, is also pretty tough to take for many. Polls have shown that the majority of Canadians believe this country should be boycotting the entire thing, including not sending our athletes, as the ultimate protest. Others contend that would only be punishing them for circumstances beyond their control.

Broadcasters CBC & NBC have millions of dollars in advertising riding on a lot of eyeballs tuning in.

So the question: with plenty of alternatives now available (the major networks generally go into reruns for the two weeks it lasts, but the streamers will still be around with lots of stuff to watch) will you be tuning into the Olympics? Or will you be boycotting it this time around? Or perhaps you'll only tune into certain events and not others.

My prediction, based on nothing more than intuition: this will be the lowest rated Olympics in North America in history. We shall see. Or in my case, not see. I'm not a huge fan of the Games in the first place and this year, I have more reason than ever not to catch a single moment of it.

Will you be watching?

Dial Twister · January 7, 2022 5:23 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Will you be watching?

No

RadioActive · January 7, 2022 5:32 pm

Perhaps I should add to the question: If the answer is no, would you have watched the Games if they weren't taking place in Beijing?

Radiowiz · January 7, 2022 5:42 pm

Opening and closing ceremonies are a must see for me. I will not miss that.
Outside of that, honestly, it depends on what's on TV at the time.
I might just skip a few events if I like what I see on TV...

Hansa · January 7, 2022 8:21 pm

The only thing I've watched in the Olympics in recent years is the hockey so not much point this time with the NHL pulling out.

Media Observer · January 7, 2022 8:41 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Perhaps I should add to the question: If the answer is no, would you have watched the Games if they weren't taking place in Beijing?

Although my initial reaction was all negative, the fact is that in the past I have tuned in for two events. The Canada vs. USA Hockey games; Womens' and Mens'. Truth be told, I have always found the Women's tournement to be the most entertaining.

Last edited by Media Observer (January 8, 2022 6:04 pm)

paterson1 · January 7, 2022 8:48 pm

I always look forward to both the summer and winter games. It still could be cancelled in the next few weeks, or countries and teams may decide the health risk isn't worth it. If it's on, I will be tuned in. The Olympics are always a nice change from regular TV. And the coverage is more or less 24/7.

The Super Bowl happens during the Olympics this year as well, so lots sports for NBC in February. But I agree the ratings for the winter games will likely be lower than last time. NBC didn't achieve the ratings they had hoped for with the summer games in Tokyo largely because of the lack of live events and the big time zone difference which will hurt again with Beijing.

MJ Vancouver · January 7, 2022 9:18 pm

Zero interest in watching Olympics from China.

betaylored · January 7, 2022 9:24 pm

Hockey always and forever. Figure skating sometimes and the other sports as a cure for insomnia if needed. But this Feb, no way no how.

Discussion of the Olympics makes me think of and miss Christie Blatchford. She used to find such joy in both the summer and winter games. I wonder what she would have had to say about the athletes, and the unrelenting reality of life during the pandemic.

mace · January 7, 2022 9:58 pm

Generally, I am not a fan of the Summer or Winter Olympics. It doesn't matter to me who the host country is. I won't be watching. However, I will occasionally check the medal standings to see how Canada is doing.

dieter · January 8, 2022 1:04 am

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I'll be watching. I'm a sports fan. The naysayers seem to be out in full force before every Olympics, and then the athletes push them aside.

But here's another thought. Beijing won the Games by 4 votes over Almaty, Kazakhstan. Given the turmoil there, the IOC would have an interesting decision on what to do about the Games at this late date.

Lorne · January 8, 2022 1:21 am

dieter wrote:
I guess I'm in the minority here, but I'll be watching. I'm a sports fan. The naysayers seem to be out in full force before every Olympics, and then the athletes push them aside.

But here's another thought. Beijing won the Games by 4 votes over Almaty, Kazakhstan. Given the turmoil there, the IOC would have an interesting decision on what to do about the Games at this late date.

I'm much the same as you ... I always watch them despite all of the associated problems, because I also enjoy sports. And I've been the same way about various sports here as well, despite any negative aspects of them happening during a pandemic ... they're going to happen anyway, so I figure I might as well enjoy them.

Radiowiz · January 8, 2022 6:16 pm

A friend who does not post here makes a good point.
With NHL not in the Olympics, it frees up time to make up for postponed games to be played during the Olympics.

Quoting that friend: "Sorry, but NHL comes first."

To quote Sportsnet:

"In his latest 32 Thoughts blog, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said that teams will have to play through the scheduled Olympic Break from Feb. 7 to 22."Some teams will have to play through it, with varying degrees of schedule intensity. The hope was to give everyone approximately a week off, but that won’t be possible in several situations -- particularly in Canada," he wrote."

Source: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-postpones-three-games-due-canadian-attendance-restrictions/

Last edited by Radiowiz (January 8, 2022 6:17 pm)

paterson1 · January 9, 2022 12:14 pm

geo wrote:
Some analysts boldly predict that Sun. Feb. 13's TV viewer numbers of the Super Bowl will be higher than of the Olympics

Nothing bold about that. It would be a major fail for the Super Bowl, a one day single game event, to not beat the Olympics on the same day. Especially since anything shown would have been on tape delay. NBC is broadcasting the Olympics and also the Super Bowl this year so they can't lose.

The Super Bowl broadcast usually wraps up at 11pm. That is 12noon the next day in Beijing, and just about the time that most of the big Olympic events for the day will be starting. So for the first time ever, the Winter Olympics will have the best possible lead in with the Super Bowl on the same network, NBC.

This is the first time that the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl have crossed each other, and that this is exactly what NBC wanted. They could package advertising around two big shows. Advertisers with super deep pockets will be on both.

RadioActive · January 11, 2022 10:00 pm

For those who are watching:

CBC/Radio-Canada shares coverage plans for 2022 Winter Olympics

RadioActive · January 23, 2022 12:19 pm

Although the major anchors will be covering the Games from the safety of their home studios in both Canada and New York, there are questions about how broadcasters will be able to adequately cover the controversies that hover around the event, given the Communist government's dictatorship and sensitivity.

Remember that the country's odious ruling party has passed a law that explicitly outlaws any criticism of the regime, both in China and anywhere in the world. How will those on the CBC and NBC get around creating problems for athletes if they don't ignore the genocidal elephant in the room?

That's just one of the things that will make this perhaps the most challenging Olympics to cover ever.

NBC Walks Tightrope In Coverage Of Beijing Olympics Amid Diplomatic Boycott And Human Rights Furor

Ale Ont · January 23, 2022 2:18 pm

I will be watching as much as I can.

Go Canada Go!!!

RadioActive · February 2, 2022 4:18 pm

Yes, it's the National Post and yes, it's about the CBC. But if the polls Terry Glavin quotes in the article are accurate, it appears the Corp. is cheerleading for an event most Canadians would rather we not be at.

To be fair, the same enthusiasm is coming from NBC in the U.S., ignoring the mayhem that the Communist gov't. continues to champion around the world.

When it comes to morality or money, the latter "m" almost always wins.

Still, an interesting read.

CBC loves the Beijing Olympics; the rest of Canada, not so much

paterson1 · February 2, 2022 5:22 pm

What a stupid article. Can you imagine the temper tantrums and wailing if Canada didn't send athletes or CBC didn't cover the games? We would be the only country in the world doing this, and what would this accomplish? Another useless unrealistic anti CBC article from the National Post. The Post likes to talk about CBC's poor prime time audience. Hey fellas, how is the National Post paid circulation these days??? Oh, that's right...we don't speak about that...They print thousands of copies everyday...how many are actually paid for??

RadioActive · February 2, 2022 5:37 pm

I think his main point, hidden though it may be in a typical anti-CBC rant, is that the western world should have considered a complete mass boycott of the Games to send a message about the Chinese government's ongoing aggression and unethical actions.

If they want to be considered a responsible member of the world's nations, they have to stop acting like a bully. And as we all know, the only way to beat a bully is to stand up to him. China is all about "saving face." A full boycott would have been a strong punch in that face and it would have served them right.

I would have welcomed that, but then I do understand how much it means to the athletes who train most of their lives for this chance. And since I'm not a fan of the Olympics to begin with and do my level best to ignore them, I suppose it's easy for me to say.

But in this case, they're handing China a propaganda victory they really don't deserve. I'd feel the same way no matter who held the rights.

Hansa · February 2, 2022 6:14 pm

So does this mean the National Post won't be covering the Olympics in its sports section?

Last edited by Hansa (February 2, 2022 6:19 pm)

paterson1 · February 2, 2022 7:35 pm

RadioActive wrote:
I think his main point, hidden though it may be in a typical anti-CBC rant, is that the western world should have considered a complete mass boycott of the Games to send a message about the Chinese government's ongoing aggression and unethical actions.

If they want to be considered a responsible member of the world's nations, they have to stop acting like a bully. And as we all know, the only way to beat a bully is to stand up to him. China is all about "saving face." A full boycott would have been a strong punch in that face and it would have served them right.

I would have welcomed that, but then I do understand how much it means to the athletes who train most of their lives for this chance. And since I'm not a fan of the Olympics to begin with and do my level best to ignore them, I suppose it's easy for me to say.

But in this case, they're handing China a propaganda victory they really don't deserve. I'd feel the same way no matter who held the rights.

I agree with that RA but this is not what the writer said or the gist of the article. The focus was the CBC and their supposed cheering of all things Chinese which is not true. This is where the National Post blows it almost every time, and their credibility goes down the tubes.

There is nothing wrong being critical of Canada's national taxpayer funded broadcaster. There is plenty to criticize about CBC and many ways for the network to improve. Even reasonable articles about whether the network is even necessary is fine and on the table. Too often articles in the National Post aren't based on anything other than their hatred of the organization.

They have been doing this since 1998 and their articles are usually filled with exaggerations, misinformation and weak arguments. The Post cherry picks the facts and information to fit their position and totally ignore anything else that doesn't. Even if they attempted to be a little balanced in their criticism would give them some credibility when talking about CBC. Twenty three years later we are still waiting.

mace · February 3, 2022 9:53 am

I am just happy the Mother Corporation found a timeslot to air Coronation Street during the Olympics. M-F 6:30pm.

RadioActive · February 3, 2022 6:31 pm

From the Toronto Star:

"A recent poll by Research Co. found that 59 per cent of Canadians surveyed now think Canada should boycott this year’s Olympics over China’s human-rights record...”

"The online survey of 1,000 adults, which is considered a representative national sample, also found 47 per cent of those surveyed said they will make a “conscious effort” to not watch the games this year...

"He expects the poll results will be reflected in the television ratings, but “it’s tough to tell” because there are other issues to consider, such as the lack of NHL players for the hockey portion of the Games."

Why are the Beijing Olympics so controversial? Here are some of the main issues — and why some Canadians may be tuning out

Tq345 · February 4, 2022 10:08 am

mace wrote:
I am just happy the Mother Corporation found a timeslot to air Coronation Street during the Olympics. M-F 6:30pm.

I'm pleased about it too, however it looks like we'll only see 5 episodes a week as opposed to 6. That means we'll be another couple of episodes behind the UK when we get back to the regular schedule. At this rate we'll soon be celebrating Christmas on the cobbles in mid March.